Bike & Trike

Everyone’s indeed a winner here, and the subtle message about safety consciousness is likewise right on track.

A sure bet for read-aloud fun.

Growing pains abound in this vehicular tale about change and new beginnings. Outgrown by child Lulu, red Trike languishes in the garage ("a rusty little fellow,/ a trusty little fellow") until teal Bike arrives, a gift for Lulu's birthday. Lonely and insecure, Trike worries that the child will forget all they braved together: "summer bees,/ skinned knees" and the terrible day Lulu finally outgrew her tricycle ("No go," says her younger sibling, Tru). Challenged to a race by overconfident, wheelie-popping Bike ("a happy young fellow, a snappy young fellow"), careful Trike sees an opportunity to secure safety for Lulu, but calamity strikes when the two hit the road. Together, Bike's uncontrolled enthusiasm and Trike's cautious concern represent two very real and often competing emotions commonly felt during times of significant change. Rhythmic, personality-laden text by Verdick (Small Walt) couples with dynamic anthropomorphic energy and emotion dexterously conveyed by Biggs (The Space Walk) to create an amusing friendship story that's just right for reading aloud. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Mary Cummings, Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Feb.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2—This story celebrates the moment in a child's life when they transition from a tricycle to a bicycle and all the joys and fears that come with that change. Trike is rusty and feels that Lulu has outgrown him. He remembers the many rides he and Lulu shared, braving the summer and surviving skinned knees. He longs for those days but knows that his fate is sealed when in rolls Bike, a shiny new gift for Lulu. Bike is fast, full of bells and whistles, and anxious to show off. Trike is concerned about safety, but Bike is young and full of energy. When Bike challenges Trike to a race, both learn important lessons about safety, sharing, friendship, and coexisting peacefully. The illustrations are simple, featuring the red Trike and teal Bike in their natural habitats, the garage, and the road. VERDICT Though a bit long, this picture book will appeal to a variety of readers. Children will enjoy the banter between these two bikes and the joy of their new riders.—Maegen Rose, Rye Country Day School, NY

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A battered old tricycle and a new bike make friends—but not without hitting a few bumps in the road. Lulu and Trike have been together for years...but Lulu keeps getting bigger, and one day a brand-new birthday bike sails into the garage: "Watch this trick," he crows, popping a wheelie and zooming through Hula Hoop. Ignoring Trike's cautions about safety ("Aw, back off, old-timer") Bike proposes a riderless race to the nearby woods. And so they're off, with Trike struggling to keep up ("You can DO this," he tells himself, "for Lulu and the way the two of us flew"). Then, seeing Bike careening heedlessly toward a cliff, Trike selflessly puts on an extra burst of speed to head off disaster with a mighty collision. "I guess I have a lot to learn," says penitent Bike, and back to the garage they go, "two winners on wheels." Verdick tells the tale in a characteristic mix of exuberant sound effects and euphonic phrasing, with short sentences making the relatively high page count fly. Along with kitting out shiny Bike with splendid streamers, lights, training wheels, and even a horn, Biggs pairs Lulu at the end with an equally thrilled little brother (both white) just the right size for a hand-me-down. Everyone's indeed a winner here, and the subtle message about safety consciousness is likewise right on track.—Kirkus Reviews "December 15, 2019"