ONE GIRL AND HER BICYCLE (2019/2020)

Epic adventure distilled for younger readers

Mountains Of Dreams; A Jungle Of Worries; Lands Of Courage; Ocean Of Kindness
32pp 27×25 cm £6.99  1782703438; 1782703780; 1782703926; 1782705341

By the time Laura Bingham dived into the South Atlantic, having cycled 7,000 km through Latin America, she had earned the right to add a hefty tome to cycling’s bookshelves. But she chose a different path.

One Girl And Her Bicycle is a series of four books aimed a children of any age, but specifically those between three and seven. Each describes an episode from her journey through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, at the rate of 30-80 words per spread, with simple, attractive illustrations. 

The messages in which her stories are rich don’t differ from many books intended for infants: perseverance pays off, kindness will be repaid, and challenge brings its own reward. As accounts of actual adventures, however, they have a deeper resonance than their contrived counterparts. Roots in reality significantly amplifies their impact.

The books conclude with a page of ‘fact boxes’ that helpfully deal with the kind of questions that generally punctuate the reading of bedtime stories: where is Argentina, or what is a criollo horse, for example.

Each book is no more than a single pre-bedtime read, but all have the capacity to become repeat requests. As inspirations for a fresh generation of two-wheeled explorers, they are treat for both reader and listener.

TD Oct 2026