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Ready to Ride

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A funny, feel good book with a can-do attitude for anyone who's ever tried to ride a bike, about freedom, friendship, and the joy of cycling without stabilisers for the very first time.

A little boy is told to play outside by his mum and bumps into an imaginary friend with whom he goes for a bike ride. At first he finds it difficult to keep up, but with the imaginary friend’s help he takes off the bike’s stabilisers and learns to freewheel – all the way home.

Stunning illustrations and an imaginative design make this a really special picture book gift for little bike riders everywhere. 

32 pages, Hardcover

Published June 19, 2018

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Sébastien Pelon

158 books2 followers

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5 stars
19 (19%)
4 stars
35 (35%)
3 stars
29 (28%)
2 stars
13 (13%)
1 star
4 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Profile Image for PattyMacDotComma.
1,805 reviews1,087 followers
August 3, 2018
2.★

The illustrations in this strange children's books are charming, but the story is awkward and the language stilted, possibly due to the translation.

A little boy who is bored, takes his bicycle with training wheels out for a ride. A big, white, "creature" with a pink hat comes down on the street and they cycle off together. The little boy thinks the training wheels are slowing him down, so the creature removes them and EATS them!

The boy tries riding on his "big boy" bike, falls off at one point, and the "big ball of fur" as the boy refers to the creature later, hugs him, picks him up and puts a plaster (bandage) on his leg.

I felt nervous about a tiny little fellow deciding to follow a complete stranger (even a furry one) for miles across the countryside (according to the illustrations), and for such a long time that they lie down for a rest on the grass. The little boy is shown sleeping on top of the big white creature.

Pretty to look at, but not something I'm comfortable recommending, I'm afraid.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for a preview copy.
Profile Image for Jane.
387 reviews600 followers
June 21, 2018
Ready to Ride is an odd little book. I adored the the art but the story was just ok for me, and I suspect some parents might feel a bit apprehensive about possible inadvertent messaging in this one.



After he is sent outside to play on a grey and gloomy day, our little hero decides to hop on his bike to follow an imaginary creature out into the countryside. It doesn't take long for the little guy to have a bit of a fit when he can't keep up with the furry creature due to his training wheels. A few nibbles later, the training wheels are off, and it's time to learn how to ride for real.



It takes a few false starts, but with a furry friend who is patient and kind, it doesn't take long before the child is riding his bike like a big kid.



At the end of the day, he realizes he's capable on his own and doesn't need the furry friend to be able to do things on his own.



The main problem that niggled at me throughout this entire story was that this kid either wandered off alone from the city into the countryside or else he thought it was perfectly ok to traipse off after some stranger on a bike. The end of the story left things up in the air a bit about what was real and what was imaginary. The kid left the house with no bandage on his knee nor helmet on his head, but when he returned, he was wearing both; items which had been given to him by the "furry friend".

I suppose this might be a good book to read together with a discussion about boundaries. Overall I did enjoy this book, and was thoroughly charmed with the illustrations, so it gets 4 solid stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book.
Profile Image for Literary Redhead.
2,902 reviews711 followers
June 18, 2019
🚲 🚲 🚲 🚲 🚲

Young cyclists can take inspiration from READY TO RIDE, in which a little boy meets up with an imaginary friend for a bike ride. Lovely soft illustrations and a creative design captivate young readers learning freestyle cycling. Highly recommended!

Grateful to the Quarto Publishing Group - words & pictures and NetGalley for the early copy, in exchange for my true review.

#ReadyToRide #NetGalley
7,120 reviews83 followers
June 14, 2018
Just not deep enough for my taste. I like those ids books to have some kind of moral or message in it, and this one... just doesn't have any important meaning in it. Too simple!
Profile Image for Molly.
1,202 reviews54 followers
July 26, 2018
An absolutely adorable book about the joys of learning self-confidence disguised as an adorable book about bicycle riding. The art is perfectly charming.

I received access to this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Laura.
3,305 reviews105 followers
June 18, 2018
This appears to be a story of how a young child learns to ride on his own, without training wheels. Although, he does have the help of a large white creature with a funny red hat, his imaginary friend, which he appeared to have just met.

Ready to ride

It is an odd place, this world of the little boy, with no traffic, and so young, yet able to ride way out int he country by himself. I guess, as a parent, I have trouble suspending my disbelief, but kids probably look at this story and think it is neat that the creature helps teach him how to ride.

#ReadyToRide #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Profile Image for Janice Lombardo.
624 reviews8 followers
July 5, 2018
I really liked this book. A boy, who had done his chores and played at home for too long, rides on his bike. Although he is afraid, he is REALLY wanting to take off the training wheels. He goes on a rural adventure where he can ride with few problems. He has his "furry friend" with him all of the way who reminds him (sometimes after the fact) of safety. Issues such as wearing a helmet and appropriate speed for conditions can be overlooked - but he really knows about that.
This is a sweet, fun, imaginative read. Explore and teach!

Many thanks to Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for this fun read!
Profile Image for Jo.
262 reviews21 followers
June 20, 2018
A child goes through riding a bike experience and through it grows up. Super cute and easy to follow for the younger kids through the imagery. Would be a good conversation book/ read out loud with parents or caretakers. Dives into growing up and not needing the same things as you once did,etc.

Downloaded from Netgalley thanks to the publishers for an honest review



Definitely would recommend.
Profile Image for Metin Yılmaz.
1,099 reviews126 followers
January 17, 2020
Hem çizimleri hem öyküsü hem de cildi çok güzel bir kitap. O sıcaklığı hissedip, kendi çocukluğunuza gidebilirsiniz.
Profile Image for Carla.
7,865 reviews185 followers
August 23, 2018
This is a cute book (a combination picture book/graphic novel) for young children. A young boy has finished his chores and played at home. He sees a large creature and hops on his bike to follow him. He can't keep up and wants to take off his training wheels to go faster. He is scared, but with the help of his new friend, he accomplishes this task. He heads off on a rural adventure where he can ride with few problems. It is nice that his large furry friend reminds him of bike safety. This is a cute book that needs to be taken at face value, the imagination of this young boy has helped him gain the confidence to ride his bike without training wheels. If the issue of riding off without his parent's knowledge bothers readers, then just discussing with the child that this is a story and the creature is only imaginary with the listener or child should be sufficient. The illustrations are simple, yet imaginative and beautiful. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this story to read. The rating, opinions and ideas are my own.
Profile Image for Ash.
234 reviews19 followers
finn-read
June 2, 2018
All questions answered by my 4 year old

Do you like this book?
Yeah! I like his imaginary friend. And I love riding my bike!

What's your favorite part of the book?
When he's riding his bike with the umbrella! It was so silly!

What do you think of the cover?
I like his hat!

Do you want me to read it again?
Yeah!

This one was hard to read because the format on the kindle was all kinds of weird.
With that being said Ready to Ride is an adorable book about not giving up. It teaches that sometimes it's hard but that you can do anything you set your mind to.

The graphics are adorable and I absolutely love his imaginary friend! It even had me giggling out loud at a few parts.

We received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Faith.
1,009 reviews7 followers
June 24, 2018
Ready to Ride is a children's picture book that takes an imaginative turn. We meet a bored little boy who is encouraged by his mother to go outside (one gets the sense she is over his attitude and figures fresh air will do him good).

Then "a ball of fur wearing a pink hat" bikes past. The boy is intrigued and hops on his bike to follow. Much of the book follows him getting frustrated with his training wheels as he feels they're holding him back, then we witness the expected trial and error until he figures out how to ride a bike on his own. All alongside him is this large creature, encouraging and supporting him.

The colorful illustrations add to the story, and children will enjoy the pages where they follow the path of the boy and his over-sized friend.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,407 reviews23 followers
November 6, 2018
Would be hard to follow for those just learning to read
Profile Image for Mathilde.
758 reviews174 followers
April 19, 2018
Je découvre le travail de Sébastien Pelon à travers cet album jeunesse magnifique.
Difficile pour la graphiste que je suis de rester insensible devant la beauté et la pureté de ces dessins et tellement plein de vie.

L’histoire est vraiment touchante et on se prend au jeu de ce petit garçon à devenir plus grand, surtout que nous sommes tous passé par cette étape, elle nous parle forcément.

Lisez là à vos enfants, ce sera un bon prétexte pour la lire aussi.
Un coup de cœur pour ce talentueux illustrateur qui est Sébastien Pelon, je le suivrais !

Profile Image for Storywraps.
1,968 reviews39 followers
July 19, 2018
A little boy is very bored. The weather is dull and that makes him want to stay inside. He's done some playing, reading, colouring, drawing, and sticking. He's run out of ideas to keep himself busy. His mom gives him a suggestion:

"Go and play outside, sweetheart.
But be careful - and don't go too far!"

The little boy takes his mom's advice and out he goes. Once outdoors he discovers that the street is empty... but is it really? In the distance he notices a funny shape getting closer and closer. He soon realizes that it is a huge ball of fur wearing a pink hat and it glides right past him riding a teeny-tiny bike.

Curiousity overtakes the little guy and he hops on his bike and follows after this weird stranger wanting to find out more about him.

Luckily the odd creature is a friendly, caring stranger who after eating the little boys training wheels (yes you heard me right, he did swallow them up)... takes it upon himself to guide, support and finally see the little boy accomplish the awesome task of riding a two-wheeler all on his own just like the big boys.

This book is about friendship and the joy and celebration of learning to ride a two-wheeler independently. This is a fun, imaginative book that kids will love I'm sure. A side-note is that it is a teaching moment to talk about riding off all on your own and following strangers that you don't know. This day and age that can pose a huge safety factor and needs to be addressed after the book is read.
Profile Image for Wayne McCoy.
4,341 reviews32 followers
June 24, 2018
'Ready to Ride' by Sebastien Pelon is a picture book about a young boy learning to ride his bike better with the help of a large friend.

A young boy is bored of being in the house and his mum tells him to go play outside. He decides to ride his bike and he notices a ball of fur wearing a pink hat on a bike. He decides to follow it. He has adventures and finds new freedom in learning to ride without training wheels, and riding down hills. The furry thing with the pink hat doesn't say anything to him, but the boy converses with it anyway until it is time to go inside. Maybe the furry friend was never there in the first place?

It's a story about being independent and riding a bike. About falling on your own and getting back up again. The illustrations are kind of stark with lots of shadows and I found them quite beautiful.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group - words & pictures, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
226 reviews6 followers
December 15, 2020
Simple, fun book about learning to try new things and getting back up when one has fallen. Great storyline.

However... I was bothered by the boy just riding off into nowhere. I was also bothered by his following his "furry friend." I just felt really uncomfortable with a young child wandering off by himself and following a stranger who gives him gifts. I feel it sends a mixed message to children. If you read this with your young ones, please also have a discussion about boundaries and strangers. I just couldn't get past this facet of the story.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Profile Image for Rachel.
19 reviews
July 6, 2018
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations in this book are simple, yet beautiful in a gentle way. I enjoyed how the illustrations could flow, even when there are multiple illustrations on a page.

This book tells the story of a young boy who is learning how to ride a bike without wheels with an "imaginary creature." Although there is no speech from this creature, the boy and the creature connect and are able to have a good day together, while learning how to ride a bike.

While I understand that there could be moral concerns and discussions about a boy leaving with a stranger, when looking at the story from a simplistic view, it is a cute, sweet story.
Profile Image for Bev.
1,196 reviews55 followers
June 28, 2018
Fun story about a young boy learning to ride his bike on two wheels with the aid of his imaginary friend, a large white bear. The language is a little stilted and clumsy at times, I fear some of the charm has been lost in the translation, and I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief at this small boy being sent out to play on his own by his mother. I'm sure young children wouldn't give it a thought but for me it niggled at me and spoilt my enjoyment of the tale. The problem is this is more of a day to day story of a child's life and I don't think it rings true. I loved the illustrations however, the sight of the huge bear perched precariously on a bicycle was funny and endearing.
9,493 reviews135 followers
June 16, 2018
An enjoyable book for the younger ones, where a child finds a most unlikely friend to advise him in cycling, and to take his training wheels off. I loved the palette used for the big splash illustrations, but I found the more conversational, comic-book styled scenes a little less enjoyable. Still, for that specific time in your young life when you're learning to run and ride free, this is fine.
Profile Image for Pinky.
7,057 reviews23 followers
January 8, 2019
A little boy learns how to ride his bike without training wheels, with the help of a furry guy (Yeti?) with a pink hat! Even though, it's tough learning to ride a bike without training wheels, Yeti helps the little boy persevere and ride by himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Michelle.
607 reviews25 followers
September 17, 2020
Okay maybe I am just getting more sensitive in my older years but that last little strip with the ball of fur wearing a pink hat and how it ends....OH it got me! Can't spoil it for you but it makes you nostalgic and proud and so many emotions.
Profile Image for Emily.
2,302 reviews
January 5, 2018
“Ready to Ride” is a cute adventure and great for caregivers and parents to read together, one-on-one, because there’s so much to see on many of the pages.
Profile Image for Michael.
79 reviews22 followers
July 9, 2018
Lovely artwork, but the story is very clunky (likely due to translation issues).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews