This Is Our City - by Lauren Paige Conrad (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Welcome to Cat Pine Falls, a ... make-believe city made by kids in their shared backyard. Here, pinecones are currency, the trees are tall skyscrapers for business up high, and a handy kid-run subway line zips between all the unmissable action. Young listeners will delight in eureka moments sparked by the ... imaginative pairing of words and pictures: the 'carwash' is really a willow tree, the 'cafâe' is really an overturned kiddie pool, and more"--

Book Synopsis

In this companion to This Is a Window, the power of children's imaginations returns to center stage--this time in a shared backyard, where kids run a make-believe city full of hustle and bustle.

Welcome to Cat Pine Falls, a charming make-believe city made by kids, in their shared backyard! Here, pinecones are currency, the trees are tall skyscrapers for business up high, and a handy kid-run subway line zips between all the unmissable action. Young listeners will delight in eureka moments sparked by the delightfully imaginative pairing of words and pictures: the "carwash" is really a willow tree, the "café" is really an overturned kiddie pool, and more. As they follow along, kids will love being on the lookout for the Mayor of Cat Pine Falls-- a cat! --who is expertly hidden on every spread of gorgeous, collage-style art.

With satisfying rhymes that make for a sweet read-aloud, here's a story that will delight kids, creative-minded parents, and childcare professionals alike, encouraging kids to create community through a shared imaginative playtime.

Review Quotes

"Few stories capture the joy of playing pretend in such a simple, direct way as this immensely charming book, perfect for reading aloud or independent exploration."--School Library Journal

"In this follow-up to This Is a Window (2024), a backyard is transformed into a vibrant city as a group of children come together for a day of play... Conrad ably conveys children's limitless creativity: Acorns become currency, a flipped-over kiddie pool turns into a table at a cafe, trees serve as skyscrapers, and the dangly branches of a weeping willow act as a car wash. Each illustration feels like a freeze frame from an actual day. Consisting largely of simple shapes and blocks of color, the illustrations have an appealing, two-dimensional feel; visual interest will be high, and kids will enjoy picking out details in the art. A winsome foray into a world of pure imagination." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Lauren Paige Conrad is a self-taught illustrator based in Asheville, NC. She received a BS in textiles from the University of Georgia in 2008 before going on to study fashion design at FIDM San Francisco. After working in product development and with small-scale textile studios, Lauren turned to illustration in 2016. Lauren works in cut paper, gouache, colored pencil, and Neocolor crayon. Lauren is the illustrator of Your One and Only Heart, written by Rajani LaRocca.