Skip to main content

Hero on a Bicycle

By



Hero on a Bicycle
by Shirley Hughes
Candlewick, 2013.  213 pgs.  Historical Fiction

     Shirley Hughes is well known, and well-beloved, for her picture books for children.  Hero on a Bicycle is her first novel, and it's a corker.  Inspired by her own post-WWII visit to Florence, Italy, and an English/Italian family she met there, Hughes' story considers the Crivelli family, especially Paolo, whose father has left home to join the Partisans who as a resistance movement are fighting the Nazis as they occupy Italy.  Everyone in Italy has to be careful not to rile or defy their occupiers, but the Crivelli's especially, since there mother is English, from a land openly at war with the Germans.  Still, Paolo sneaks out most every night to ride his beloved bicycle through the darkened countryside, just to satisfy his need for adventure outside the household of women--his mother, his sister, their housekeeper. When Paolo runs afoul of the Partisans, and then gets in their good graces, his need for danger and excitement is fully satisfied and then some. Hughes' novel is a great adventure story, but is also historically accurate and finely nuanced.  One young German man helps the Crivelli family; one of the sons of their rich Italian neighbors is a traitor to his country. Hughes shows briefly some of the horrors and deep sorrows of war, so this book is recommended for older elementary students and teens.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

By
An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The House with Nobody in It

By
  The House with Nobody in It By Jon Klassen Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2026. Board Book.  The House with Nobody in It may very well be your child's first ghost story. The simple story begins with the narrator explaining to readers that this house used to have someone in it, but there is now nobody there. Toddlers and preschoolers will love contradicting this statement as they peek through the house that the board book forms, as the ghost is clearly visible throughout the story.  This unique and imaginative board book is the perfect thing to read during Halloween season! The book itself plays into the experience, with cutouts and clever turns that make it especially interactive. The illustrations are superb, simple but well crafted, adding to the story's theme as a whole. This will likely be a book that gets many repeat reads!
Post a Comment
Read more

Display: Teddy's Top Picks

By Suzanne
  Bear in the Air Written by Susan Meyers Illustrated by Amy Bates New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010. Picture book. When a teddy bear is lost by the child who loves him, the bear begins an adventurous journey to get back home again. -- Editor Blanket and Bear, A Remarkable Pair Written by L.J.R. Kelly Illustrated by Yoko Tanaka New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2013. Picture book. When a boy loses his beloved blanket and bear, they travel a great distance to make their way back to him. -- Editor A Bear to Share Written by Jessica Alba, Nora Weinstein, and Kelly Patricof  Illustrated by Alicia Mas New York, NY : Baby2Baby/Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021. Picture book. Tiana loves her teddy bear, Bach. She doesn't mind that he's a little worn and somewhat torn. So when her mother suggests she make room for a new bear, Tiana can't believe her ears! Will Tiana have to lose the one bear she really loves? Or will she find room in her heart for t...
Post a Comment
Read more