What do you think?
Rate this book
Cityblock
From high up in a skyscraper to far below the ground in the subway, young readers will explore city life in a brand-new way in Cityblock , a fun addition to the Abrams Block Book series!
STARRED REVIEW *“A big urban adventure in a small package.” ― Publishers Weekly
STARRED REVIEW *“Will delight young readers and grown-ups.” ― School Library Journal
Divided into three sections—things that go, things to see, and things to eat— Cityblock features 24 different aspects of city living. Kids who live in, visit, or dream about New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and more will love getting to know how cities work from top to bottom.
Like the previous books in the series, Cityblock has die-cut shapes on every spread and durable, interactive fold-out pages, perfect for little hands. Each section opens with a full city scene but gradually focuses in on the small, unique neighborhoods that make the city special.
This clever book will attract young readers living in urban hubs and suburbia alike with its bright, animated, retro-inspired artwork by Peski Studio. This is a must-have book for the little city slicker in your family.
Collect the whole
Alphablock
Countablock
Dinoblock
Cityblock
Buildablock
Star Wars Block
Marvel Alphablock
Farmblock
Disney Block
Loveblock
Sharkblock
Sesame Street Countablock
Spaceblock
Pixar Buddy Block
Bugblock
Also A Box of Blocks , featuring Alphablock , Countablock , and Dinoblock .
STARRED REVIEW *“A big urban adventure in a small package.” ― Publishers Weekly
STARRED REVIEW *“Will delight young readers and grown-ups.” ― School Library Journal
Divided into three sections—things that go, things to see, and things to eat— Cityblock features 24 different aspects of city living. Kids who live in, visit, or dream about New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and more will love getting to know how cities work from top to bottom.
Like the previous books in the series, Cityblock has die-cut shapes on every spread and durable, interactive fold-out pages, perfect for little hands. Each section opens with a full city scene but gradually focuses in on the small, unique neighborhoods that make the city special.
This clever book will attract young readers living in urban hubs and suburbia alike with its bright, animated, retro-inspired artwork by Peski Studio. This is a must-have book for the little city slicker in your family.
Collect the whole
Alphablock
Countablock
Dinoblock
Cityblock
Buildablock
Star Wars Block
Marvel Alphablock
Farmblock
Disney Block
Loveblock
Sharkblock
Sesame Street Countablock
Spaceblock
Pixar Buddy Block
Bugblock
Also A Box of Blocks , featuring Alphablock , Countablock , and Dinoblock .
96 pages, Board Book
Published September 6, 2016
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 14, 2017
Cybils finalist for Best Board Book 2o16.
September 18, 2016
First sentence: Big city, on-the-go city! How will we get around?
Premise/plot: Cityblock is a board book that celebrates New York City. The first part focuses on how to get around. The second part focuses on what to do. The third part focuses on FOOD.
My thoughts: I loved this one. I loved the actual pages: the die-cut format of some of the pages, the way the pages unfold, the bulky size and shape of it. The text itself is great because of the rhythm and rhyme nature of it. The illustrations are bright and colorful. Dare I say it's a board book that goes beyond its 'toddler and preschooler' audience?!
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
Premise/plot: Cityblock is a board book that celebrates New York City. The first part focuses on how to get around. The second part focuses on what to do. The third part focuses on FOOD.
My thoughts: I loved this one. I loved the actual pages: the die-cut format of some of the pages, the way the pages unfold, the bulky size and shape of it. The text itself is great because of the rhythm and rhyme nature of it. The illustrations are bright and colorful. Dare I say it's a board book that goes beyond its 'toddler and preschooler' audience?!
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
April 14, 2022
The kid loved all the recognizable city details and transportation, especially around age 3. And finding the black cat is a favorite element of each read through.
July 27, 2021
Een echt supertof en leuk boek waarbij je steeds door naar de volgende pagina te gaan (door middel van leuke vormpjes en meer, sorry ik kan het gewoon niet beter uitleggen op dit moment) uitvindt wat deze grootvader en zijn kleinkinderen gaan doen. We hebben 3 thema's. Vervoer, waarbij we ze zien rijden in een taxi of varen op een boot. Eten, waarbij we allerlei lekkers krijgen van nacho's tot pretzels. En dan is er nog de dingen die te doen zijn in de stad, zoals naar een museum! Dit trio heeft echt een geweldige tijd in de stad~
Ik vond het echt erg leuk vormgegeven en ik weet zeker dat kinderen dit boek helemaal geweldig zullen vinden. Leerzaam en leuk!
Ook de illustraties vond ik top. Erg leuke stijl al vond ik de gezichtsexpressies soms een beetje vreemd (dan kijken ze opeens verdrietig/angstig terwijl dat niet bij de situatie past).
Ik vond het echt erg leuk vormgegeven en ik weet zeker dat kinderen dit boek helemaal geweldig zullen vinden. Leerzaam en leuk!
Ook de illustraties vond ik top. Erg leuke stijl al vond ik de gezichtsexpressies soms een beetje vreemd (dan kijken ze opeens verdrietig/angstig terwijl dat niet bij de situatie past).
August 10, 2019
Explore all the wonderful things you can do, see, and eat in a big city! Great celebration of city living, wonderfully sweet and diverse illustrations. I love the format of the book, with different shaped pages. Little littles will love the variously shaped pages and searching for the little black cat in the illustrations!
April 5, 2026
Cityblock is a joyful, bustling celebration of city life, wrapped in the signature chunky, die‑cut style that makes the Block Books so irresistible to little hands. It’s packed with clever cutouts, bold shapes, and layered pages that transform as you turn them; a tactile experience that toddlers absolutely adore.
What makes this book shine is how it captures the energy of a city without overwhelming young readers. Each spread introduces a different slice of urban life, food carts, construction sites, parks, transportation, all presented with bright, graphic illustrations that are easy for toddlers to scan and explore.
The die‑cuts are brilliant. They invite poking, tracing, and flipping, turning reading into hands‑on play. The pacing is perfect. Each page zooms in on a specific part of the city, keeping things focused and toddler‑friendly. The vocabulary is rich but accessible. Great for building early language around everyday sights. It feels sturdy and premium. Thick pages and clever design make it a book that holds up to enthusiastic use.
Cityblock manages to feel both educational and fun. It introduces kids to the idea that cities are full of different people, foods, jobs, and experiences; all vibrant, all interesting. It’s a book that grows with your child: babies love the shapes and colors, toddlers love naming everything, and preschoolers start making connections to real‑world outings.
Overall, the book is bold, clever, and endlessly engaging. A standout in the Block Book series.
What makes this book shine is how it captures the energy of a city without overwhelming young readers. Each spread introduces a different slice of urban life, food carts, construction sites, parks, transportation, all presented with bright, graphic illustrations that are easy for toddlers to scan and explore.
The die‑cuts are brilliant. They invite poking, tracing, and flipping, turning reading into hands‑on play. The pacing is perfect. Each page zooms in on a specific part of the city, keeping things focused and toddler‑friendly. The vocabulary is rich but accessible. Great for building early language around everyday sights. It feels sturdy and premium. Thick pages and clever design make it a book that holds up to enthusiastic use.
Cityblock manages to feel both educational and fun. It introduces kids to the idea that cities are full of different people, foods, jobs, and experiences; all vibrant, all interesting. It’s a book that grows with your child: babies love the shapes and colors, toddlers love naming everything, and preschoolers start making connections to real‑world outings.
Overall, the book is bold, clever, and endlessly engaging. A standout in the Block Book series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2021
Walkable Urbanism. A planner (or modern neolib's) wet dream.
The Peskimo art is blocky and modern, reminiscent of the twee illustrations you'll see on many 2010's website or transit PSA from a first rate city. The interactivity is lightweight--don't expect fuzzy touch and feel sections--but a pleasing inclusion.
My biggest complaint is that it's a bit long for what it is and it's basically three books (city transit, city sites, city food) smushed together as one. As a board book, it ends up being a bit bulky for my tastes.
The Peskimo art is blocky and modern, reminiscent of the twee illustrations you'll see on many 2010's website or transit PSA from a first rate city. The interactivity is lightweight--don't expect fuzzy touch and feel sections--but a pleasing inclusion.
My biggest complaint is that it's a bit long for what it is and it's basically three books (city transit, city sites, city food) smushed together as one. As a board book, it ends up being a bit bulky for my tastes.
January 14, 2022
They can't all be winners. My song and I loved "Countablock" and "Alphablock." Citybook has the same great illustrations and flap style but the content of the book is too unfocused for me. I get that the point is to take a trip through the city. Midway, my 2-year-old was saying "the end, the end." He actually sits through longer books than this, so it's not the length. It just didn't flow as well as the other two we read. Honestly, I would still buy this book to have a collection of all of Franceschelli's board books.
February 22, 2021
I love the intricate cutouts in this deceptively simple book about city life. Even though there isn't really a "story" there is plenty to talk about on every page, and that makes it really fun to read together. Every page prompted Dallin to ask a myriad of questions, and we had a lot of fun discussing big cities together.
June 2, 2020
Learning about the city with your toddler? This is an excellent and engaging way to start to build the concepts. It jumps around on topics from city to food, which is a little strange, but still interesting.
December 24, 2020
Reading this post-pandemic makes us worry as there are so many people and no masks! But it is a great book! I love how the different sections talk about different themes: transportation, things to do, and food!
February 8, 2022
February is learning about the city. What a fun layout. Unique page cutouts give this book depth and movement. Colorful illustrations describe ways to get around the city (walking, subway, taxi, etc), diverse eateries, and what to do in the city. It's a favorite with the kids!
November 13, 2024
A chunky board book with die-cuts and fold out pages that explores life in a big city from the viewpoint of a grandfather and two children. This bright and colorful book explores things that go, things to see, and things to eat. A wonderful book to share with little ones about life in a city.
December 11, 2016
What a cool way to traverse through the city and see the best of the best! A clever presentation with a bonus slick black cat as a guide on the side.
February 28, 2017
Great topic and lift the flaps are always popular with kids.
September 13, 2017
This one is my favorite AND my son's favorite. :)
December 8, 2017
For the sophisticated baby reader. This board book is extra long with lots of details and motifs that you commonly see in picture books.
April 16, 2018
Fun board book about living in a city and all the things you can do there. Colorful illustrations. Peek-a-boo pages.
October 11, 2018
Not as great as the alpha book
January 2, 2020
We love these books in this series. Great for any age. My dd likes this book because there are so many hidden pictures.
March 2, 2020
Very neat! Can’t wait to read more in this series!
January 14, 2021
Loved this book and the series looks great too. Makes me miss traveling. But it’s a fun guide to what life is like in a city.
January 21, 2021
I adore all of the books in the 'block' series. This one made me nostalgic for NYC, yet it will surely delight and unite city folk everywhere.
February 11, 2021
What do you do in the city, and how do you get there?
This book helps a child find out.
This book helps a child find out.
April 30, 2021
Thick board book with die-cut and lift-the-flap pages shows the possibile places to visit and things to do on a visit to a big city.
February 14, 2022
I really like the design of this series.
July 7, 2024
My only complaint? This chunky board book could have been EVEN CHUNKIER
September 5, 2025
Bought this book twice after the first was lovingly destroyed. Second is on its way there as well
February 7, 2017
A very cool board book with flaps to show all the cool city scenes!
March 19, 2017
Filled with multicultural images of a major city, this text showcases not only how to travel around the city but also wonderful things, like ice cream, that you can find. Lift the flap pages and board book format. Great for story time!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews