Eric's Big Day: A Bicycle Race Unlike Any Other

K-Gr 2—Eric has been invited by his friend Emily to watch a bike race. She prepares a picnic and waits for Eric. He packs his "essentials"—tires, a compass, first-aid kit, caramels, a balloon, and, most importantly, flowers for Emily. Riding his bike to her house, he encounters a series of cyclists who have met with a variety of disasters, and he is able to assist each one by creatively using one of his essentials, from repairing a flat tire with band-aids to having his balloon boost an exhausted cyclist over a hill. Realizing his acts of kindness have destroyed Emily's flowers and will make him late, he heads off at top speed, resulting in a happy ending. This is a sweet story about helping strangers in need. Waters's experiences as a cyclist lend an air of authenticity to the racing scenes. The quirky watercolor illustrations are reminiscent of Quentin Blake's work and complement the clearly written text nicely. Not an essential purchase, but good for larger collections.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ