I Cannot Draw a Bicycle

by Charise Mericle Harper

Overview

Award-winning author and illustrator Charise Mericle Harper creates a laugh-out-loud picture book about making something out of nothing and the power of imagination in this companion title to I Cannot Draw a Horse.
 
The Horse wants a bicycle.
A bicycle is hard to draw.
The Book cannot draw a bicycle.
But the Book CAN draw shapes.
 
Can the Horse and the Cat build a bicycle from shapes? Or will their dreams end in pieces?

Featuring the same quirky contemporary voice and kid-friendly comic illustration style as its predecessor, I Cannot Draw a Horse, this children's metafiction book is an art lesson about creativity and determination, wrapped around a humorous narrative. Readers who have enjoyed other fourth wall—breaking books like B.J. Novak's The Book With No Pictures will appreciate the interactive elements in this book for children ages 3–8.


Praise for I CANNOT DRAW A HORSE
 
“Creative an loaded with humor, this story will have kids giggling in seconds and trying their hand at drawing a horse—or at least a gumdrop.” —Booklist (starred review)
 
“Part Ed Emberley, with a dash of Pigeon, and entirely meta.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Harper’s illustrations make so much of so little, using a very limited palette and simple shapes, inviting readers into an artist’s notebook. With a little imagination and some paper, ‘nothing’ can become quite something. —Horn Book Magazine
 
“An easy-to-read text with exclamatory speech bubbles and pictorial antics will tickle funny bones in this off-kilter circular story.” —School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454945956
Publisher:	Union Square Kids
Publication date:	08/01/2023
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	606,529
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 8 Years

About the Author

Charise Mericle Harper is the award-winning author and illustrator of numerous children’s books and series, including the Just Grace series, the Fashion Kitty series, and the Next Best Junior Chef series. Harper’s signature wit, kid-friendly illustrations, and wholly original style have made her a familiar name with caregivers, educators, and librarians looking for books that encourage imagination and showcase art education. Charise lives with her family and furry pets in Portland, Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

Witty, fourth-wall–breaking fun.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Cannot Draw A Bicycle will have everyone giggling while encouraging imagination in this laugh-out-loud book on your summer reading list.” —Daily Mom

“Charise Mericle Harper returns with another humorous, metafictional picture book about creativity . . . . Harper taps straight into the preschool funny bone, making I Cannot Draw a Bicycle an excellent choice for read-aloud storytime. With its spare text and clean, inviting design, this book also functions well for early readers. And by fostering shape recognition and an understanding of geometry, I Cannot Draw a Bicycle provides an excellent base for encouraging young artists to draw their own cat, horse or—who knows—maybe even a bicycle!” - Bookpage
 

From the Publisher

2023-05-24
In this sequel to I Cannot Draw a Horse (2022), an attempt to depict a bike results in hilarious chaos.

In the prequel, the offstage narrator was unable to draw a horse for a demanding feline protagonist, but in a twist, an equine character emerged by book’s end anyway. Harper closed that story with the horse wishing for a bicycle—a conclusion that serves as the catalyst for this picture book. Lo and behold, the narrator cannot draw a bicycle. Hijinks ensue as the horse and the skateboarding cat are confronted with substitutes, culminating in the revelation that no one—neither the narrator, the cat, nor the horse—actually knows what a bicycle looks like. It’s a silly surprise sure to inspire laughter in more knowledgeable readers. When attempts at making a bicycle fail, the pair decide to build a car from odds and ends provided by the narrator. Alas, “I cannot drive a car,” reads the last line of text, another punchline delivered by the horse. Will there be a trilogy with drivers ed steering the wheel of Book 3’s plot? Time will tell….As in the previous installment, Harper constructs characters out of simple shapes set against graph paper, giving the tale a DIY feel that will appeal to readers similarly uncertain about their own drawing prowess. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Witty, fourth-wall–breaking fun. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews