When you think of anthropomorphic bugs, you don’t often think of them riding a bike. Even in Pig and Small (which I reviewed a few weeks ago), the bug is unable to bike ride. He’s a bit too small.
But in Bug on a Bike by Chris Monroe (Carolrhoda Books, October 2014) the bug has a bike just his size and he rides it to all of his friends’ houses to invite them to some mysterious event.
The narration and the dialog that the bug speaks to his friends (including an athletic pickle and a nickel) are all in an amusing rhyme, even though the destination of the bug and his animal friends remains unknown until the very end! The illustrations, done with watercolor and ink, are delightfully ridiculous. It could not be otherwise. How else could a story with an athletic pickle dancing be told?
Raisin’s comments are that this book is so much fun, and I have to agree. I don’t want to spoil it for you, so you should find it yourself when it comes out this fall.
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book.