Parks for the people: How Frederick Olmsted designed America by Elizabeth Partridge, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

 Partridge's well-researched text and watercolors reminiscent of Barbara Cooney introduce young readers to Frederick Law Olmsted, first as a boy in 1830s Connecticut and then as a young man looking for his place in the world. In 1857 he became involved in the clearing of land for a new park in New York and then later the designs he created with a friend, Calvert Vaux, were accepted and Olmsted became known as the designer of Central Park. Olmsted's career covered government positions during the Civil War, and parks and wilderness across the United States, including in Yosemite. The story ends with his design for the US Capitol and the green spaces around it.

Throughout the story, Partridge unemotionally describes the displacement of Black and Indigenous peoples in the public places that Olmsted built, expanding her commentary on the oxymoron of his work in the author's note - although he steadfastly campaigned for public places for all people, his work involved the destruction of many people's homes and land. Detailed sources, a timeline, and further resources are also included.

Although this is a picture book, it's not a title I'd use in a storytime setting. However, it's a good choice for grade school readers and listeners, to include in social studies and to encourage readers to think about the history of the places around them and how their creation has affected different groups of people.

Verdict: A worthy purchase if you have an audience for historical picture books. Although for many years I have not had this audience, this past year I've started putting together social studies and science-related book collections for fifth graders and so this title is a good fit for my library.

ISBN: 9781984835154; Published April 2022 by Viking; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library