I didn't like this one as much as Sasek's books about Paris and Venice. I found the text a bit dry, it seemed to jump around a bit more than the others did. The original version was written in 1959, but this updated version added a number of changes that have occurred since then. ( )

This review covers ‘This is London’, ‘This is New York’, and ‘This is San Francisco’ by Miroslav Sasek, copied to all three books.

I stumbled across these three books by Miroslav Sasek at, of all places, Cost Plus World Market. The art immediately caught my attention in that old timey feeling, and I learned these books were created in 1959, 1960, and 1962 respectively, which explains the art style. An introduction explains that Sasek was inspired to create travel books for children during a trip aboard. His first creation was ‘This is Paris’ in 1958. For these updated editions, the books are edited with asterisks to identify new names or geographical locations while the art stayed the same. There is an effort to connect the sites geographically. The text is kept light for a child’s reading level. The art is ultimately the win. I very much enjoyed seeing these locations through the lens of the 1960’s, and the art style is charming and delightful. Even though I know all three cities well, ‘This is London’ was easily my favorite; it must be the anglophile in me.

P.S. Here’s the main site for his work. http://www.miroslavsasek.com/ ( )

I read the 1970 edition (from a thrift store) and was charmed.  I wish I'd read it as a girl, so I would have been able to see the settings of the British children's books I was reading.  So, Piccadilly Circus is (was?) their version of Times Square, it seems....  Of course, I doubt there are still hippies thronging Chelsea, and now there's the Eye... probably most of the landmarks can still be seen, though.  I do recommend this (and probably any of the series by Sasek) to you if you're bringing your children on a tour. ( )

This book was so much fun to read! It inspired me to look into doing more traveling of my own. I would love to read this to my class and discover where they desire to travel.

I loved reading it and made me want to go and travel as quick as I could!