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“This sweet and simple tale shows that even when you are transported to a different world, some things never change. Farish captures the normalcy of the day in a life of a refugee child…An ideal addition to most collections, especially those that want to highlight topics of friendship, inclusion, and an immigrant perspective.”
—School Library Journal

Joseph’s Big Ride

Written by Terry Farish
Illustrated by Ken Daley
Published by Annick Press

A refugee boy’s determination to ride a bicycle leads to an unexpected friendship. Joseph wants only one thing: to ride a bike. In the refugee camp where he lives, Joseph helps one of the older boys fix his bike, but he’s too small to ride it. Joseph and his mother travel to America, where everything is strange and new. One day, he spots a red bike that seems just right for him! It belongs to a girl with a whoosh of curly hair. When Whoosh crashes her bike, Joseph offers to fix it. His big chance has finally come, except that Joseph doesn’t know how to ride! He crashes a few times, picks himself up, and tries again, until suddenly, with a shout of triumph, he’s riding the bike. Inspired by the author’s interviews with refugee children from Sudan, this gentle story evokes the experience of a new immigrant. Vibrantly colorful paintings bring a warm and humorous portrait of friendship and diversity to life.

Primary ISBN: 9781554518067
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback
Publication Status: Hardcover Out of Print
Picture Book, Age 05 or older

Community Represented: ,

Themes: , , , , , , ,

Setting: Kenya, United States (Maine)

Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: Refugee

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Written with Cultural Advisors

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Multi-level lesson plan
Source: Teaching Books

Bike Artwork
Source: Welcoming Library

Author Reading
Source: Annick Press

This book is part of the Welcoming Library. The Welcoming Library is a traveling collection of picture books set in our New Arrival and 
New American communities. From small towns to big cities, these immigration stories are helping readers 
(of all ages) Welcome and Belong. WelcomingLibrary.org