As the city first wakes, the sky is still dark, the moon still glimmers and quiet still lingers. In Good Morning, City, author Pat Kiernan shows readers the hustle and bustle that quickly take over the city, even in the early hours before dawn. As a morning news anchor for New York’s cable news channel NY1, Kiernan is an authority on waking and observing the city before first light.
Beginning with bakers preparing fresh bread, the story continues with other important activities that start the day and the people who perform them. From the ferryboat captain and construction worker to the police officer directing commuting drivers and waitress taking hungry diners’ orders, the homes, streets and businesses progressively become more active.
Descriptions of a city wouldn’t be complete without its varied sounds, so Kiernan includes the tooting of ferryboats and the smashing of garbage trucks. Pascal Campion’s digitally enhanced artwork captures the sights of the city. The blues and purples of pre-dawn give way to mauves and pinks and then yellows and oranges as the sun rises and shines.
Also waking as sunshine floods her room is a little girl and her baby brother. More sights, sounds and even smells fill the morning as her dad makes breakfast. In a fitting conclusion, the girl’s family sits down to eat as an anchorman reads the news. After reading this story, children can’t help but notice how their own city awakes.
