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Cities: How Humans Live Together
If you could design a city that would be both a great place to live and good for the planet, what would it look like? Today, about four billion people―more than half the world’s population―live in cities. This number could rise to seven billion by 2050. Cities face big challenges, including threats from climate change, food insecurity, a lack of clean water and rapid population growth, but they are also places where innovation and sustainability can thrive. How Humans Live Together travels through time to explore questions like When and why did cities form? How did people access food and water? Where did they go to the bathroom? Peek into the past to see how cities have changed through time and explore what could make cities more sustainable and welcoming for today and tomorrow.
- GenresMiddle Grade
96 pages, Hardcover
Published May 16, 2023
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 5, 2023
In a Nutshell: An amazingly informative book about the past, present, and future of cities. Meant for MG readers, but will offer lots of fun trivia to everyone.
Most of you reading this review might be city dwellers. Have you ever thought about what goes on behind the scenes? The water in your taps, the easy sanitation, garbage disposal, public transport… we take everything for granted. But there must be so much of planning and coordination involved in all these activities that never even crosses our minds.
Cities didn’t even exist about 9000 years ago. Within this relative short span, the number and importance of cities has grown so much that we can’t imagine any country without thinking of its metropolises. It is astounding to realise that 50% of the world’s population (4 billion people) today lives in cities, a number that is expected to go up to 7 billion by the year 2050. Cities also contribute to 60% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Like them or hate them, you can’t ignore the significance of cities.
Just like the cities themselves, the problems faced by cities have also changed over the years. While initial urban planning might have been more focussed on providing the basic amenities to its denizens, cities today are also compelled to think about sustainability, effective waste management, environmental friendly initiatives and climate change threats while still keeping the billion residents satisfied.
If any of the above points sounds interesting to you, you have got to read this book!
The book covers myriad topics in a reader-friendly way. And when I say ‘reader-friendly’, I mean the target reading audience of 9-12 year olds. City planning, transport, water and waste, electricity, food supply… all extensive topics covered in an accessible manner. The content doesn’t cover only positive historical facts but also includes the darker side of cities, covering diseases, gentrification, marginalised community displacement for new construction, and so on. There is a detailed glossary at the end.
I loved the special sidebar: “If I lived in …”, covering cities as varied as Mesopotamia to York to Curitiba to Taipei. It was an excellent way of imagining historical and contemporary life across the world. Another fun sidebar was “When You Gotta Go”, offering insights about public bathroom facilities in cities across the ages.
The book has the text arranged in well-spaced blocks of manageable length. This never makes the text overwhelming. The content is accompanied by gorgeous photographs of city spaces from across the world as well as excellent digital illustrations.
I must add that the author has done her graduate studies in environmental urban planning. Hence her grasp and comfort over the topic shows itself on every page. The content could have become too complicated, but the author’s approach keeps things interesting all the way.
I appreciate how the book covered cities from across the world rather than sticking to Western countries. That said, there was one little factual error in the information about Mumbai (Dharavi isn’t an edge city but a locality very much in the heart of proper Mumbai city), which made me wonder if there could be possible errors in the other tidbits that I may not have realised due to my lack of familiarity with those cities.
In short, this would definitely be a fascinating book for children wanting to know about cities as it is full of information and trivia. Strongly recommended to homes, schools and libraries.
4.5 stars.
My thanks to Orca Book Publishers and NetGalley for the DRC of “Cities: How Humans Live Together”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Most of you reading this review might be city dwellers. Have you ever thought about what goes on behind the scenes? The water in your taps, the easy sanitation, garbage disposal, public transport… we take everything for granted. But there must be so much of planning and coordination involved in all these activities that never even crosses our minds.
Cities didn’t even exist about 9000 years ago. Within this relative short span, the number and importance of cities has grown so much that we can’t imagine any country without thinking of its metropolises. It is astounding to realise that 50% of the world’s population (4 billion people) today lives in cities, a number that is expected to go up to 7 billion by the year 2050. Cities also contribute to 60% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Like them or hate them, you can’t ignore the significance of cities.
Just like the cities themselves, the problems faced by cities have also changed over the years. While initial urban planning might have been more focussed on providing the basic amenities to its denizens, cities today are also compelled to think about sustainability, effective waste management, environmental friendly initiatives and climate change threats while still keeping the billion residents satisfied.
If any of the above points sounds interesting to you, you have got to read this book!
The book covers myriad topics in a reader-friendly way. And when I say ‘reader-friendly’, I mean the target reading audience of 9-12 year olds. City planning, transport, water and waste, electricity, food supply… all extensive topics covered in an accessible manner. The content doesn’t cover only positive historical facts but also includes the darker side of cities, covering diseases, gentrification, marginalised community displacement for new construction, and so on. There is a detailed glossary at the end.
I loved the special sidebar: “If I lived in …”, covering cities as varied as Mesopotamia to York to Curitiba to Taipei. It was an excellent way of imagining historical and contemporary life across the world. Another fun sidebar was “When You Gotta Go”, offering insights about public bathroom facilities in cities across the ages.
The book has the text arranged in well-spaced blocks of manageable length. This never makes the text overwhelming. The content is accompanied by gorgeous photographs of city spaces from across the world as well as excellent digital illustrations.
I must add that the author has done her graduate studies in environmental urban planning. Hence her grasp and comfort over the topic shows itself on every page. The content could have become too complicated, but the author’s approach keeps things interesting all the way.
I appreciate how the book covered cities from across the world rather than sticking to Western countries. That said, there was one little factual error in the information about Mumbai (Dharavi isn’t an edge city but a locality very much in the heart of proper Mumbai city), which made me wonder if there could be possible errors in the other tidbits that I may not have realised due to my lack of familiarity with those cities.
In short, this would definitely be a fascinating book for children wanting to know about cities as it is full of information and trivia. Strongly recommended to homes, schools and libraries.
4.5 stars.
My thanks to Orca Book Publishers and NetGalley for the DRC of “Cities: How Humans Live Together”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
2023
October 13, 2025Non-fiction November TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers
May 7, 2023
Kiddo (9) and I read this as a bedtime book over several days. I think it took us 4-5 days of reading to finish (I read fast - luckily, kiddo listens fast).
I was dubious about it when I requested it, as city planning is not generally considered a good bedtime book topic and I've never found it particularly interesting. But kiddo prefers science and history books over the more traditional stories for bedtime books and the cover drew me in, so I took a chance.
We *loved* it. The author did a *fantastic* job making the topic of past, present, and future cities come to life on the page, and we learned SO much. Did I expect before finding this to be enjoying a book that is essentially city planning for kids? Hardly. And yet.
The book is broken up int0 five chapters: Mapping it Out, Getting Around the City, Water & Waste, Lights, Power, Action!, and Finding Food. Each of those chapters begins with what would make an ideal city that is good for people to live in, problems encountered with each, then what has been done in cities throughout history (Ancient Greece, Middle Ages Europe, Mesopotamia, Cairo, Tenochtitlan, etc), what is done in cities now, and what people have dreamed up for cities of the future.
We learned about oyster reefs, arc lamps, floating gardens, and rain gardens. The facts were easy to digest as they were wrapped up in such an engaging story, and both new and old ideas from all over the world were proposed as solutions for the future. And it does read more like a story than a history book, so it's incredibly engaging.
The focus, throughout, is what makes a city good to live in, sustainable, equitable, and meeting the needs of all its residents. It was a refreshing perspective and I came away with a more positive view of cities than I had held previously and both kiddo and I came away with a desire to learn more. And really, that's what makes the best kids' books.
Here are my 9-year-0ld's thoughts:
"It was very good! I'd give it five stars! [Kiddo usually gives 4, so that's a ringing endorsement.] It was all pretty interesting and there were no boring parts. I learned a lot about cities! One thing I learned was it's very important to keep waste separate from water when designing a city."
This should absolutely be in upper-elementary / middle-school classrooms and libraries. I'll be recommending it to my library for sure and kiddo and I will be seeking out the other books in this series asap.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Orca Books for providing an early copy for review.
I was dubious about it when I requested it, as city planning is not generally considered a good bedtime book topic and I've never found it particularly interesting. But kiddo prefers science and history books over the more traditional stories for bedtime books and the cover drew me in, so I took a chance.
We *loved* it. The author did a *fantastic* job making the topic of past, present, and future cities come to life on the page, and we learned SO much. Did I expect before finding this to be enjoying a book that is essentially city planning for kids? Hardly. And yet.
The book is broken up int0 five chapters: Mapping it Out, Getting Around the City, Water & Waste, Lights, Power, Action!, and Finding Food. Each of those chapters begins with what would make an ideal city that is good for people to live in, problems encountered with each, then what has been done in cities throughout history (Ancient Greece, Middle Ages Europe, Mesopotamia, Cairo, Tenochtitlan, etc), what is done in cities now, and what people have dreamed up for cities of the future.
We learned about oyster reefs, arc lamps, floating gardens, and rain gardens. The facts were easy to digest as they were wrapped up in such an engaging story, and both new and old ideas from all over the world were proposed as solutions for the future. And it does read more like a story than a history book, so it's incredibly engaging.
The focus, throughout, is what makes a city good to live in, sustainable, equitable, and meeting the needs of all its residents. It was a refreshing perspective and I came away with a more positive view of cities than I had held previously and both kiddo and I came away with a desire to learn more. And really, that's what makes the best kids' books.
Here are my 9-year-0ld's thoughts:
"It was very good! I'd give it five stars! [Kiddo usually gives 4, so that's a ringing endorsement.] It was all pretty interesting and there were no boring parts. I learned a lot about cities! One thing I learned was it's very important to keep waste separate from water when designing a city."
This should absolutely be in upper-elementary / middle-school classrooms and libraries. I'll be recommending it to my library for sure and kiddo and I will be seeking out the other books in this series asap.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Orca Books for providing an early copy for review.
April 18, 2023
This book for middle-grade readers is a deep dive into what cities are, what cities have been over time, and what makes cities work. There’s never a dull moment in this information-packed book. Snappy, manageable chunks of text are interspersed with a combination of photographic images and whimsical illustrations, to ensure young readers attention is captivated. I had a “Wow! I didn’t know that!” moment on every page. Did you know about the once-buried stream that’s been restored as a relaxing oasis in the middle of Seoul, South Korea? Ever wonder if cities have shapes? Grid, square, fractal, star—they’re all possible! Hey…how did people go to the bathroom in the public spaces of ancient Rome? Inquiring minds will find the answers here. Middle-grade readers will be flipping pages to find out what happens next in this comprehensive and highly entertaining story of cities…and how humans live in them.
May 20, 2023
This book for middle-grade readers is a fantastic look into the evolution of cities' past, present, and future worldwide! It's brilliantly written with outstanding illustrations and photos, making it an engaging read to help us think about how we plan, design, build, and live together. Cities worldwide have evolved so differently, in good and bad ways, and the book helps us consider different options so cities can be more liveable, equitable, accessible, and sustainable. I especially loved learning about innovative examples like how Curitiba, Brazil, has affordable, comfortable buses, and 80% of commuters use them to travel for work. Or how cities like Copenhagen and San Francisco have successfully created pedestrian-focused spaces. There's lots of important information to think about and great examples of future possibilities for cleaner water, better transit, waste management, and more.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
December 19, 2023
Cities: How Humans Live Together is an amazing resource for middle grade students. Focusing on sustainability, the book provides a past and present educational roadmap for how people can use natural resources in a way that we can keep doing for a long time. It is an empowering primer for middle school and beyond. What’s amazing about the book is how it distills complex systems in an accessible and engaging way. There are many parts I enjoyed and Part Two (Getting Around the City), about transportation, is a favorite. With a thoughtful lens, the author explains the many factors that go into city planning and how past planning can help inform future design. From the impact of the placement of freeways to the idea of the “15-minute city”, there is SO MUCH food for thought to feed curious minds. The book is empowering by providing hope and action steps for young readers. I highly recommend this book as an invaluable resource on sustainability.
May 1, 2023
An excellent, fascinating book!
The writing is engaging and the photos and illustrations are vivid, help break up the text, and bring it all to life. The points about how urban design has exacerbated inequality are both tangible and important.
I particularly love the "If you lived in..." sidebars, helping me as a reader imagine what it would have been like to live in a particular city at a particular time in history. And there are a bunch of kid-friendly facts (like the Porcelain Palace, which has 1,000 toilets, music, TV, and Wi-Fi?!).
It's so interesting to learn about how cities evolved (which varied around the world)--and how we might want to design them differently now for livability, equity, accessibility, and sustainability. And there are several inspiring examples of how cities are innovating and doing things differently already.
The writing is engaging and the photos and illustrations are vivid, help break up the text, and bring it all to life. The points about how urban design has exacerbated inequality are both tangible and important.
I particularly love the "If you lived in..." sidebars, helping me as a reader imagine what it would have been like to live in a particular city at a particular time in history. And there are a bunch of kid-friendly facts (like the Porcelain Palace, which has 1,000 toilets, music, TV, and Wi-Fi?!).
It's so interesting to learn about how cities evolved (which varied around the world)--and how we might want to design them differently now for livability, equity, accessibility, and sustainability. And there are several inspiring examples of how cities are innovating and doing things differently already.
March 6, 2023
Cities: How Humans Live Together, written by Clendenan is a cool book filled with interesting facts on anything you could possibly want to know about cities. I really enjoyed the historical angle of looking at the formation of various cities through time. CITIES is broken down into sections concerning what makes a city and its design, transportation, lights and power, and finding food. There are so many great details that kids will smile at, such as where people went to the bathroom! CITIES is filled with vibrant photos from around the world that will make you want to travel there. I also loved Ogwa’s bright, fun illustrations with a graphic novel vibe that are sure to draw kids in. As an adult, I learned a ton of new things about cities. Highly recommend!
March 12, 2023
This timely look at what makes cities livable and lively will be an indispensable classroom tool. Engaging text invites readers to ponder what makes a city great. Comic-style illustrations and clever graphics lead us through the history of cities around the world and readers are asked to imagine what it would be like to live in ancient cities like Ur in Mesopotamia, newer cities like Chicago in the 1920s and in future sustainable cities! The narrative shows the challenges that have faced city planners throughout human history—transportation, water, waste, power, and food—and how engineers design solutions to meet the needs of dense populations of people. A wonderful introduction to get kids thinking critically about where they live now and where they might live in the future.
May 13, 2023
This book has a great mix of bright colorful photographs and wonderful illustrations that bring more people into the book and also illustrate technology across time and in different societies and cities.
The title doesn't give this away, but the strong focus on solving challenges of living together in cities is covered in historical perspective and even more importantly responds to current and future needs given climate change. How the city is planned and built up, how structures are design, green space, accessibility, roads/transportation, energy use, waste management and water management, cooling, and food are all covered.
Great book for social studies (and science) because readers can enter the larger topic from any number of different angles.
The title doesn't give this away, but the strong focus on solving challenges of living together in cities is covered in historical perspective and even more importantly responds to current and future needs given climate change. How the city is planned and built up, how structures are design, green space, accessibility, roads/transportation, energy use, waste management and water management, cooling, and food are all covered.
Great book for social studies (and science) because readers can enter the larger topic from any number of different angles.
August 19, 2023
Loved this! Super approachable text for anyone to learn about how cities function past and present. The combination of fun illustrations with photos make for lots to look at. The book is clearly laid out it five easy to navigate chapters. Each page is full of fun, interesting and unique side facts or trivia. I also love the diversity of places covered. Every continent and many countries/cultures both past and present are represented. Further the book is written in a way that promotes thinking of how we would like our cities to be, or what they could look like. Great teaching opportunity for kids or young people to implement ideas in their own cities and think about how they want their futures to look like.
November 30, 2023
This is a wonderful browsable mini-encyclopedia of cities, their origins, features, and futures. Megan Clendenan has packed a multitude of information into one volume and Suharu Ogawa’s fun illustrations complement photos of historical and contemporary examples from around the world. Covering topics ranging from siting and construction to transportation and waste disposal, and even surprising subjects such as, “The City as Farm” and “Cities Cast a Glow,” Clendenan leaves no stone, brick, or steel girder unturned! The best part is the variety of perspectives—and solutions—offered about city life from countries and cultures from every corner of the globe. An indispensable resource for middle grade and beyond.
March 9, 2023
This is exactly what I wanted for my classroom library. The history and development of cities are well-researched and thorough (kids learn SO much!), but the writing style is conversational and accessible. The information is chunked into short paragraphs, captions, and infographics, so it's very kid-friendly. Reluctant readers will also love the dynamic illustrations. There are astonishing photos of beautiful cities, graphic novel-like illustrations, and cartoon-like illustrations. The mix of engaging writing on high-interest topics (sustainability!) and cool images keeps readers turning pages. Love, love, love CITIES!
February 24, 2023
A fun, fascinating, and accessible book about cities, how they work, and how their design could be improved and made more sustainable and welcoming to all. The author connects cities of the past to cities of today, while asking readers to consider how we might want to design cities of the future. Full of engaging photographs and illustrations, this book empowers readers to think critically and creatively about urban planning and design. Loved it and my daughter did too!
May 1, 2023
Cities: How Humans Live Together is intended for children ages 9-12. This book contains wonderful information about the history, infrastructure, and importance of cities. There is also an emphasis on protecting the earth and the humans who live on it! I loved that the imagery in the book was supplemented with both photographs and beautiful illustrations.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
November 17, 2023
I really enjoyed this one. What a beautifully laid out (and written) book. It teaches the middle grade reader all about cities in every region of the world--past, present, and future. What makes a city a city? What is necessary to make one function? How has this changed, and how does it continue to change? Blending history, sociology, environmental science, architecture, regional planning, and more. I would read this again and again, and can see it in any elementary classroom!
January 7, 2025
A very interesting book about the past, present & future look of cities. It was very informative, gave lots of new information & facts with fact boxes that gave you a reason to pause & reflect. The illustrations were pretty awesome as well as the photographs.
Easy to read, well-spaced out, informative, making the topic come to life & very interesting!
A great read & a great book to instigate a lot of discussion!
Easy to read, well-spaced out, informative, making the topic come to life & very interesting!
A great read & a great book to instigate a lot of discussion!
December 1, 2023
You can’t tell from the cover, but this book is definitely geared more toward upper elementary and middle school. Filled with photographs and informative illustrations - you can learn everything about city development and designing. I particularly love how this book includes valuable and relevant information from the past, present and looks to the future.
April 15, 2023
This book took a comprehensive look at all aspects of building and maintaining a city. Wonderful illustrations accompany the well-researched subject matter. A perfect addition for any library, classroom or reader's bookshelf.
July 4, 2024
Tons of awesome stuff on the history and future of cities: environment, economy, the good, bad, and ugly! everything from how cities are built, how we get around the city, water and waste, power, and food!
December 11, 2023
A short book with informative facts on the features of cities with a blend of fun illustrations.
Must Read !
Must Read !
December 25, 2023
This book is full of outdated information and gadget bahns like hyperloop presented as if it’s real and viable. Don’t fill your kids growing brains with misinformation. Cute illustrations
February 18, 2024
Oh, I want to reread this book regularly and use it as a coffee table book / conversation piece.
Megan Clendenand (author) and Suharu Agawa (illustrator) provide young readers an overview of city planning. They do so by going through several aspects of cities (transportation, power (including a big focus on lighting city streets and buildings), water, food, waste, etc.) Their examples span centuries and continents. I was very happy to see examples from Africa and from pre-Columbian Americas. So often China, India, Egypt (as the only African country) and Europe are overrepresented in overview books such as this. I learned a lot about Brasilia and Benin City (Eda) because they appeared at several points to illustrate concepts.
Each page is about 60% text and 40% illustrations (drawings, photographs, maps, diagrams, etc.). There are text boxes that help narrate these images in addition to the main text, which is broken up with a lot of headers. But the text is dense. It appears to be about 6 point font and takes an encyclopedia type tone, content, and scope.
It's very educational! I could get lost in any one section for days by doing side reading on the internet.
My favorite chapter was called "Water and Waste," but I'm personally interested in household water conservation and household waste management. It was interesting to read how cities have managed waste in the past and how many cities are working towards zero waste through a circular economy in addition to other methods of waste management.
Back matter includes glossary, acknowledgments, further reading, and an index.
A very information-rich book on a vital topic that can encourage young readers to become active stakeholders in making cities safe, healthy, productive, and happy.
Megan Clendenand (author) and Suharu Agawa (illustrator) provide young readers an overview of city planning. They do so by going through several aspects of cities (transportation, power (including a big focus on lighting city streets and buildings), water, food, waste, etc.) Their examples span centuries and continents. I was very happy to see examples from Africa and from pre-Columbian Americas. So often China, India, Egypt (as the only African country) and Europe are overrepresented in overview books such as this. I learned a lot about Brasilia and Benin City (Eda) because they appeared at several points to illustrate concepts.
Each page is about 60% text and 40% illustrations (drawings, photographs, maps, diagrams, etc.). There are text boxes that help narrate these images in addition to the main text, which is broken up with a lot of headers. But the text is dense. It appears to be about 6 point font and takes an encyclopedia type tone, content, and scope.
It's very educational! I could get lost in any one section for days by doing side reading on the internet.
My favorite chapter was called "Water and Waste," but I'm personally interested in household water conservation and household waste management. It was interesting to read how cities have managed waste in the past and how many cities are working towards zero waste through a circular economy in addition to other methods of waste management.
Back matter includes glossary, acknowledgments, further reading, and an index.
A very information-rich book on a vital topic that can encourage young readers to become active stakeholders in making cities safe, healthy, productive, and happy.
May 24, 2023
Megan Clendenan's book, "CITIES: HOW HUMANS LIVE TOGETHER," is a comprehensive and accessible guide to urban planning, drawing from the past and envisioning the future. The book explores ancient civilizations that prioritized nature and the well-being of all beings in their development. It poses essential questions about creating inclusive and happy cities for everyone. The author cites global projects like the Colombian government's "Build it, and They will Ride," which provided bus transportation to millions, as well as Japanese concepts of reusing clothes and the ancient Aztec civilization's waste reuse practices. Throughout history, cities have evolved, and people have adapted, learned from the past, and worked towards a harmonious coexistence. The book is a highly recommended resource for children interested in improving our world for all its residents.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews