Together We Ride

by Valerie Bolling, Kaylani Juanita (Illustrator)

Overview

Hair Love meets bike rides in this loving portrait of a father-daughter relationship.

Learning to ride is no easy feat! But with a little courage, a guiding hand from her dad, and an enthusiastic bark from her pup, one brave girl quickly learns the freedom that comes from an afternoon spent outside on a bike.

Experience the fear, the anticipation, and the delight of achieving the ultimate milestone in this energetic, warm story that celebrates the precious bond between parent and child.

THE JOY OF LEARNING TO RIDE A BIKE: Who can forget the first time they learned to ride a bike? This book is a nostalgic nod for parents and one they will be eager to share with their young one learning how to ride.

A GREAT READ ALOUD: This lyrical, upbeat text is a great fit for story-time in any household.

PERFECT GIFT FOR DAD: If you're looking for a Father's Day gift or a birthday gift for dad, look no further! He will love the child/parent relationship portrayed in these pages!

Perfect for:

• Anyone looking for the perfect Father's Day gift
• Anyone approaching the big milestone of bike riding
• Grandparents
• Parents
• Teachers and educators
• Librarians

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781797212487
Publisher:	Chronicle Books LLC
Publication date:	04/26/2022
Pages:	36
Sales rank:	296,155
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Valerie Bolling has been an educator for twenty-seven years. Valerie serves as the co-chair of the NESCBWI Equity and Inclusion Team and is a member of SCBWI, the Authors Guild, and NCTE. She lives in Stamford, CT, and you can find her at valeriebolling.com.

Kaylani Juanita illustrates inclusive picture books, such as Ta-Da!, When Aiden Became a Brother, and Magnificent Homespun Brown, for which she received the 2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award. Her mission as an artist is to support the stories of the underrepresented and create new ways for people to imagine themselves. She currently lives in Fairfield, CA. You can find her on Instagram @kaylanijuanita.

Editorial Reviews

Bolling’s brief and inventive rhyming text perfectly conveys the action and emotions involved in an inaugural bike ride. Illustrations extend the appealing story . . . the crowning elaboration on the text is the art’s celebration of Black hair: the girl’s double Afro puffs proudly poof out below her bike helmet. (Safety first, but this girl is not letting that helmet cramp her style.) . . .”—The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

“Accompanying the spare, rhyming text that echoes the cadence of Stick Stone by Beth Ferry, the illustrations bring the story to life in detail . . . [Together We Ride is a] positive portrayal of a father/daughter relationship on the day of a milestone; a good addition for all picture book collections.”-School Library Journal

“Written in spare, rhyming text containing plenty of sight words, the story is told largely through the book’s beautiful mixed-media illustrations. Juanita, a Coretta Scott King Award Honoree, creates watercolor-like scenes accented in candy-colored hues and filled with thoughtful details . . . . Featuring a young Black family, [Together We Ride] is a wonderful choice for every collection and an asset in the area of #RepresentationMatters.”-Booklist, starred review 

From the Publisher

05/01/2022

PreS-K—A young Black girl learns to ride a two-wheeled bicycle with her father guiding and cheering her on. She rides, falls, and bravely tries again. When she's steady, the whole family goes out for a ride: the girl and her mother on their own bikes, while Dad tows the little brother along behind and holds the dog's leash (everyone wears a helmet). Accompanying the spare, rhyming text that echoes the cadence of Stick & Stone by Beth Ferry, the illustrations bring the story to life in detail, setting it in the Bay Area of California with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge on a sunny day. The moment of drama ("slip, slide, tossed aside") is depicted with compelling sequential illustrations of the girl wobbling and crashing with wavy lines around her bike tires, but on the following spread, her father hugs her and waits for her to calm down and decide what to do. Even without dialogue, it's clear he is as pumped as she is ("what pride!") about her perseverance in acquiring a new skill; even the dog jumps for joy. VERDICT A positive portrayal of a father/daughter relationship on the day of a milestone; a good addition for all picture book collections.—Jenny Arch

School Library Journal