Official Review: Sally Travels by Bicycle by P.G. Shriver

[ElizaBeth Adams]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sally Travels by Bicycle" by P.G. Shriver.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Sally Travels by Bicycle is a children's book by P.G. Shriver. The plot of the story centers around a gloomy, young boy. In years past, he and his dad worked together to create an entry for the bicycle parade at Westfest, an annual festival in West, Texas. The son is somber because this year his father will be working out of town. He will not return in time to help him create an entry for the procession. Enter Red, a wagon; Sally, a talking saddle; and Grumple, a quirky elf. They have come to save the day. Will they succeed? Will this boisterous group find a way to help the boy and make it to Westfest?

This children's book has many strengths. Red, Sally, and Grumple are encouraging and engaging. This book teaches the positive merits of never giving up. It also demonstrates how good friends will come alongside you and give you a lift up in the midst of your discouragement. The illustrations have an informal, friendly feel. They even include some comic book dialogue bubbles. My favorite part of the book is that the author has included a real-life festival that is hosted in her hometown of West, Texas. She also includes some history of the festival in the prologue. Children from this town would be thrilled to view this story commemorating their local tradition.

This book does have some minor editing mistakes. The thing that I liked least was that the little boy is never named. Perhaps this was intentional. Maybe the author wanted to make it easier for children to imagine themselves in the position of the boy. Nevertheless, I found it odd to leave this detail dangling.

I would recommend this book to young readers around the ages of three to seven. It would be good to read before attending your local festival. It could prompt a discussion about geographical traditions. It would also be a good read for a child who struggles to persevere when faced with obstacles. Red, Sally, and Grumple encourage the boy to keep working on his goal, and they stay positive even when it seems as though they will not make it to the festival. This example of a young person pushing ahead in the face of difficulty could be just the gentle teaching point some youngsters need.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It has a solid plot with a positive message. Any editing mistakes are minor. After traveling with Sally and her pals, who knows? Perhaps you or your little one will want to tag along with her on a few more adventures.

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Sally Travels by Bicycle
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[Rachel Lea]

I love this book's focus on perseverance in the face of difficulty. What an excellent message to teach young children. Thanks for your review!

[Kaylee Elmer]

This sounds like a cute book! I like that it gives children the message of never giving up. It might be a good book to read to my 3 year old daughter. Thanks for a great review!

[ElizaBeth Adams]

I love this book's focus on perseverance in the face of difficulty. What an excellent message to teach young children. Thanks for your review!

This is an excellent message for young people. Thanks for stopping by.

[ElizaBeth Adams]

This sounds like a cute book! I like that it gives children the message of never giving up. It might be a good book to read to my 3 year old daughter. Thanks for a great review!

If you do read this with your daughter, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for your comment.