Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  After New York City’s elevated railroad became obsolete, a group of neighbors saw the possibility of turning the tracks into a park.  They held a competition to generate ideas and chose a proposal that created a space inspired by the old railroad.  The short section that was built was immediately popular, drawing both locals and tourists, and resulted in the “High Line effect” with new businesses opening nearby.  An unfortunate downside was the gentrification that made it difficult for the original residents to afford the new neighborhood, and when similar parks were built in other cities, efforts were made to mitigate this effect.  Today, the High Line continues to thrive in New York City and in other places around the world that were inspired by the original.  Includes an author’s note, a timeline, a selected bibliography, and endpapers showing places in the park. 40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  You’ll want to head for NYC after reading this fascinating introduction to the High Line and the similar parks it’s inspired, with colorful watercolor illustrations that capture the construction process and the beautiful finished result.  I liked that the author included the issue of gentrification that has been addressed but not completely remedied.

Cons:  No photos.