Small in the City by Sydney Smith makes New York Times's list of top 25 children's books of 2019
The New York Times has released their list of 25 best children's books of 2019.
One Canadian title made the list: the picture book Small in the City by Halifax writer and illustrator Sydney Smith.
Small in the City is the first book that Smith has both illustrated and written.
Small in the City is about a young boy exploring the downtown of a city after having hopped off a streetcar on a snowy day. On his journey, the boy discovers shortcuts and friendly faces, all the while trying to find his way home.
It also won the 2019 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — illustration.
Smith's other books include Town is by the Sea, written by Joanne Schwartz, and Sidewalk Flowers, written by JonArno Lawson. Town is by the Sea won the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award in 2017.
The New York Times list featured picture books, middle-grade books and YA fiction.
Canadian-born illustrator Lucy Ruth Cummins made the list for her picture book Truman, which was written by Jean Reidy. Cummins grew up in the United States.
The list also featured the graphic memoir Guts by American writer and illustrator Raina Telgemeier, which outlines her struggles with an anxiety disorder when she was in elementary school.
American Jason Reynolds' middle-grade title Look Both Ways — a National Book Award finalist — is also on the list, as well as picture book The Undefeated, which was written by acclaimed poet Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.