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Building Manhattan

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BUILDING MANHATTAN; Laura Vila; New York: Viking, 2008; unpaged. Picture Book.

The story of Manhattan island (and New York City) is told in brief from prehistoric times to the present in this brilliantly colored and conceived picture book. Most of us think of New York City in shades of gray, but Vila conveys the life of the city in her colors from the rich natural resources of the time of the First People, through the Dutch, to the English, to people from every nation who bring the richness of their cultures from all over the world. No matter where you live, this lovely depiction of life in the Big Apple is a delight.

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