The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle

North American youth Leo donates his bicycle to an organization that provides bikes to Africans. First, young Alisetta uses it to improve her family's life. Eventually, Big Red is repurposed as a bicycle ambulance. Straightforward, specific prose and upbeat illustrations give readers a sense of how bicycles can be life-changing in other parts of the world; back matter offers a detailed list of ways to help.

This informative fictional journey begins when Leo, a North American youth, saves up to buy a red bicycle. After outgrowing it and wanting to be sure Big Red goes to “someone who will love the bicycle as much as he does,” he donates it to an organization that provides two-wheeled transportation to Africans. After a transatlantic voyage, the bike is taken overland to landlocked Burkino Faso, ending up with young Alisetta. This rural child uses it in myriad ways -- everything from taking goods to market to getting her siblings to school -- improving life for her whole family along the way. Finally, repurposed as a bicycle ambulance, Big Red is used by volunteer Haridata to transport sick and injured people to a medical clinic. Isabella’s straightforward and specific prose is brought to life by Shin’s textured and upbeat illustrations, which provide windows into the different places along Big Red’s route. This addition to the CitizenKid series about global awareness gives readers a sense of how bicycles can be life-changing in other parts of the world and, in the back matter, a lengthy and detailed list of ways they can help. monica edinger