The Running Machine: The Invention of the Very First Bicycle
by Keith Negley (Author) Keith Negley (Illustrator)
A story of pluck and determination inspired by the real events of 1815-17, when a young man named Karl Drais invented the very first bicycle.
Before there were trains, or cars, or planes, people rode horses to travel from place to place.
Then came the Year without a Summer, when a cloud of volcanic ash blocked the sun and crops withered across half the world. With no oats to eat, horses grew too weak to walk. Everyone despaired—how would they get around?
But one day, a young forester had a bright idea in the darkness...
Inspired by true events, The Running Machine shows how resilience in the face of adversity can lead to something wondrous.
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Publishers Weekly
In 1816, the "year without a summer," ash from a distant volcanic explosion renders the sky dark and cold, "from Beijing to Brussels, Naples to New York." Digitally finished multimedia spreads in singed blacks and flame reds signal the effect. Snow appears in July, food is scarce, and horses--the only form of nonhuman transportation--languish. Negley recreates the birth of the running machine, the ancestor of the modern bicycle, as a young German forester named Karl Drais (1785-1851) ponders human-powered travel. An accident that sends two cart wheels spinning in line inspires the inventor, who adds axles and a wooden beam. Explanatory prose describes Drais assembling the parts ("He added handlebars for steering, like reins"). Taken for a public test run, the running machine works. And its success means not just an invention in this tale of ingenuity and persistence, but "wonder in the world again." Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note cites invented story elements. Ages 4-8. (July)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
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A young schoolgirl learns to follow her own rules despite opposition and pressure in this picture book inspired by Mary Edward Walker. An endearing delivery of a valuable message. — Kirkus Reviews
This is an empowering story with a sunny ending, and striking watercolor pencil and cut-paper artwork. — ALA Booklist
JUV029030 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Disasters
JUV036020 - Juvenile Fiction | Technology | Inventions
