Off We Go!

July 15, 2013
Mole is ready to lose the training wheels on his bicycle in his third outing with Bear. After a shaky start, he’s on his way—whether he likes it or not. “Bump. Bump. Bump,” writes Hillenbrand as Mole careens through a field of cattle. “Scramble. Scramble. Scramble,” he continues as Mole narrowly misses a turtle; Hillenbrand zooms in on the turtle’s terrified reaction as the bike’s giant wheel bears down. All ends well, and Bear remains a supportive, concerned friend through the chaos. Clipped sentences, onomatopoeic phrases, and the unpredictability of a wayward bike create a fun follow-up about this pair. Ages 3–6.

Starred review from July 15, 2013
A good friend will help you prepare for your challenges and will see you through them, as Bear does for Mole in another charming tale in the series from Hillenbrand (Kite Day, 2012, etc.) As Bear packs books into his knapsack, Mole asks for help in removing his training wheels and checking his bike for safety. Each simple sentence is clearly illuminated with carefully rendered mixed-media artwork, from "They removed"--with Bear holding the bike steady as Mole wields his wrench--to "Mole snapped"--as the pleased little mammal, snout in air, properly fastens his helmet. A tender, double-page spread shows Bear placing a reassuring paw on the back of worried-looking Mole's bike as the large-type words declare, "At last Mole was ready." Now comes the wild action! A sophisticated simultaneous succession shows Mole wobbling toward a gentle "crash" on the facing page. Bear encourages the sobbing Mole to try again, and this time he succeeds--scattering plenty of leaves and animals as he gains speed. At journey's end, everything comes full circle as the friends arrive just on time for a tale at the storymobile. The few words in the text include such vocabulary as grimaced, hoisted and exhaled, making this a terrific choice for a read-aloud from a precocious older sibling to a younger one. A winner all around. (Picture book. 3-7)

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September 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-In their third adventure, Bear and Mole are preparing for an excursion. Mole decides that today is the day to remove the training wheels from his bike. Using a series of two-word sentences packed with vocabulary-stretching verbs ("removed," "tugged," "hoisted"), the friends get ready to start out. "Mole kicked off. Bear pushed. Wobble. Wobble. Wobble. Crash. Mole sobbed, 'I quit.'" With Bear's encouragement, Mole tries again and successfully bikes all the way to their destination, with Bear frantically trying to keep up and all manner of creatures fleeing from Mole's path. Finally, with a crash and a triumphant, "I did it!" they arrive at the Storymobile. Mole's eagerness, safety regimen, and difficulties will be familiar and comforting to beginning cyclists. The broad, soft outlines, expressive characters, and autumnal palette give the story a gentle tone, even when Mole is wildly careening about. Although the process of learning to ride a bike is truncated, the message of not giving up and working at something is an important one, and there is certainly room for more books on the subject.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, White Bear Lake, MN

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