A City Through Time: From Ancient City to Vast Metropolis — authored by Philip Steele and wonderfully illustrated by Steve Noon — is a fascinating kids book that is exactly what the title describes.

It follows the evolution of a fictional city through various stages of its existence, starting from a Greek colony/temple in 500 BC, to a Roman town, to a medieval castle, to a 17th-century city, to an industrial port and train station in 1880, and lastly to a modern-day skyscraper metropolis. For every stage along the way there is a double-page panorama filled with lush illustrations, cut-out views of various buildings so you can see what they contain, and the citizens of that time period going about their business.

There’s just so much going on in each scene. It makes me think of those Where’s Waldo? books I loved as a kid, but with tons of interesting information about how cities and their people change over time. You may find yourself going back through the book a few times even with no kids around.

Get the hardcover edition of A City Through Time for $14 on Amazon. If you enjoy this book, be sure to also check out the others in the series: A Street Through Time and A Port Through Time.