Middle Grade Books About Biking To Promote Exercise & Mental Health
Biking has become more than just a means of transportation—it's a sport and hobby, a way to foster community, and a tool to promote well-being. Biking, whether electric or regular, has become even more popular in the city since the pandemic began as a way to help with mental and physical wellness. Bikes get you outside and exploring your neighborhood in a fun and thrilling way. With summer around the corner, it's a great time for kids to learn to ride a bike or get out more on their bike. These books for middle grades highlight bicycles and the independence, freedom, and adventure cycling can bring.
Fiction
The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle
by Christina Uss
Left at the Mostly Silent Monastery as a toddler and home-schooled by a retired nun, twelve-year-old Bicycle rides cross-country to meet a famous cyclist who she hopes will be her first friend.
Lindsay's Joyride
by Molly Hurford; illustrated by Violet Lemay
Shy twelve-year-old bookworm Lindsay, future superhero, spends a summer with her cousin/nemesis Phoebe learning BMX tricks, making new friends, and showing boys that girls can compete, too.
Merci Suarez
by Meg Medina
Alienated from her more privileged classmates at a Florida private school, sixth-grade scholarship student Merci Suarez is targeted by a competitive rival at the same time her beloved grandfather begins to develop memory problems.
Roosevelt Banks : Good-kid-in-training
by Laurie Calkhoven; with illustrations by Debbie Palen
When ten-year-old Roosevelt Banks discovers that his two best friends are planning a bike and camping trip, he wants more than anything to go along. There's just one problem—he doesn't have a bike.
Sarai and the Around the World Fair
by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown; illustrations by Christine Almeda
When Sarai outgrows her bike, she worries she will never get to travel anywhere, until an around the world fair at school teaches her that with a little imagination, she can go anywhere she wants.
Yowamushi Pedal
by Wataru Watanabe
Sakamichi Onoda, a shy student, uses his regular bike to make ninety-mile round trips, but after a run-in with Imaizumi, a member of the school's road racing team, Sakamichi has to prove that, despite being a geek, he can out-pedal a bully.
Real cyclists who made waves in the world!
Brave Cyclist: The True Story of a Holocaust Hero
by Amalia Hoffman; illustrated by Chiara Fedele
Once a skinny and weak child, Gino Bartali rose to become a Tour de France champion and one of cycling's greatest stars. But all that seemed unimportant when his country came under the grip of a brutal dictator and entered World War II on the side of Nazi Germany.
Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
by Laurie Ann Thompson; illustrated by Sean Qualls
Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams.
The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle
by Jude Isabella; illustrated by Simone Shin
A bicycle dubbed Big Red by its first owner is donated when outgrown and sent overseas to West Africa, where it passes through a series of owners who ride the bicycle to facilitate busy days of working, running errands and helping neighbors.
More Reads
The Young Cyclist's Companion
by Peter Drinkell; illustrated by Thomas Slater
Who doesn’t remember what it feels like to be a young person on a bike. Cycling offers kids an unrivaled freedom and independence. With global cycling trends on a new, post-pandemic high, ever more young people are experiencing the joys of the beautiful machine.
Wear a Helmet! Healthy Safety Habits
by Mary Elizabeth Salzmann
Staying safe is a healthy habit. Wear a Helmet!: Healthy Safety Habits will teach readers all about how to be safe.
Be the Change: Rob Greenfield’s Call to Kids; Making a Difference in a Messed-Up World
by Rob Greenfield and Antonia Banyard
In this uplifting book, Rob uses his own experiences—backed by solid information and a ton of great ideas—to show kids that no one is too young to make a difference, and no action is too small to make a start.
Resources
Bike New York: Bike New York operates the largest free bicycle education program of its kind in the world. In 2019, more than 30,000 New Yorkers benefited from their programs and services.
New York City Department of Transportation: Resources for cycling in New York City including a city bike map, safety tips, information about bike parking, and the future of cycling in the city.
New York City Parks Department: With miles of greenways and bike lanes, as well as dedicated bike paths in parks, New York City is a cyclist’s dream. Learn more about special bike programs, find bike maps, or learn about favorite greenway routes.
New York State Department of Transportation's Bicycle Program: a gateway to discover the wide variety of cycling opportunities and information available in New York.
Transportation Alternatives: Are you new to cycling? New to cycling in New York? Transportation Alternatives has resources for what you need to know about getting around by bike, parking your bike, and more.
Book summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.