In the best-selling tradition of This is New York and My New York, this delightful book-length poem spreads the wonder and joy that is New York, as told through the words of its children. As part of an unprecedented series of workshops, New York City public school students were challenged to write about what it was like to live, learn, and play in New York City. The poems were collected and edited into this book. Their words provide readers of all ages an honest, kid’s-eye view of the melting pot of cultures, ideas, and excitement found within the five boroughs of New York City.

Masha D’yans’s beautiful illustrations complement the vivid descriptions of taking a taxi through Manhattan or a subway up to the "boogie-down" Bronx, the salty seas of Staten Island, passing the family-owned stores that form the backbone of Queens, walking through Brooklyn’s Botanical Gardens, and so much more.

Lyrical, heartfelt, and bursting with imagination, A Poem as Big as New York City proves that a poem can be as vast and exciting as the greatest city in the world.

About The Author

Teachers and Writers Collaborative provides and advocates for literary arts education by supporting, developing, and implementing strategies to enhance students’ interest in and love of literature and writing. Masha D’yans is a celebrated artist whose work has been featured in books, calendars, and merchandise created specifically for the Museum of Modern Art. Walter Dean Myers is the award-winning author of more than fifty books for children and young adults and is the national ambassador for young people’s literature.