-William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Cape Cod and Harvard Yard. “Travel the dirt pathways, the rough cobblestones, and the smooth paved streets of Cambridge in this fascinating trip through time, an amazingly comprehensive little volume, richly illustrated and warmly written about one of America’s coolest, smartest, and most interesting towns. It is written for young readers, but no matter how old you are, you’ll be surprised on every page.”

-Charles Sullivan, Executive Director, Cambridge Historical Commission, co-author: Building Old Cambridge. “Harvard Square occupies a site originally intended to be the capital of Massachusetts Bay Colony that has been the location of Harvard College since 1636. Harvard professor and community leader Suzanne Preston Blier has written a vivid and refreshingly original book that brings to life the complex history of this unique community.”

-Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard University Professor; Host of PBS Series. Finding Your Roots. “In The Streets of Newtowne,” Blier wonderfully retells the story of North America’s first planned city, Cambridge, MA. The book highlights the contributions to the city’s rich history made by its Indigenous, African, and more recent immigrant communities, as well as the enormous contributions made by its female residents. A model retelling of American history by focusing on the fascinating evolution of one of America’s most vibrant, historically significant, and rightly celebrated cities.”

“Colorful Streets of Newtowne provides history for the young with voices that other texts leave out.  With Blier’s  critical outlook on history, lovely illustrations, and key thinking questions sprinkled in"