City Streets Are for People

The thoughtful “ThinkCities” series is inspired by “the urgency for new approaches to city life as a result of climate change, population growth and increased density.” City Streets Are for People, the latest narrative nonfiction picture book entry, following A Forest in the City (www.cmreviews.ca/node/1945) and City of Water, (www.cmreviews.ca/node/2386) examines one of the biggest challenges of our times: “figuring out how to get around with the least possible impact on the planet.”

In many cities, streets are dominated by carbon-dioxide-emitting cars and trucks which pose harmful threats to the environment and human health. Award-winning author Andrea Curtis posits, “But it doesn’t have to be this way.” Outlining the early days of urban transportation, clearly written passages trace the winding, historical road from walking paths, to horse-drawn carriages, and then horse-powered streetcars. In the 1800s, cyclists hit the streets with fast, affordable bikes; and the first subway, in London, England, ran on steam power. Everything changed in the early 1900s when mass-produced automobiles started to rule the roads.

Shifting gears, Curtis then explores many sustainable transportation initiatives currently happening around the world. For example, Luxembourg has made all public transit free. In Adelaide, Australia, electric buses are charged by solar panels; and in Bristol, England, some double-deckers are fueled with gas made from food waste. Old tramways in Strasbourg, France, have been reconstructed with quieter, energy-efficient streetcars, and Dutch commuter trains run entirely on wind power.

In a conversational style, Curtis shares fascinating facts (one of the world’s deepest subway stations in Moscow, Russia, is the length of a 19-storey building) and figures (when Oslo, Norway went almost entirely city-centre car-free in 2019, there were zero pedestrian and cycling deaths). With a well-balanced approach, both pros and cons associated with the self-driving electric vehicle debate are presented. Up-to-the-minute information is relayed, including how many cities opened up new bike lanes during the pandemic.

Emma FitzGerald’s energetic, hand-sketched illustrations capture bustling, busy towns around the globe. A diverse array of people of all ages are depicted in motion – many on foot and on two wheels – going about their daily routines. There are many details to pore over in the panoramic scenes, from a cut-away views of passengers onboard a bus, to an aerial perspective of a lively neighbourhood with families playing in the park, dining at an outdoor café, and a “Bio gas food and fuel waste” recycling truck picking up a delivery.

A concluding double-page spread entitled “I like to move it!” offers 10 initiatives that young readers can do to jump start change on their city streets, from starting a “Walk (or Bike) to School Day”, to advocating for safe crosswalks, and writing to local representatives to suggest how transit could be improved. A glossary and list of selected sources rounds out this well-researched resource.

This informative trip provided by City Streets Are for People will fuel actionable efforts towards a greener and more sustainable transportation future.