There are so many great picture books featuring cities, including Last Stop On Market Street, which makes the topic a perfect storytime theme. Make these easy mess-free tie-dye shirts. Or if you want something simpler, make these buildings out of small boxes.
App: City Nights, from Tidepool Publishing
DeLaPena, Matt. LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town after church.
Buehner, Caralyn. THE ESCAPE OF MARVIN THE APE. Marvin escapes from the zoo and easily blends into city life.
Burleigh, Robert. ZOOM! ZOOM! SOUNDS OF THINGS THAT GO IN THE CITY. In this rhythmic celebration of vehicles, we see the city from dawn until nighttime.
Castillo, Lauren. NANA IN THE CITY. Nana makes her grandson a red cape that helps him not be afraid in the big city.
Christie, R. Gregory. MOUSETROPOLIS. In this modern version of Aesop’s fable “The City Mouse and the Country Mouse,” the city mice wear suits and talk on their cellphones.
Cousins, Lucy. MAISY GOES TO THE CITY. Maisy and Charley visit Dotty in the city and cope with noisy traffic and other urban issues.
Curato, Mike. LITTLE ELLIOT, BIG CITY. Elliot is a small elephant who struggles with oversized New York, until he meets a mouse and the two collaborate.
Graham, Bob. THE SILVER BUTTON While Jodie’s baby brother learns to walk, readers see the variety of other things occurring in the city.
Isadora, Rachel. SAY HELLO! A little girl greets her neighbors using the many languages used in her city.
Keats, Ezra Jack. GOGGLES! Two boys evade neighborhood bullies to enjoy their new treasure – motorcycle goggles!
Reidy, Jean. ALL THROUGH MY TOWN. In this brief rhyming story, readers take a walking tour through the city.
Sarcone-Roach, Julia. THE BEAR ATE YOUR SANDWICH. A bear wanders into the city in search of a sandwich.
Viau, Nancy. CITY STREET BEAT. Two girls enjoy the day in the city in this rhythmic tale that lightly touches on the five senses.
Webb, Steve. CITY KITTY CAT. City Kitty drives his cab around town and makes new friends.
Yaccarino, Dan. DOUG UNPLUGGED. Instead of his usual daily download, Doug the robot goes outside to learn about the city.