Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island
By:
From before its earliest settlement to the vibrant metropolis that exists today, the island of Manhattan has always been a place of struggle, growth, and radical transformation. Humans, history, and natural events have shaped this tiny sliver of land for more than 400 years. In Manhattan, travel back in time to discover how a small rodent began an era of rapid change for the island. Learn about immigration, the slave trade, and the people who built New York City. See how a street plan projected the city’s future, and how epic fires and storms led to major feats of engineering above and below ground. Through dramatic illustrations, informative sidebars, and detailed maps inspired by historic archives, Manhattan explores the rich history that still draws people from all around the world to the island’s shores today. From The Battery downtown up to Inwood, every inch of the island has a story to tell.
Afterword. Time line. Selected sources. Full-color illustrations were created using watercolor, colored pencil, and ink.
ISBN: 9781419736551
JLG Release: Sep 2019
Sensitive Areas:
None
Topics:
History of Manhattan
, New York City
, Maps
, Islands
, City and urban life
, Lenape Indians
Awards & Honors
2020 Orbis Pictus Award Honor
The Nonfiction Detectives Best Nonfiction Books - 2019
Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
Kirkus Reviews*, Publishers Weekly*, Booklist*, School Library Journal*, The Horn Book Magazine
School Library Journal
Thermes presents the history of Manhattan from the time when glaciers covered the land to its contemporary prominence as a center of commerce, culture, and civilization through the use of maps, sidebars, and stories. From its hilly, swampy beginnings as a natural haven for birds and beavers to modern skyscrapers, subways, and parks, the island’s Thermes presents the history of Manhattan from the time when glaciers covered the land to its contemporary prominence as a center of commerce, culture, and civilization through the use of maps, sidebars, and stories. From its hilly, swampy beginnings as a natural haven for birds and beavers to modern skyscrapers, subways, and parks, the island’s unique history unfolds with colorful illustrations and accessible text. In the opening pages, Thermes reveals that Manhattan was originally home to the Lenape peoples and known as Mannahatta; she emphasizes the peoples who populated its ever-expanding boundaries. From the original Native peoples to the Dutch and English settlers to the countless immigrants and the African Americans who were enslaved, each group contributed to the city we know today. Much of the information offered concerns the natural world and the changes brought about by the ever-shifting needs of the populace. Surprisingly, although several natural catastrophes are shown, there is only a very brief mention of the 9/11 tragedy in the exhaustive time line offered in the appendix. A comprehensive bibliography suggests books, websites, museums, and a podcast for further information. The maps, colorful illustrations, and accessible text present a comprehensive history of Manhattan as an island and a good introduction to the study of urban growth for students of all ages. Very valuable to students in the New York City metropolitan area, but also highly informative for all readers.
Horn Book
In an oversized book recalling the glory days of the d’Aulaires, Thermes carto-graphically tells the story of what its Indigenous inhabitants, the Lenape, called Mannahatta. From Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage to the completion of One World Trade Center more than four centuries later, the history in the book is as much an abundance as its pictures: In an oversized book recalling the glory days of the d’Aulaires, Thermes carto-graphically tells the story of what its Indigenous inhabitants, the Lenape, called Mannahatta. From Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage to the completion of One World Trade Center more than four centuries later, the history in the book is as much an abundance as its pictures: maps, yes, many, with the richness of detail enjoyed by map-lovers—but also vignettes and full-page pictures of the changing city and its inhabitants, all confidently rendered in warm, precise watercolor-and-ink illustrations. A comprehensive timeline and resource list are appended; endpa-pers divide a contemporary map of the island at 90th Street; under the jacket is a splendid homage to that quintessential Manhattan edifice, the skyscraper.
Book Details
ISBN
9781419736551
First Release
September 2019
Genre
Nonfic
Dewey Classification
974.7/1
Trim Size
10" x 13"
Page Count
64
Accelerated Reader
N/AScholastic Reading Counts
Level 9.2; Points: 4;
Lexile
Level 1030L
Format
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Abrams
Potentially Sensitive Areas
None
Topics
History of Manhattan, New York City, Maps, Islands, City and urban life, Lenape Indians,
