Highrise: The Towers in the World and the World in the Towers (National Fillm Board of Canada Collection)

Adapted from the Emmy-winning, multimedia interactive documentary of the same name, Highrise is an in-depth exploration of the world's highrises and the people who live inside them.

From the multi-story dwellings of Ancient Rome to the soaring glass skyscrapers of today, humans have used highrises for thousands of years to house the poor, protect the rich and sometimes narrow the gap between the two. Highrise first examines the history of vertical living in a 20-page chapter on the origins, technological triumphs, social failures and future of the highrise. The book then invites young readers into homes around the world. Through the lens of the highrise, readers will learn about 10 cities and hear stories that capture what life is like in these diverse places.

The cities featured in Highrise:

• Ramallah, West Bank
• Mumbai, India
• Guangzhou, China
• Chicago, USA
• Tainan, Taiwan
• Johannesburg, South Africa
• Toronto, Canada
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Prague, Czech Republic
• Sao Paulo, Brazil.

In addition to being windows on different cultures and experiences, the stories from these cities cover important and, at times, challenging issues that residents must face.