Elena Rides / Elena Monta En Bici: A Dual Edition Flip Book

Gr 1-3--Elena is a determined elephant with a faithful bird friend. She puts on her helmet, gets on her bike, and starts to ride. Unfortunately, Elena has a few falls and bumps along the way. She tries hard to ride her bike and her friend flies with her every step of the way. After one too many falls, she becomes equally determined never to ride that bike again. But her steadfast pal gives her the encouragement she needs. With a renewed confidence, and help from her friend, Elena rides up and down hills, she rides fast, she rides slow. She can ride a bike! This sweet story about doing difficult things will have children rooting for Elena to get back up again. Medina's simple text and liberal use of white space make this a helpful work for emerging readers. The bright illustrations and strong lines will keep kids engaged, while the friendship story will ring true. VERDICT This repeated and reassuring text will remind beginning readers that no matter how many times you may fall, you can always try again.--Melanie Ortega

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Sensational for reading aloud, with dramatic onomatopoeic opportunities aplenty.

She's eager, she's resilient, she has a two-wheeler and a red feathered friend--but Elena, the enthusiastic purple elephant star of this early reader, still has a ways to go to polish her cycling skills. As the view zooms in, capturing Elena's look of expectant pleasure at donning a green cycling helmet, Medina ('Twas the Night Before Pride) kicks off the elephant's on-the-move story with maximum verve: "Elena wants to ride./ Elena buckles her helmet." Rhythmic couplets and plenty of action verbs reveal what happens next as Elena takes off, tongue sticking out--"she pushes,/ she pedals!// She wobbles,/ and bobbles..."--and meets the first of several disasters: "KA-BANG!" She gets up and tries again, but a second fall hits harder: "Elena cries!/ She bawls!" (Her bird friend puts small wings around Elena's leg.) The next ride gets Elena a little farther, her trunk sticking triumphantly out as she "goes, goes, goes," but there's more action and drama to come before, in a moment of victory, "Elena rides!" Medina captures substantial emotional highs and lows in this inspiring tale of persistence, one that's just right for those taking on another learning curve: reading. A dual English/Spanish edition publishes simultaneously. Ages 4-6. (Mar.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

There are plenty of books about learning to ride a bike, but this one's approachability for its intended audience, bright imagery, and good humor place it near the front of the peloton.