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“Hughes expertly
captures the tension in the Crivelli home, as Rosemary tries to raise her two
children and keep them safe while covertly supporting the Partisan cause…A
superb historical thriller.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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“The Italian setting is vibrantly presented, and Hughes creates both a memorable cast and a palpable sense of danger at a critical juncture of the war.”
— Publishers Weekly
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“Thirteen-year-old
hero Paolo and his family star in a tale both exciting and thoughtful. (It
turns out that his indispensable bicycle and beloved dog Guido are heroes,
too.)…Each character has complex motivations and emotions—readers will discover
that few are completely good or evil, even in wartime. From a rather expository
beginning, Hughes raises the tension, the stakes, and the horrors of war to a
triumphant climax and an ending offering relief and hope for the
future—creating as well a poignant coming-of-age story for both Paolo and
Constanza.”
— Children’s Literature
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“Hero on a Bicycle is a wartime adventure
that will appeal to many late elementary and middle school readers, especially
boys who enjoy reading about war and danger. There is much to be learned about
the day-to-day existence of those who lived in occupied areas during World War
II, and it shows how young people can be empowered, albeit in this case while
in serious danger…Learning history and what happens to Paolo will keep war
buffs turning the pages.”
— VOYA
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“For thirteen-year-old Paolo
Crivelli, the excitement of planning secret nightly trips into Florence
balances the boredom and stress of living under Nazi occupation in a war-torn
village outside the city…In this engrossing story, Hughes combines a riveting
plotline with multidimensional characters. It also provides youngsters with
some understanding of the choices and conditions faced by people in Europe
during World War II.”
— School Library Journal (starred review)
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“For thirteen-year-old Paolo
Crivelli, the excitement of planning secret nightly trips into Florence
balances the boredom and stress of living under Nazi occupation in a war-torn
village outside the city…In this engrossing story, Hughes combines a riveting
plot line with multidimensional characters. It also provides youngsters with
some understanding of the choices and conditions faced by people in Europe
during World War II.”
— School Library Journal (starred review)
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“Simon Vance’s incomparable vocal
style is a perfect fit for this intense and suspenseful work of historical
fiction. With his strong and consistently paced narration, as well as subtle
and skillful character voices, Vance’s performance is both nuanced and
captivating. A website, www.heroonabicycle.co.uk, offers additional material to
supplement lesson plans or deepen book discussions. For those interested in
offering students more in-depth information about the time period, other
supplemental sources would be required. Highly recommended for students who
enjoyed John Boyne’s The Boy in the
Striped Pajamas and historical or WWII fiction.”
— School Library Journal (starred audio review)
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“As WWII rages around a family in
Florence, Paolo, a young teen, finds himself helping the Allies with his trusty
bike. The story, which blends a coming-of-age theme with wartime suspense, is
perfect for listening because of narrator Simon Vance. There are almost as many
accents as there are characters, and Vance nails them all. He does a fine job
with Italian civilians like the Crivelli family and the people they come across
during the war, in particular an injured Canadian and a sympathetic German.
Vance gives all the characters consistent voices throughout.”
— AudioFile