The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle (CitizenKid)
by Jude Isabella (Author) Simone Shin (Illustrator)
In this unique nonfiction picture book, the main character is a bicycle that starts its life like so many bicycles in North America, being owned and ridden by a young boy. The boy, Leo, treasures his bicycle so much he gives it a name --- Big Red. But eventually Leo outgrows Big Red, and this is where the bicycle's story takes a turn from the everyday, because Leo decides to donate it to an organization that ships bicycles to Africa.
Big Red is sent to Burkina Faso, in West Africa, where it finds a home with Alisetta, who uses it to gain quicker access to her family's sorghum field and to the market. Then, over time, it finds its way to a young woman named Haridata, who has a new purpose for the bicycle --- renamed Le Grand Rouge --- delivering medications and bringing sick people to the hospital.
This book makes an excellent choice for cultural studies classes; author Jude Isabella has provided several terrific suggestions in the back of the book for projects large and small, while a map shows the distance the bicycle traveled across the Atlantic Ocean.
Award-winning illustrator Simone Shin's digitally composed artwork includes evocative depictions of Alisetta's and Haridata's communities in rural Africa, creating vivid comparisons between Leo's life and their lives. Youngsters will learn how different the world is for those who rely on bicycles as a mode of transportation, and how one ordinary bicycle --- and a child's desire to make a difference --- can change lives across the world. This book also offers an excellent opportunity for expanding character education lessons on caring, compassion and empathy to include the wider world.
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Publishers Weekly
Blending fiction and nonfiction, Isabella (Chitchat) chronicles a bicycle's long journey as it transforms lives across continents. A North American boy named Leo diligently saves up his money to buy a bike he calls Big Red. After Leo outgrows Big Red, he donates it to an organization that sends needed bicycles abroad. Via truck and freighter, Big Red makes its way to Burkina Faso and a girl named Alisetta, who uses it to aid her family's sorghum business. When Big Red is damaged in an accident, Alisetta, lacking funds for repairs, donates it to a man who refurbishes it as an ambulance. Rendered in a muted palette, Shin's rough-textured illustrations capture the joy in the faces of each new caretaker of Big Red. Endnotes provide information about the story's West African setting and explain how readers can get involved in bicycle-donation efforts. A vibrant introduction to the ripple effects that repurposing tools and objects can have, particularly for readers growing up in a society prone to disposability. Ages 8-12. Illustrator's agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Mar.)
Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
Gr 3-6—Part of Kids Can's globally themed series, this tale of the journey of one bicycle imparts important lessons on recycling and social responsibility. After Leo outgrows his beloved childhood bike, Big Red, he donates it to an organization that ships bikes overseas to those who can't afford them. Though he's initially reluctant to part with his cherished possession, he soon realizes that it will benefit a new owner. Big Red is given to Alisetta, a young girl in Burkina Faso who uses it to transport sorghum to market. When Alisetta in turn outgrows Big Red, it's given to a medical clinic, where it becomes an ambulance. Children will get a strong sense of global citizenship and unity from the simple yet effective narrative. Shin's digitally composed illustrations are folksy and vibrant, perfect for this cross-cultural tale, and expressively convey the faces of those who interact with Big Red. Back matter includes some useful information on real-life organizations that arrange for bike donations, a brief note on Burkina Faso, and challenges and activities for educators to do with children. VERDICT A strong option for social studies curricula, this noteworthy title will encourage kids to think globally.—Kathryn Diman, Bass Harbor Memorial Library, Bernard, ME
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Jude Isabella started writing kids books when she was managing editor of YES Mag: Canada's Science Magazine for Kids. Her inspiration mostly comes from paying attention to things that make her laugh and things that make her angry (she learned that from a famous journalist named Molly Ivins).
