The Red Bicycle by Jude Isabella and illustrated by Simone Shin (Kids Can Press, March 2015) tells the story of a red bicycle, from the day Leo earns the money to buy it until the day it is taken apart and shipped to Africa, where it changes the life of a poor child. Big Red (as the bike is affectionately called) has many more “lives” in Burkina Faso, including becoming an ambulance dragging injured people to a distant hospital.Â
The Red Bicycle is a feel-good story about the ways that a bike can change lives around the world, but it is also an interesting story of just what happens to a boy’s donation. I loved the emphasis on how children can make a difference, and the end matter provides some additional ideas for discussion between parent or teacher and child.
If the book has a downside, it is that it is text-heavy. For the world-conscious older reader it would be a good pick, but for the younger child, this picture book is a bit too difficult to approach. In all, I enjoyed reading it.
Note: I received a digital copy of this book for review consideration.
