Review: It's National Bike to Work Day!

​If you’re able, biking to work is a stellar idea. You help the environment and it’s a great way to stay in shape. Just remember to wear your helmet! To celebrate this national holiday, let’s read  a counting book about dogs (and a cat) who take all sorts of transportation, including a bike: 

​
TITLE: TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE

AUTHOR: Gabi Snyder

ILLUSTRATOR: Robin Rosenthal

PUBLISHER: Abrams Appleseed/2020

​OPENING LINES: 
One dog stands alone.
Two dogs on a trike.
Three dogs on a scooter.
Four dogs on a bike

​This concept book, written by Gabi Snyder, shows counting, from one to 10 and back down again. It might seem like straight forward counting book with the added element of depicting different modes of transportation but take a closer look.  Robin Rosenthal’s illustrations depict an underlying storyline with a cat antagonist who follows the dogs while they trike, scooter, and bike through town. I love a book where the child reader knows something the book characters don’t, so I imagine this has the potential for a fun read-aloud. Young listeners will enjoy the bright illustrations, the different dog breeds, different modes of transportation, the increased tension as the numbers go up to a climax, the quick-paced count down, and the little twist at the end. All this adds up to a great picture book!
 
Read this review on Goodreads,  Amazon or Barnes & Noble.