NY Is for New York

July 15, 2017
Noted artist Thurlby applies his creative sense of design to an alphabet of New York City.Readers will be immediately struck by the artist's distinctive style, which uses mixed media and digital techniques to represent the famous sights of the Big Apple. The flat dimensions and striking use of color fashion vintage-poster-like depictions for each iconic image. The marked diversity of the people depicted is anything but vintage, happily. From the American Museum of Natural History to the Bronx Zoo, none of the selected letter pairings, each represented on a double-page spread, is a stretch, which happens too often in themed ABC books. D for "Downtown Manhattan" illustrates Chinatown; the Empire State Building and "ice skating" at Rockefeller Center require 90-degree rotations for full appreciation; N is the New York Public Library; Q is for Queens; V is for "the Village"; X is for the "New York Stock EXchange"; and Y for Yankee Stadium, of course. Best of all is a Where's Waldo-esque device in which King Kong himself appears in every scene, sometimes large or sometimes teeny. Sharp eyes will detect him in the crowd at Grand Central, enjoying the view of the Brooklyn Bridge, piloting a plane at JFK, and jogging Uptown outside the Guggenheim Museum. Naturally, he has his own page for the letter K. Just right for both first-time visitors as well as fans of the city. (Picture book. 5-10)

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September 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-Thurlby's retro travel poster-like artwork sets this geography-meets-alphabet-book apart. The book highlights many of the famed landmarks of New York City, including classics like Radio City Music Hall, the giant whale at the American Museum of Natural History, and Grand Central Terminal. The addition of a few more recent tourist destinations like the High Line is a nice touch. The narrative for each letter discusses fun facts about the landmark or neighborhood. For example, "F" is for the Flatiron building, and the text mentions how its name stems from its resemblance to a clothes iron. Some entries are a bit of a stretch, as in "K" is for King Kong. The ape makes repeated background appearances, sometimes jogging and sometimes mournfully admiring tall buildings. The narrative is simple and does not dive too deep into each subject. VERDICT For the lover of vintage artwork this book is a sure thing; for younger audiences to get a basic knowledge of New York City touchstones, it is adequate.-Erin Olsen, The Brearley School, NY

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