The illustrations are excellent. [b:The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle|23688743|The Red Bicycle The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle|Jude Isabella|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1421704363s/23688743.jpg|43297595] will help kids realize the impact their own donations and actions can have on the lives of others, even people far away, and might inspire kids to use their own bicycles more often or to donate their old bikes.

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book through NetGalley. ( )

Leo wants a bike, not just any bike but the red one with 18 gears. He works shoveling snow, cutting lawns and raking leaves until he has enough money to buy it. He rides it everywhere for many years until he is finally too big for it. Because he has taken such good care of the bike, it looks almost new. He wants the bike to go to someone who really needs it and will appreciate it the way he does. When he tells the bike shop owner, he tells Leo about an organization that will take bike donations and send them to countries where they are needed. At the donation area, Leo takes Big Red apart for shipping and soon his bike, along with 461 others, is sailing across the ocean on its way to someone in Africa who really needs it. When Big Red arrives in Africa, it is matched with Alisetta. She learns to ride Big Red so she can get to the fields earlier, harvest more sorghum for her family. She can also ride to market to sell the goods her grandma makes to earn money to she and her little sister can go to school. Alisetta finally earns enough money to buy another bike, but while she is gone to get it, pigs fun over Big Red and bend the spokes and ruin the bike. A worker from a medical clinic takes the bike, repairs it and turns it into an ambulance by attaching a trailer and stretcher on it. Now when people in villages can't otherwise get to the clinic, Haridata can ride to them and even transport them back to the clinic using her bicycle ambulance. Soon people in all the surrounding villages know about the wonderful bicycle ambulance that the kids now call Le Grand Rouge. What a wonderful journey big Read takes and what a useful life it leads. The illustrations are done in a folk art style which adds to the story.

This is an awesome book that informs children about the world and inspires them to be better global citizens. The section at the end of the book letting kids know what they can do help with their outgrown or no longer needed bicycles was great and hopefully will encourage them to help others.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. ( )

This book tells the story of a red bicycle as it journeys across the ocean and plays different roles in serving the wants and needs of the owners.

Beautiful picture book that tells the story of one red bicycle and the impact it has on multiple lives.

Children's librarians this would be a great book to share with children and families at a picture book discussion program. Would also be good to use during "story time" for teens or adult with special needs.


ARC received from NetGally.com ( )