Review Detail

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.