Cities: Travel Through the World’s Amazing Places

by Manon Bucciarelli

Discover the world’s most captivating cities in this beautifully illustrated voyage through diverse cultures, iconic landmarks, and vibrant histories.

This stunning book takes you on a thrilling adventure across 16 unique cities, from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the romantic canals of Venice. Step into the heart of each location and experience the richness of life unfolding in markets, plazas, alleys, and towering skyscrapers.

Each page invites you to guess, search, and discover the hidden wonders that make these cities truly extraordinary, offering a fun and interactive experience for readers of all ages. Kids will develop a deeper appreciation for global diversity. Perfect for curious young minds and lovers of travel, this book is your passport to new skylines, hidden corners, and vibrant neighborhoods.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

48 pages, Hardcover

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Cities: Travel Through the World's Amazing Places is an informative non-fiction book for children about different cities around the world. I enjoyed that some lesser known cities were included in this collection and thought the range of cities in the book was a good quantity to explore and learn about.
Each city featured has illustrations with an accompanying short information paragraph about each notable thing about that city, e.g, London - Big Ben.
I did find that some information was spaced too far away from the accompanying picture, which could be confusing to a child as they may mix information up. This could be made clearer, maybe with arrows pointing to said illustration from the paragraph to make it clearer.
Overall, this was an eye-catching book from the illustrations alone, making the reader interested and wanting to pick it up.

[Christine Gustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational, well-illustrated little book!

This book would make a fun addition to any home library or as a gift to young readers that love learning about different places in the world!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book!

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️✨ (2.5/5 stars)

Cities by Manon Bucciarelli is a visually pleasing attempt to portray the beauty and individuality of different cities around the world. The concept is attractive — a picture book that tried to capture the soul of each city — but the execution falls somewhat short of expectations while covering the famous things of all those cities.

While the art style is delicate and her color choices soothing, the emotional connection to the cities feels faint. The illustrations and descriptions fail to truly transport the reader or ignite curiosity about visiting the places depicted. For example, Jaipur — the historic capital of Rajasthan, India — is renowned for its grand forts, royal palaces and pink-hued architecture that reflect a majestic past. Yet, the author chose to focus on marigold flowers (which most citizens know are not that famous from here), instead of the city’s vast heritage and regal essence. This kind of oversight makes the portrayal feel incomplete and disconnected from the city’s true character. Somehow it feels like inclusion is just formality not to promote anything properly to intrigue the readers to visit the place rather repel it.

Overall, Cities is a okay-okay coffee-table book — fine to browse through once, but not evocative enough to make readers fall in love with the destinations it depicts. It captures form, but not the spirit of the cities.

My NetGalley review

[Lila Danisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3,5 stars

The illustrations were vibrant, colorful, and full of details. But the placement of them was all over the place and confusing. It might have purpose for the little games of guessing for the readers but since I read this book to my (soon to be) 5 years old son, he got confused and I needed to show him which illustrations belong to descriptions I just read to him. We needed time to fully enjoy the book.
Though there are answer keys (?) showed the right illustrations with the right explanations on the last pages of the book, for me it felt like repeating the context of the book.

Thank you to Manon Bucciarelli, Cider Mill Press, Applesauce Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Applesauce Press for providing me with the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This had a beautifully designed cover and some interesting and less common cities were featured. While I do think some essential cities were missing, it was by and large a good selection. However, pretty as the cover and inside illustrations may be, it is sadly very chaotic. I wasn't expecting pages upon pages dedicated to each city given that this is a children's book, but one double page per city felt a little lacklustre.

The set up was so that either one page had text and the other illustrations, or both pages had illustrations and the text was scattered throughout. The illustrations were all of landmarks or famous things from the city in question, but the text was just all over the place. To give one example, for London, Big Ben was on the total left whereas the accompanying text was on the complete right. I knew most so I largely knew which text belong to which illustration, but it definitely got in the way of the reading flow. And given that this is meant as an educational book for children, I don't see them connecting the dots unless it's a super obvious one.

So while this is very pretty to look at, I don't think it does the job of really delivering the information and a smooth way.

[Remi · Rating 4 out of 5]

*thank you to netgalley and cider mill press for this arc in exchange for an honest review*

the yellow–purple contrast is instantly eye-catching, and the overall layout design of this picture book is beautiful. but it’s not just for show — it’s informative as well.

you can read this book with a child from start to finish, treating it as a playful guessing game: matching each description to the corresponding illustration. at the end, you’ll find more details about every small drawing from the different cities, which you can explore and learn together. then you can go back and reread the book, pointing out the new things you’ve just learned in the illustrations!

it’s both visually striking and engaging, a wonderful blend of art and education for curious young minds.

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Cities: Travel Through the World’s Amazing Places by Manon Bucciarelli

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently picked up Cities: Travel Through the World’s Amazing Places by Manon Bucciarelli, and I have to say, it’s a charming and visually captivating journey through some of the world’s most fascinating urban spots. The book takes you on a tour of 16 different cities, from Tokyo’s energetic streets to the serene canals of Venice, offering a glimpse into their unique cultures, iconic landmarks, and lively everyday scenes.

What really stands out in this book are the illustrations—they’re vibrant, detailed, and full of life. Each city is brought to life through these colorful drawings paired with concise paragraphs that highlight the key features and history of each place. It’s like having a mini travel guide combined with a fun picture search, where you’re invited to spot hidden gems within the artwork. This interactive element makes it appealing not only to kids but to anyone curious about exploring new places from the comfort of home.

The cover itself is a work of art and instantly grabbed my attention. It promises adventure and diversity, which the pages inside definitely deliver. While the book is targeted towards younger readers, I found it enjoyable as an adult too—especially if you have a passion for travel or want a quick, engaging introduction to some of the world’s most amazing cities.

If I had to nitpick, I wish there was a bit more depth in some of the descriptions, but considering its audience and purpose, the balance between information and illustration works well. Overall, Cities is a delightful book that sparks curiosity about our world’s urban wonders and encourages appreciation for different cultures. Definitely a solid four-star read!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

[Pages Uncharted · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was initially drawn to this book by its stunning cover—its color scheme and art style are beautifully aesthetic and immediately captivating. The illustrations throughout are truly remarkable; each spread uniquely captures the essence of a different city featured in this charming "city escape" book. Ms. Bucciarelli’s talent as an illustrator shines on every page.

The table of contents is particularly delightful, cleverly using iconic monuments/landmarks as a visual preview of what's to come. I especially enjoyed the interactive element of matching the written descriptions to the corresponding illustrations. It added a playful and engaging dimension to the reading experience.

One quote that stood out to me was:
"By discovering all these cities, we are celebrating the people of the world, the ingenuity and creativity of their construction, their organization and, above all, the wonderful ways in which they live together."

This sentiment deeply resonated with me. As someone who dreams of traveling the world and immersing myself in different cultures, this book offered a sense of wonder and exploration from the comfort of home. It felt like a journey through the heart of each city, celebrating not just monuments, but also the everyday moments that define them.

I will definitely be adding this to my coffee table collection. It’s both visually stunning and emotionally enriching.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this delightful book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A taster of the pleasures of learning geography, as this takes us to over a dozen cities. A highly stylised set of images are bundled amidst, or perhaps opposite, five or six short paragraphs of detail and information regarding buildings, locales, foodstuffs, sports, statuary and so on. It's a bit awkward when things talk of colours the reduced palette of these pages don't allow themselves, and it doesn't really make us feel like we've travelled anywhere, as the foreword alleges. But it is a prompt to consider what makes each city unique, and how all large towns have their own distinctive qualities and things to go sightseeing at.

And then we go through the whole gamut of places again, as we get a second wind – and shorter snippets of info about all the many things in the art that were not covered first time round. I guess the one thing better than learning something is learning it twice, but the approach isn't the best, I feel. And this assumes you know what art nouveau and art deco refer to – well, it was a French book originally. For me, somewhere between three and a half and four stars, so I'll show generosity with all four symbols lit up – it packs more education in than a first browse suggests.

[Sarah Wolf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cities features beautiful illustrations of cities from around the world, including Rio de Janeiro, New York, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Miami, Stockholm, London, Marrakesh, Venice, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, Jaipur, and Bamako. I especially loved the drawing of the Russian nesting dolls (matryoshka!), which was a delightful touch.

That said, I didn’t love the organization at all. The color palette—mostly yellow and purple—felt repetitive, and the book jumps between pages of dense descriptive text and two-page illustration spreads, which feels disjointed. The city titles themselves are often broken across multiple lines, making them hard to read and not very intuitive for young readers.

Overall, while the artwork is beautiful, the book feels overwhelming and unstructured, especially for children ages 5–11. Adults may enjoy browsing it, but the lack of cohesion and clear flow makes it a challenging read for younger audiences.

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bucciarelli's Cities was gifted to me by Cider Mill, Applepress and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book could not be sent to my Kindle, so I read it through the NetGalley app. My main problem was that the places and text were separated. I also felt that it should have been given as a piece of text to make it more storylike. As I couldn't read dual pages, this would be better in book form, as the pictures would be on one page and the text on the other.
In the final section of the book, there is an introductory text and the various things in each city, which worked better. That said, I think it needed either a narrative or possibly an 'explorer' who visits and describes these places to you from your armchair.

[Jessica Bellemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a trip to 16 countries around the globe, all while learning about the culture and landmarks of the nation.

Cities will be an invaluable teaching tool for middle-grade classrooms, allowing for students to learn about different countries through this wonderfully illustrated book. It would be a great opportunity for students to work in groups to present a map of each of the countries in their own artistry, or even to delve into other countries but use the style of Cities to do so.

Cities will also make for a great coffee table for an home; I know that I learned a lot myself while reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press I Applesauce Press for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

[Emma Rizi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cities: Travel Through the World’s Amazing Places by Manon Bucciarelli. Ages 7+

This beautifully illustrated non-fiction book takes young readers on a pictorial journey through many of the world’s major cities. Each double-page spread is filled with striking illustrations and small amounts of text, highlighting iconic buildings as well as items of cultural significance — from the decorative zellige tiles of Morocco to the protective evil eye talismans found throughout Istanbul.

Cities is perfect for children who like to dip in and out of books rather than read cover to cover. Its engaging visual approach makes it an excellent addition to any classroom bookshelf, encouraging curiosity about the diversity, history, and culture of the world’s amazing places.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting take on cities for children. Bright and attractive, I liked the bite sized information on each of the cities included as well as the section at the back with additional information on the other images within the specific sections. I thought the choice of some well known cities and some less familiar was good, although some of the choices about what to highlight didn't always feel as well chosen, but that is just my personal view. Very much a dip in browser, there isn't that much information about the cities such as origins, development, but the sections do give you a reasonable idea about some of the notable highlights. Not bad overall.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Rosh (_soap_box) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good idea especially in broadening kids' understanding of the different people in the world, it also builds an appreciation for history. However the execution was lacking. Separating the text and illustrations made it feel random and limited my enjoyment of the information being presented. I would've preferred having the fact and illustrations together. The illustrations themselves were fine but the colour choice was terrible. Choosing a new one for each city would have better distinguished everything and showcased the diversity of each better. Some cities, like Miami, were unnecessary we could have used that time to showcase some place better, it was simply boring

[Jenny Blacker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've mixed feelings about this book, it is informative and the illustrations are lovely but some of the font and layout decisions mean it's hard to read.

It took a while for me to realise that you're meant to guess which picture goes with the text, but even as an adult I struggled with some of them!

Overall it's a nice book, but I suspect I'd go with another similar title if they were side by side on a shelf

I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

[Anne Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cities is a kaleidoscope of bold illustrations, whimsical details, and quick notes that feel like whispers from a traveler’s notebook. Bucciarelli blends customs, impressions and charming observations into a mosaic of urban character. Each page opens like a window inviting you to wander.

It’s a sketch of atmospheres, catching the pulse of streets and the quiet poetry of corners.

A book to gift, to leaf through, to display — Cities doesn’t tell you where to go, it teaches you how to see.

[Nat Top · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive illustrated guide to the world's largest cities featuring their biggest landmarks and attractions. I love the unique colour palette and images used to detail these sites. The information blurbs give you enough history about the attractions and highlights the importance to the city. I appreciate the index at the end as well. This book is perfect for children from 4 to 10 years of age.

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just wow! I'm floored with the artwork and design of this book. The mesmerizing illustration is just enough to go get this one. However, the artwork is not just the star of this book. The content featuring cities from different places on the planet. Some are popular and some are yet to explore and I'm glad this book featured it here. The text on every places in each cities are appetizing that you want to go their. Hey I feel I'm there just by reading this book.

[Maxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Cider Mill Press For the Arc!

I found this book to be short, yet also informative of some of the locations like Tokyo, Sidney, and many others. The artwork was vibrant and beautiful to look at. There's architecture, food, items, statues, historical monuments and more that represent the place best. It was an insightful and knowledgeable read!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun and informative book. The illustrations are vibrant and unique. The information is great. The only thing is that the pages are a little busy for my liking, but not overwhelming. Overall, a good book to add to your collection of children's books.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion:
There are a lot of things on the pages of this book. Each page is very cluttered but also very informative for young readers and travelers. There is also an index for each city in the back, which is helpful for adults.

[Darlene Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley to be released. Review to follow.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it. Love the colour palette with the contrasting yellow and purple. The illustrations are very visually pleasing, with the facts being fun and educational.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just happy our city made it onto the book.

First and foremost, this book is allll about the visuals. On each page, the illustrator has created a posted or juxtaposition of images in yellows, browns, and purples (looking almost like photo negatives), and on the opposite page, an explanation of what those images and symbols are and why they are important to that city.

It is good primer for older kids but I also think adults would like to have this book as a coffee table book.

Cities with the coolest designs in this book? Mexico City, Paris, Bamako, Jaipur, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Thank you to NetGalley, Manon Bucciarelli, Cider Mill Press, and Applesauce Press for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.