A few weeks ago, I wrote a guide to all my favorite kid-friendly things to practice in New York City. This post inspired Lauren Bercuson, our kid lit contributor and the blogger backside Happily Ever Elephants, to put together a list of picture show books that have place in New York City.

She put together her list of favorites (separated by fiction and non-fiction) and considering in that location are so many children'south books based in Manhattan (just like there are Television shows), I had a to add a few of my own. I recollect the idea of a big city similar New York, tin can be fascinating and exciting for fiddling kids (look at what a big world is out there!), merely for the states, it'southward simply talking about dwelling.

24 Children's Books About New York City:

NEW YORK BOOKS – FICTION

1) Nelly Takes New York: A Niggling Girl's Adventures in the Big Apple tree

By Allison Pataki and Marya Myers and illustrated by Kristi Valiant

Nelly lives in New York City, ane of the most heady places in the entire earth. I day, though, she realizes that she has never seen The Big Apple. How large is this apple? And where is it hiding? Nelly and her dog, Bagel, set out on a journey to uncover this mystery, and the result is a mannerly story for every kid who has always wondered just where that Big Apple can be found.

2) Goldfish on Vacation

Past Sally Lloyd Jones and illustrated by Leo Espinosa

Based on the true story of Hamilton Fountain, this adorable read takes place 1 special summer in New York City when iii kids are convinced the long, hot days will be spent in total boredom with only their goldfish for company. But when someone starts fixing upward the fountain downward street — and the goldfish are invited to take residence in information technology for the summertime — things begin to look a lot more exciting!

three) Eloise at the Plaza

By Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight

Children worldwide have fallen in beloved with the story of Eloise, a footling girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel! Eloise loves learning about people, especially the ones who aren't boring, and she can't look to introduce yous and your kids to this special hotel!

4) Imagine

By Raul Colon

In this stunning wordless book, ane young boy discovers fine art for the first time. Though he oftentimes passes by Manhattan's museums, on one particular day he decides to walk into the Museum of Modern Art. The boy studies painting after wondrous painting, until he stops at one and the famous piece of work suddenly comes to life, its characters jumping off the canvases and into the real world to join the boy on an gamble. The boy'south afternoon is thus filled with exploration and wonder every bit he and his new friends discover all of the excitement New York Metropolis has to offer.

5) Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale

By Mo Willems

This is the story of what happens on an afternoon when dad is in charge! Dad takes his picayune girl, Trixie, on an errand to a Manhattan laundromat with Trixie'due south favorite blimp animal, Knuffle Bunny, in tow. But their take a chance takes a turn for the terrible when they get home, but to realize that KNUFFLE BUNNY IS MISSING! This is one of our very favorite stories — and a hilarious take on what happens when things become hopelessly awry with dad at the helm! With awesome black and white photographs of New York Metropolis every bit a properties to Willem's illustrations, you volition absolutely love this one.

6) Nana in the City

By Lauren Castillo

One niggling boy is a bit nervous to go visit his Nana in the big city. Just while he is there for a sleepover, Nana helps him see that the busy, humming and loud city is not scary, but rather fun. All he needs is the perfect gear to help him remember to exist brave — which comes in the class of one special cape given to him with love past Nana!

seven) The Curious Garden

Past Peter Chocolate-brown

Based on Manhattan's High Line, this is a quietly cute story virtually a boy in a gray town who discovers a straggling garden while on a walk high up on the railroad tracks one day. He decides to care for the garden, nurturing it with dearest and patience and persevering even after it is harmed past the elements. As he takes care of the garden, it grows and grows, bringing life to the city and bluish to the skies. This book is stunning both in story and illustration, with themes of perseverance, environmental activism, and community improvement.

eight) City Shapes

By Diana Murray and illustrated past Bryan Collier

If you have a little one at domicile, this is a perfect concept volume to brainstorm exposing him to dissimilar shapes. Circles, squares, triangles and more testify up in the near unexpected of places equally a young girl discovers new geometric objects around every corner. A fun and lively romp through city streets, nosotros only love this 1!

9) Footling Elliot, Big City

By Mike Curato

Piddling Elliot feels especially petty in the large, big city— and sometimes it's hard to navigate the big crowds and fifty-fifty bigger buildings. Leave information technology to a small friend to help an elephant in need! Curato's Elliot, complete with pastel polka dots, may be the cutest story-book elephant ever. And the fantastic illustrations of Manhattan are not to be missed!

10) Lost in the Library: A Story of Patience & Fortitude

By Josh Funk and illustrated past Stevie Lewis

Patience and Fortitude are the two lions faithfully standing baby-sit exterior the New York Public Library. One day, Patience goes missing, and then Fortitude wanders into the library in an effort to find him. With the assistance of those he meets within, Fortitude learns the key to Patience's disappearance may be somewhere inside the library itself. This is such a fabulous and unique story!

eleven) Ruby-red and Lulu

By Matt Tavares

Red and Lulu are ii cardinals who make their home in a large and cute evergreen tree. But i autumn day, disaster strikes and the tree is chopped downwardly – with Lulu still in its branches! Red flies every bit fast as he tin can to follow Lulu, only he ends up alone and frightened in New York Urban center. But then he finds Rockefeller Eye, a miraculous sight during the holiday flavour, where he hears a familiar song… and sees a familiar tree. A magical book!

12) The House on East 88th Street

Past Bernard Waber

The Business firm on East 88th Street is a totally irreverent story that my kids admire. It'due south well-nigh a family that moves into a brownstone on the Upper East Side, only to notice that a crocodile is living in their bath tub. The crocodile is chosen Lyle and he is not only friendly, but also very talented. The story takes many emotional twists and turns when Lyle'due south original possessor comes back to claim him. Have no fright, afterwards a brief trip overseas, Lyle ends upwardly returning to the family unit, long plenty to appear in the second book in the serial, Lyle Lyle Crocodile.

13) Olivia

Past Ian Falconer

Olivia is a very hard headed little grunter, with tons of talent, big ideas and a want to resist the status quo. Her mother finds her both brilliant and exasperating, as many parents of precocious trivial girls exercise. My favorite part of the original Olivia (at that place is now a whole book series and a drawing on Telly) is how she frequents familiar NYC locations with cultural significance like the MoMA and the New York Urban center Ballet.

15) How Trivial Lori Visited Times Square

By Amos Vogel and illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Published the same twelvemonth as Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak illustrated a bottom known, only equally lovely book about a boy named Lori who wants to visit Times Foursquare. His journeying is full of failed attempts that take him from South Ferry all the way to 242nd Street with detours past Macy's, Central Park, Queens, and Staten Island, using diverse modes of transportation, including jitney, subway, boat and even a turtle. In the end, Lori gets a style more thorough tour of New York Urban center than he intended.

NEW YORK BOOKS – NONFICTION

12) ABC NYC: A Book About Seeing New York Metropolis

By Joanne Dugan

Redefine the ABCs with this romp through the alphabet and New York City! This is a beautiful book showcasing the excitement of NYC, including its landmarks and bustling streets. If y'all love Manhattan and are fix to teach your kids the alphabet, this book is for yous!

thirteen) This is New York

By Miroslav Sasek

This fabulous picture book serial features many of the world's most prominent cities, and we just love this one near New York! From Rockefeller Center to Chinatown, Central Park to Times Foursquare, New York'due south spirit, culture and landmarks are on brandish in this archetype movie book!

14) The Homo Who Walked Betwixt Towers

By Moredcai Gerstein

In 1974, a French artist by the name of Philippe Petit put up a tightrope between the World Merchandise Towers and spent an hour on that rope in the sky! He danced, cartwheeled and performed tricks, and this Caldecott award winning book beautifully captures this magical and awe-inspiring 60 minutes in Manhattan.

15) Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

By Melissa Sweet

How many of you grew up watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and at present watch it with your own children? This is the story of Tony Sarg, puppeteer extraordinaire, and how he created the upside downward puppets that journey through the parade, making all of America feel like New Yorkers on Thanksgiving Day!

16) Her Right Foot

Past Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris

Nosotros fell hard for this volume which tells all about the iconic Statue of Liberty, describing in detail one small merely significant (and fascinating!) trait that often goes unnoticed: her right foot. What does information technology mean, and why is it a symbol of acceptance? Sharing of import history, but also conveying a message of the importance of the United States as a beacon of freedom, diversity and inclusion, this one is a treasure!

17) And Tango Makes Three

Past Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell and illustrated by Henry Cole

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17) Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire Country Building

By Deborah Hopkinson and James Due east. Ransome

Learn nigh the iconic Empire State Building, and how information technology came to exist! A young boy watches, mesmerized, as the building is constructed, brick by brick. And then, in 1931, he gets to have a trip to the peak to await upon New York City in all its splendor. A fabulous volume for STEM lovers!

18) A Light-green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park

By Ashley Benham Yazdani

Central Park wasn't always a lush and vibrant gem in the center of Manhattan. Instead, in 1858, the city grew so speedily that all of the new construction threatened to swallow up the state. The people of New York needed light-green space, and afterward a citywide contest, Calvert Veux and Frederick Police force Olmstead crested a stunning park out of barren swampland. Together with sculptors, stone masons and gardeners, this ingenious team created a remarkable place for all Manhattanites to enjoy. Nosotros loved learning how Primal Park was envisioned and created!

nineteen) Harlem

Past Walter Dean Myers and illustrated past Christopher Myers

In this stunning, oversized picture book, readers are given an introduction to Harlem through lyrical poetry and beautiful art. This is the story of a group of people who settled in New York City, only to detect that racism could still forestall them from achieving their greatest goals. Well known landmarks similar the Apollo Theater are mentioned, and this volume showcases — in a mode that only the great Walter Dean Myers tin practice — the beauty, hardship, pride and perseverance of Harlem's residents. Perfect for your older kids!

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Lauren is a mom of ii boys and an elementary schoolhouse librarian who is passionate near the power of children'southward literature to foster empathy in kids. She reviews everything from board books for your youngest kids to books for your newest readers to novels for tweens. She also has book lists on every topic under the dominicus, including the importance of adopting a growth mindset and books about multiculturalism.