Bicycles figure prominently in children’s literature, capturing snapshots of different phases of childhood. For younger readers, they represent the emotional spectrum: the insecurity of not being able to ride on two wheels (trying something new); the exhilaration of a crisp rush of air on that first downhill ride (achieving a goal); the intense fear of falling and being hurt (that fear doesn’t stop at childhood!). A bicycle grants the rider, especially a young person, freedom and independence. They cannot drive a car like adults, but they can ride a bicycle and still get from here to there!

Transitioning into an older stage of childhood, tweens are seen in popular culture taking to their bikes to fulfill a quest, using them as an extension of themselves to solve mysteries and then throwing them by the side of their houses at the end of the grand adventure. Not just for fun and games, bikes are used when there is a need for them, when the main characters are called upon to muster up the courage and be brave.

Below are some great titles featuring the noble bicycle!

Picture Books

Do You Like My Bike? by Norm Feuti

Hedgehog gets a brand new bike, but his friend doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about it. The reason has nothing to do with the bike, Hedgehog learns. Follow the friends as they communicate their way out of   that misunderstanding. 

 

 

 

Bike and Trike by Elizabeth Verdick; illustrated by Brian Biggs

It’s time for Lulu to start using a bike—what will happen to her old trike? A compelling story about growing up and moving on.

 

 

 

 

Chirri & Chirra: On the Town by Kaya Doi; translated from the Japanese by David Boyd

Sisters Chirri and Chirra take to their bikes to explore various places. In this book, they go out to see places in town, while in another volume, they bike through the grasses near their home.

Cycle City by Alison Farrell

The Parade Committee still has some invitations left to deliver for the big parade and call on the Mayor to help! Each spread has a lot to see, discover, and talk about as you read and get to know all the citizens of  Cycle City.

 

 

 

The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke; illustrated by Van Thanh Rudd

Living right by the desert, three siblings flex their ingenuity and build a bike from found objects. They think it’s the most fun thing in the village and they’re especially proud when they fix it and are able to ride another day.

 

 

 

A Bike Like Sergio’s by Maribeth Boelts; illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

Ruben knows that his parents cannot buy him a new bike, but he really, really wants one! A woman at the store drops a bill, and it’s not a one or a five, it’s one hundred! That’s more than enough to buy a bike for himself, but how will he explain it? Ruben must make a tough decision.

 

Born to Ride: A Story about Bicycle Face by Larissa Theule; illustrated by Kelsey Garrity-Riley

 A young girl learns to ride a bike in secret and is worried about contracting “bicycle face,” an affliction that girls and women suffer from when they ride bicycles. She learns that the only face she makes while riding is one of pure happiness! Set against the suffrage movement for women, this story and accompanying backmatter will spark a meaningful conversation about gender roles and what people are capable of achieving.

 

Middle Grade Fiction

 The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Set in France in 1942, this historical fiction novel showcases how anyone can be called upon to be brave and live up to that expectation. Marcel is a 12-year-old Tour de France fan. He wants to win races and prove to everyone that he is strong and agile. Enter Delphine, a new girl in town, who easily wins a race   against him. Marcel must face some opinions he used to have and make a change from ambivalence to action. He usually delivers loaves of bread all over town for the family bakery, and one day, he discovers a piece of paper baked into the bread. Where does Marcel fit in all of that?

Further Reading: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

 

The Green Bicycle by Haifaa al-Mansour

Wadjda is an enterprising girl who sells stuff at school: chips and candy, bracelets, and most special of all, mixtapes. When she sees a green bicycle being sold at a toy store, it gives her extra motivation to earn money! She joins Religious Club at school in order to enter their recitation contest for a big prize, even though she does not yet know how to ride (and girls are not allowed to ride). Wadjda does not fit in at school and runs around Riyadh in her hightops. She wants her own bicycle to be able to move about the city at her will and to compete with her friend, Abdullah. This coming of age story portrays people resisting societal expectations and makes the point that even if someone is living under those constraints, they are still able to wield their privilege over others.

Readalikes: The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez and The Fresh New Face of Griselda by Jennifer Torres

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

There are friendly ghosts and then there are evil ghosts. Most of Lucely’s family is a ghost, changing form from human to fireflies surrounding the old willow tree. When they warn her about an evil force planning to overtake the town, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, bike around town to put the pieces together and figure out who is really behind everything before it’s too late! Lucely and Syd will need each other to succeed, and the help of their elders and ancestors. 

Readalike: Sheets by Brenna Thummler
Watch: Stranger Things        
 

Graphic Novels 

Mr. Wolf’s Class (Lucky Stars) by Aron Nels Steinke

The class is getting ready to write personal narratives and Sampson has nothing to write—his life is too boring! He’d rather write science fiction and fantasies. He’s riding his bike down a steep hill one day and gets into a bad accident. All those days sitting at home give him a new perspective.

 

 

 

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

The pact is simple: keep riding, don’t look back. Every year, lanterns are released into the river to commemorate the town folklore and a group of friends decide they want to see where the lanterns end up and whether they actually join the sky, as the song says. One by one, they drop off the quest until just Ben and Nathaniel are left. They bike, they meet a fisherbear, and they are filled with wonder when they get to their destination.

 

Non-Fiction

All Kinds of Bikes: Off-Road to Easy-Riders by Lisa J. Amstutz

An introduction to bikes for young readers. This book gives details about seat placement and types of tires for each bike.

 

Pedal Power: How One Community Became the Bicycle Capital of the World by Allan Drummond

The story of how the residents of Amsterdam protested to have safer streets for everyone.

 

 

Major Taylor, Champion Cyclist by Lesa Cline-Ransome; illustrated by James E. Ransome

Marshall Taylor loved cycling since he was a little boy. After many hours dedicated to training, and even moving to a new city to be coached in the sport,Taylor became the 1899 World Champion in his category.

 

---

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!