The Great Bike Race

Published by James Lorimer & Company

Matt’s friendships – old and new – are tested when everyone decides to enter a bike race.

Age Level

Grades 2 to 5

Curriculum Connections

Friends, competition, deafness, loyalty, intergenerational

Activities

Who is the person in your school or neighbourhood that you think is the least likely person for you to become friends with? (It might be someone your age, or someone much younger, or much older.) Write a story in which you – somehow – become friends? What brings you together? How does this person surprise you when you get to know him/her better than you do now? How do your old friends feel about your new friendship?

Reviews

Stinson’s writing is swift and natural; her characters are quickly drawn but not simplistic. The rivalries between the young friends, and their resolutions, are realistic. Her discussion of the importance and benefits of making friends with handicapped people and old people is treated without sentimentality. Bike fans in particular, and any kid who likes the challenge of a race, will find this book appealing.

Quill & Quire

Matt is fortunate to have several friends: David, a boy whom everyone thinks of as a geek; Amanda, a deaf girl who moves in next door; Lennox, Matt’s best friend; and Mr. Grubb, a neighbourhood senior. Matt soon discovers that having friends can be rewarding but, at times, a frustrating experience, especially if they don’t get along.

The element of fun and adventure is constant throughout [the Pebble Creek series]. Stinson delivers numerous lessons as well. The stories are nicely paced and encourage continual reading. They can be equally enjoyed on their own or in sequence.

CM Magazine

The Great Bike Race

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Read an excerpt.

Other Editions

Also available in Braille.

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