National Bike Month

May 5 – It’s National Bike Month

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About the Holiday

Established in 1956 and sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, National Bike Month celebrates all the fun and benefits of cycling. In years past, communities around the country have celebrated with special events, tours, and safety lessons. The month also hosts Bike to School and Bike to Work days to encourage people to leave their cars at home, get fresh air and exercise, and have fun at the same time. Getting a new bike is a major milestone in many kids’ (and adults’) lives. Sometimes it takes some pretty creative thinking to get one – as you’ll see in today’s book.

Thanks to Kids Can Press for providing a digital copy of Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own. I’m thrilled to be teaming with Kids Can Press in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle

Written by Cathy Ballou Mealey | Illustrated by Kelly Collier

 

Sloth was snoozing on a branch when Squirrel woke him with an exclamation. Opening one eye Sloth saw squirrel nearly salivating over a tandem bike rolling past. Squirrel wanted to go fast too and was determined to get a bike. He leaped from the tree, bound down the hill, and circled another tree three times before Sloth had even set his toes on the ground.

When they got to the bike shop, Spokes, Squirrel was disappointed to discover that bikes “‘cost a lot of money.’” But then Sloth noticed the Help Wanted sign on the wall of the pickle packing plant next to the shop. They went inside and got an interview with Mr. Peacock. Squirrel showed his self-confidence. “‘I work fast. Really fast. I can bury a million, maybe a jillion acorns in an hour,” he boasted. Mr. Peacock seemed impressed, but he looked at Sloth dubiously. Squirrel said that Sloth was “‘really, really… reliable.’”

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Image copyright Kelly Collier, 2021, text copyright Cathy Ballou Mealey, 2021. Courtesy of Kids Can Press.

That was good enough for Mr. Peacock. He gave them special overalls, gloves, goggles, and hairnets to wear and set them up with barrels full of pickles and jars to be packed. But the job was slipperier than they thought. Soon, pickles, jars, and even Squirrel and Sloth were flying through the air and crashing back to the floor to slip around some more. When Mr. Peacock came to check on them, only six jars were full.

Squirrel appealed to Mr. Peacock’s sympathy. “‘We just need more pickle packing practice.’” Mr. Peacock gave them a second chance. This time Squirrel took over the packing duties while “Sloth s-l-o-w-l-y stuck on sticky labels” while hanging from pipe on the ceiling. When Mr. Peacock checked on them a second time, he was pleased as punch to find towers of packed and labeled pickle jars waiting for him.

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Image copyright Kelly Collier, 2021, text copyright Cathy Ballou Mealey, 2021. Courtesy of Kids Can Press.

But when he took a closer look, he discovered that every label was upside down. Sloth and Squirrel were tossed out on their ear with six-jars-worth of payment and more than 600 jars of pickles. Squirrel wanted to save the money for a bike, but Sloth used his half to buy them ice pops from a truck. Squirrel began licking his pop lickety-split, but “Sloth slurped s-l-o-w-l-y.” Lickety-splat.

Squirrel offered to share his with his friend, but then Sloth stuck his stick in a pickle and created… “a salty, sweet and sour sensation.” Customers lined up to try this new treat, and after they’d peddled their pickle pops, Squirrel and Sloth were peddling away on their new bike. And if you think Sloth wasn’t keen on going so fast, you’ll just have to see!

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Image copyright Kelly Collier, 2021, text copyright Cathy Ballou Mealey, 2021. Courtesy of Kids Can Press.

Cathy Ballou Mealey’s tongue-twistingly funny story of odd-couple friends working to buy a bike will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Her creative story based on the literal and figurative definition of “pickle” seamlessly blends unique characters and events while hilariously incorporating the traits of squirrels, sloths, and even pickles to ramp up the suspense and humor. Plenty of clever alliteration as well as Squirrel’s rapid-fire dialogue make this a read aloud kids are going to want to hear again and again. Woven throughout Mealey’s story are messages of friendship, ingenuity, perseverance, creative-thinking, and industriousness.

In her pickle brine-hued illustrations Kelly Collier accentuates the humor of the story with comical visual elements that begin on the first page, where a bear and a bunny, near doppelgangers for Sloth and Squirrel go whizzing by on their bike. Once inside the pickle factory, kids will love pointing out all of the pickle-inspired décor, from the wallpaper to Mr. Peacock’s university degree to his old-style telephone. Collier’s slapstick images will have kids laughing out loud, and her illustrations of Sloth engaging in sloth-like behavior while attaching labels hints at the upcoming and pitch-perfect plot twist without giving it away. Pickle puns and a pack of pleased customers celebrate Sloth and Squirrel’s new venture and a little turtle’s dare leads to a surprising finish.

Quick to become an often-asked-for favorite of both kids and adults, Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle is a book to buy for home, classroom, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 3 – 7

Kids Can Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1525302381

Discover more about Cathy Ballou Mealey and her books on her website.

You can connect with Kelly Collier on Instagram | Twitter.

National Bike Month Activity

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Pack a Peck of Pickles! Puzzle

 

The pickle jar has toppled over! Can you pick up the pickles in the maze to pack them in the jar again?

Pack a Peck of Pickles Puzzle | Pack a Peck of Pickles Puzzle Solution

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You can find Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

May 20 – Bike to Work Day

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About the Holiday

May is National Bike Month and today is set aside for riders to replace their usual method of commuting with pedaling instead!  Established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities from coast to coast, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many health-related and fun benefits of bicycling — and to encourage more folks to giving biking a try. Now that the weather is nice bring out your bikes, pump up the tires, and take to a street or trail near you!

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

Written by Laurie Ann Thompson | Illustrated by Sean Qualls

 

A baby is born in Ghana, West Africa with bright eyes, healthy lungs, and tiny, clasping fingers—but with only one strong leg. Most people think the baby will grow up to be a burden or worse—a curse. His father leaves the family, but his mother keeps the faith. Her name is Comfort and she names her child Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

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Image copyright Sean Qualls, text copyright Laurie Ann Thompson. Courtesy of Schwartz & Wade

As Emmanuel grows, his mother encourages his independence. He learns how to crawl and hop to complete his daily work all with one leg. Most kids with disabilities don’t go to school, but Comfort carries her son back and forth until he becomes too heavy. From then on Emmanuel hops the two miles each way all by himself. At first the other kids won’t play with him, but Emmanuel is clever. He buys a soccer ball with the money he earns shining shoes and when he offers to share it, the kids include him. On crutches he is a fierce competitor and earns his classmates’ respect. Riding bikes is another favorite activity. Can Emmanuel pump those pedals with only one leg? He practices and falls, practices and falls some more until he masters the technique.

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Image copyright Sean Qualls, text copyright Laurie Ann Thompson. Courtesy of Schwartz & Wade

When Emmanuel is 13 years old, his mother becomes ill. As the only family member capable of working, Emmanuel takes a train to a city 150 miles away to find a job. He doesn’t see his family again for two years. Because of his disability it is hard for him to find work. Finally, a food stand owner hires him and gives him a place to live. Over time Comfort grows sicker. When Emmanuel goes to be with her, she tells him to never beg and never give up. He takes these words to heart.

Emmanuel has an idea to show the world that “disabled does not mean unable”—all he needs is a bike. When the Challenged Athletes Foundation learns of his plan to bike around Ghana, they give him a bike, a helmet, and clothing. He trains and receives a blessing from the king of his region. Then accompanied by people who will document his trip, he takes off. “He pedaled through rain forests, over rolling hills, and across wide, muddy rivers….He pedaled as trucks roared past on the narrow highways and wild animals stalked his thoughts….He rode up, down, across, and around his country, proudly wearing the colors of its flag on a shirt printed with the words “The Pozo” or “the disabled person.”

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Image copyright Sean Qualls, text copyright Laurie Ann Thompson. Courtesy of Schwartz & Wade

Emmanuel talks to others with physical challenges and to those without. He meets farmers, landowners, government officials, and reporters. He wants everyone to learn of his message. People begin to pay attention—they ride and run alongside him; people with disabilities come out of their houses to see him (some for the first time ever). Emmanuel is becoming a national hero!

Emmanuel completes his journey—nearly 400 miles—in only 10 days. In that short amount of time he proves that anyone can do great things and that one person is enough to change the world.

An author’s note expanding on Emmanuel Yeboah’s life since his bike ride follows the text.

Laurie Ann Thompson tells this story of courage and achievement in straightforward language that highlights the difficulties and prejudices Emmanuel overcame to live the full life his mother envisioned for him. The details Thompson reveals—both within the school setting and in the world beyond—will inspire anyone who reads this special and moving true story.

Sean Qualls renders the story of Emmanuel Yeboah in the vibrant colors and patterns of his native West Africa, giving energy and spirit to the fire that burned inside the young boy who rose above his disability and the expectations of his community. His relationship with his strong, supportive mother is drawn with obvious love and compassion. The use of a folk-art style combined with scenes of African markets, landscapes, and traditional tableaus, effectively sets the story for children. One particularly touching illustration shows a tiny Emmanuel hopping off to school as his mother, shown larger in the foreground, watches.

Ages 4 – 9

Schwartz & Wade, Random House, 2015 | ISBN 978-0449817445

Bike to Work Day Activity

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Baker’s Dozen Maze

 

After a long bike ride, don’t you just feel like a treat to reward yourself? This maze is a little of both—a twisting, turning puzzle that looks like a cupcake! Start at the green dot and finish at the red dot in both the “frosting” and the “cake.” Print your Baker’s Dozen Maze here.