Chuck has a motorcycle, and page by page, we get to see how he cares for it, and sometimes is careless with it.

I found this picture book interesting, as I think would many young children. ( )

Chuck checks everything on his bike to make sure it is working and decides to go for a ride. When driving Chuck is enjoying himself so much, but also not obeying any of the laws, because he wasn't following any of the rules Chuck flies off his bike. A police officer tells him how lucky he is and Chuck now understands why it is important to follow the road rules.

Teaching Ideas: road rules, and cars/motercycles

Summary: This is the story of a young man named Chuck who takes his motorcycle out for a ride. Before he leaves he checks his motorcycle to make sure everything is working properly and his mother tells him to be careful. He heads out on his ride but soon a mean dog starts to chase him. He shifts into second gear to escape the dog so he does not hurt it or himself. He rides past trees and power lines and bugs smash against his helmet. On the main road Chuck starts going even faster and starts weaving in and out of traffic. He is having so much fun and going so fast that he forgets all of the rules of the Motor Vehicle Code. He then notices that a police officer is trying to pull him over but while he is trying to stop he hits some gravel and flies off his bike. The officer tells Chuck how lucky he is to be alive and to remember the rules of the road. On the way home Chuck makes sure to follow all of the rules so that he and the other drivers can be safe.

Review: Although this book was not that interesting to me because I don't really like motorcycles it would definitely appeal to a young male audience. Beverly Cleary did a good job building her story slowly to create suspense and surprise. I think she was trying to convey the message that it is important to follow the rules of the road in order to be safe. This is a lesson that can never be learned too early. She talked about how going fast can be fun and exciting but also how it can be dangerous. The illustrations fit with the story perfectly and they were wonderfully detailed. I like that the illustrations are all in black and white. I think they add to the text without being overly distracting. I also like how at the beginning of the story Cleary includes a diagram of a motorcycle with all of the parts labeled. Students with an interest in motorcycles would definitely enjoy looking at this extra textual detail. ( )