The Man Who Made Parks: The Story of Parkbuilder Frederick Law Olmsted

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is also the
author of The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Women’s Lives, Kurlek, and
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Hom

Nowadays we take parks for granted, but in the early 19th century, North
American cities were often crowded and dirty. As Frieda Wishinsky puts
it, “Once there were no city parks.” Most children lived in dark,
dirty tenements on noisy streets. Frederick Law Olmsted (b. 1822,
Connecticut) would change that.

Frederick and his brother John embarked on a walking tour of England
for John’s health. Frederick was excited by the size and beauty of the
“People’s Park” near Liverpool, and by the fact that it was open
to everyone. He returned to the United States to become a writer with a
focus on social issues.

Eventually, he entered a contest to design Central Park in New York
City, on a large tract of land that was then a filthy swamp. He and his
partner coined the term “landscape architects” for themselves and
won the competition. Frederick went on to design some of the most
important public spaces in North America, such as Mount Royal in
Montreal and the Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C.

Frieda Wishinsky, who played in Central Park as a child, now lives in
Toronto. She has written many fine books for children. Her prose is
strong and uncluttered, full of details that bring events to life.

Song Nan Zhang came to Canada from China in 1989 and now lives in
Montreal. His full-page, color illustrations are both realistic and
imaginative, and they make excellent partners for the text. The Man Who
Made Parks will enhance children’s appreciation of parks and boost
their historical curiosity about their neighborhoods. This highly
recommended book belongs in every school library.