Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

Hero on a Bicycle. By Shirley Hughes. Candlewick Press, 2013

photo from barnesandnoble.com

The Review…

In her first novel, picture book author Shirley Hughes presents a World War II tale of a simple family trying to remain unnoticed by both the Gestapo and the Italian resistance. When Mrs. Crivelli agrees to house a prisoner of war for just one night, each member of the family must play a part in protecting their secret. Thirteen-year-old Paolo dreams of becoming a hero for the Partisans, but quickly learns that his ideals of war are not accurate. Set in Nazi-occupied Italy, Hughes’ story gives the reader an exciting portrayal of the average family’s struggle during wartime. Don’t be fooled by the less than intriguing title. Hero on a Bicycle has depth, tension, action and hope. It is recommended for readers ages 10-14, especially those who love historical fiction, specifically that which is based in the WWII era.

The Opinion…

Fact: I am a sucker for WWII novels. Dating back to Number the Stars and the American Girl Molly, as a nine-year-old I was already infatuated with the era. In recent years, Mal Peet’s Tamar, as well as last year’s Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein and Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin, have continuously wrapped me up in fascinating storyline after fascinating storyline. The fact that Bomb is non-fiction is just that much more exciting. I just can’t seem to get enough WWII story.

Hero on a Bicycle caught my attention only because I really dislike the title. I stared at the cover for a good week before I even picked it up because I had no interest in reading it. Discovering that it was a WWII novel, I grabbed the audiobook for a roadtrip. And I’m glad I did. This novel was an interesting to me because, unlike the ones I’m used to, it is set in not just a Nazi-occupied country, but a Nazi-friendly country. I really enjoyed seeing this new perspective of a family trying to help the anti-Nazi movement, while many of their close friends and neighbors were Nazi sympathizers.

Overall, I’d give it a high five.