The book is told from the perspective of the city’s streets as they observe the footsteps of the Massachusett, the first documented people in the area, then horses’ hooves and carriage wheels, and later automobiles and an underground subway system.

Blier’s book tells stories that many young people likely already know — the arrival of the Mayflower, the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride — and stories that are less-known — how disease brought over by white settlers impacted the Indigenous inhabitants, how enslaved African people labored in the houses of rich Cambridge residents who owned plantations in the Caribbean, and how immigrants changed the landscape of the city.

“We are really a diverse city,” Blier said. “We always have been.”

Blier is involved in the community as a founder of the Harvard Square Neighborhood Association, an activist group focused on local issues including the environment, housing affordability, and public transportation. In May, the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Historical Commission issued Blier a certificate of merit for her contribution to the public’s understanding of Cambridge history.

While the intended audience for “The Streets of Newtowne” is young readers, Blier hopes it can also appeal to parents, librarians, teachers, and even tourists.

“History is important, and we too often forget it or just assume that once one story has been told, we don’t need to know more,” she said.