A Bike Like Sergio’s by Maribeth Boelts tells the story of a young narrator, Ruben, who longs for a bike to ride with his friends, having the kind of fun that he could only have if he had a bike as well. Ruben dreams of having a bike just like his friend Sergio, who rides his new bike while Ruben tags along running after it. Being that Ruben wasn’t very wealthy, he says, “I know that wishes won’t make money appear.” He takes a trip to the grocery store with Sergio, and as Sergio is buying a pack of football cards, a woman accidentally drops what seemed to have been a dollar bill out of her purse, without knowledge. As she walks ahead of him, Ruben takes the dollar bill and thinks it’s “just one dollar.” When Ruben gets home, he discovers that it was actually a $100 bill and dreams about buying the bike he so longingly wanted. This dilemma involving his morals and ethics takes up the sum of the story, and when Ruben thought the dollar bill was in his bag, he finds that it is lost. One might ask, what could he do now? Should he tell the lady in the blue coat that he found her money? Should he keep it a secret? As the story unfolds, Ruben is faced with the challenges and sacrifices he must make to keep his good morals.
One line of the book that I want to highlight that captures a moment we all have faced in our lifetime was, “I am happy and mixed up, full and empty, with what’s right and what’s gone.” As a book teaching good morals to children, this line can be relatable to adult readers too. This book reaches a defining moment that not only has a good ending, but has a lesson that teaches children that it is the right choice to be honest and to not steal. This book for 5- to 8-year-olds would be a great book to read to 4-year-olds as well, as this book has some vocabulary that children need to develop in preschool.
Get the book Check out A Bike Like Sergio’s at BMCC’s Library, the New York Public Library (in English and Spanish), the Brooklyn Public Library (in English and Spanish), the Queens Public Library (in English and Spanish).
About the author Meet A, short for Adri, a multi-talented artist from NYC bringing you the most honest, heartfelt reviews about books that have changed the world. Born and raised in Queens, A fosters an environment for creativity in her everyday life. She consistently surprises herself and others with her unique abilities in connecting with people through music, art, poetry, and life’s unimaginable experiences.
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