Birth of the Bicycle: A Bumpy History of the Bicycle in America 1819–1900

Told in charming rhyme, The Birth of the Bicycle chronicles the bike's evolution from sensational oddity to the everyday vehicle known today. Each page moves forward through time, featuring full-spread illustrations of the bicycle of the time - and the fashion trends! - the year, and a few lines narrating the bicycle's changes.

The book spans from 1819 to 1900, when the bicycle's design reached something quite similar to the modern form. This is a new topic for me, and I certainly learned lots. The illustrations clearly show the changes in design, without getting bogged down in technical information, and the rhymes are catchy and fun, and certainly helpful for remembering facts. For those wanting a meatier history, there are a few pages detailing the entire historical timeline at the back.

This is a story to read again and again, and learn something every time.

“Birth of the Bicycle: A Bumpy History of the Bicycle in America” by Sarah Nelson, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, shares the beginnings of bicycles, from those without pedals to the way bikes look today. It was not a simple process to create the bike as it is currently known. There was a lot of innovation that went into the invention, and the beautiful pictures do a wonderful job in allowing readers to visualize the history as it comes alive on the pages.

It is interesting to note that bicycles were once way too expensive for working-class people. They would have cost half a year’s salary! The book also gets a bit into how women’s clothing changed to adapt to riding a bicycle, as they started wearing split skirts instead of petticoats, as an example.

The last three pages of the book, in the back matter, contain more information about bicycles, including a more detailed history, starting in 1817 and running through the current day. There is also a brief bibliography to allow readers to know where they might find further details, if desired.