Bicycling Rules of the Road: The adventures of Devin van Dyke
Kelly Pulley
Schiffer
Like so many other parents, I having been taking advantage of the extra time with my family to support my daughters through some important life milestones. Among he most profound of these was getting them to ride their bikes safely and with confidence (perhaps a bit too much!).
That is why we have become such fans of this charmingly ironic book by avid cyclist and writer Kelly Pulley.
Through the cautionary tale of young Devin readers see what NOT to do while riding and what can result. While both elements may be a bit exaggerated (e.g., after inviting the charming Betsy LaBelle to ride on his handlebars, he invites the entire basketball team to pile on his rear tire rack, making his leisurely ride through town a death-defying circus act!), the lessons are clear and put across in a way that is funny(/scary) enough to elicit an emotional as well as a psychological reaction.
In the end, covered with basketball players and worms, Devin decides to walk (or bike) the straight and narrow, even when the road is windy. It is a lesson that can apply as much to bike-riding kids as to their car-driving parents- stay safe, be considerate, and do not do things just to appear “cool.”
– Matt Robinson
