C&S Book Review: Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race
04. Dec, 2010 
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Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race
I don’t know about you but with the Holidays approaching I am always looking for a good book … especially a cute children’s book. (It’s the teacher in me!!) My kids are a little too old for the book I found this year, but that’s OK, Aunt Beth has some young nieces back in Indiana that might just enjoy this book!! Thanks to Velo Press, C & S found the perfect children’s book for all you cycling fans!
Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race written by Erin Mirabella (Erin represented the United States in the 2000 & 2004 Olympics in cycling) and illustrated by Lisa Horstman, is a heart-warming story about a young goat named Gracie and all of her friends on the Barnsville Sports Squad. It deals with a topic that many young children struggle with in their lives. She worries about what her friends will say when they find out her secret. Gracie told them that she would join them in a bike race, which sounds like a great idea, but Gracie doesn’t know how to ride a bike and she is afraid to learn. Will Gracie be able to overcome her fear?
Gracie has a very important person in her life that helps her to understand that everyone is afraid of something … Grandmas are the best!! (This book brought back memories of the wonderful relationship that I had with my “Granny”.) Grandmas are the best for helping us to solve the big problems in our lives. They also let us know that things aren’t always easy for them (adults) either. With Grandma and the Barnsville Sports Squad in her life, can Gracie do it? Or will she have to tell her friends that she won’t be there for the race?
Not only is it a cute book with a great message of determination and teamwork, but Mirabella takes the time to make it a “teachable moment”. It introduces our young cyclists to all different types of cycling with adorable illustrations in the back of the book. How great it that?! Along with this, she talks about the importance of hydration. Again, what a great idea!! Hydration is an important topic to address at any age. By introducing and teaching kids (and reminding adults) this will only benefit everyone’s health.
So … Aunt Beth along with C&S, highly recommend this book for all of our young future cyclists out there. Take a ride down to your local bookstore for your own copy of Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race or go online to Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Happy Reading!!
Cycle and Style would like to share a copy of Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race with one of our readers and their young rider. Make a comment about the first bike that you can remember. Post your entry quickly! This one won’t be up very long … Christmas is coming and you might just need this for your special someone!! Deadline for your comments is Tuesday, December 14th.
Congratulations to Teresa from Thomasville, NC … the “Big Bike Race” is headed your way!! Enjoy!!
The first bike I remember was pink and white with the ole’ banana seat and ape hanger handle bars where your friend would sit while you pumped.
My first bike was hot pink. It had a banana seat and high handlebars. It also had gears I don’t remember how many. I would like to get the book for my grandson’s. They are just now getting interested in bikes. That’s what they are getting for Christmas.