Big bike, little bike

Gillis, an environmental scientist, gently teaches about sustainability and perspective in this charming, Goldilocks-style story. A bird finds a bike with a "Free" sign on it and gives it a ride, but alas, it is too big. A rhino then gives the bike a try, but it turns out to be too little. Next, a cheetah comes upon the bike but discovers it is too slow. Turtle then has the opposite problem: the bike is too fast! The quick-paced, fun storytelling engages readers to find out if the bike will be just the right fit for its next owner. The clever text is packed with onomatopoeia during each creature's test drive of the bike, making the book extra fun to read aloud. The story's energy and charm are enhanced by Souva's colorful and playful artwork, which incorporates postcards and other textures to create whimsical action and humor. An entertaining and thought-provoking exploration of both reusing discarded objects and differences in perspective.

What's a bike for if not to ride? Accompanied by a "Free" sign, a bicycle attracts the attention of a pigeon ("A big bike!"). After a wobbly ride, the bird crashes and deems the bike "too big for me." "Bye, bike." A rhino discovers it next ("A little bike!") and takes it for a spin. A few bumps later, the rhino decides it's "too little for me" and bids it farewell. A cheetah rides the bike up a steep incline and then abandons it ("Too slow for me!"). A turtle climbs on and zooms down the incline ("Too fast for me!"). Other animals find the bike wanting for various comical reasons, so it remains alone. Then…a human finds it. It's not in great shape, but with a little tinkering, it's good as new, and the mechanic's child learns to ride it expertly, because it's "just right for me!" Eventually the youngster outgrows it and leaves it with another "Free" sign, to the delight of another child, for whom it's perfect. This whimsical, thought-provoking story will charm readers with its kid-friendly exploration of how an object changes ownership over time; youngsters will appreciate the very satisfying conclusion--and may wish to discuss who left the bike at the start. The energetic, humorous illustrations, set mostly as vignettes against expanses of white space, were created digitally and with old postcards and other textured materials. Human characters are racially diverse. An utterly delightful and free-wheeling tale.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.