Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Book Week Early Childhood Shortlist: The Wobbly Bike by Darren McCallum and Craig Smith



This book The Wobbly Bike  by debut author Darren McCallum and 'old hand' Craig Smith is a joy and will certainly make you smile. It is fun and very pertinent to this age group.

So often the parents at school will say 'my child can't ride a bike. When will he learn?' in a manner that implies that it is the school's job to teach him, and then they add 'we live in a unit/ apartment'.
I think this is sad because it means that this child isn't outdoors at the park often or that his parents don't see it as their job to make time to ensure he does learn. Learning to ride a bike is about time, practice, perseverance, risk taking, adult belief and investment in their child, but so rewarding when a child shouts 'I can do it!'

Linked displays:
1. books about learning to ride bicycles
2. books set in the Northern Territory and /or Darwin and books by authors who live in the Northern Territory
3. books about Australian birds
4. other books by Craig Smith

Display 1: Learning to Ride a Bike
The library often has a display about bikes. The preschoolers are very keen to borrow books about bike riding. If you are putting together a display, these are popular
Don't Let Go! by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross   (this would make a perfect companion text)
Don't Let Go, Dad!  by Mark Wilson
Hello, Bicycle!  by Ella Boyd and  Taming a big-kid bike
Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle  by Chris  Learning to Ride a Bike
Two Wheels  by David Gibb and Brizida Magro  (this would make a perfect companion text)
Let's Ride a Bike  by Ruth Walton
I Love My Bike  by Simon Mole and Sam Usher
Off We Go!  by Will Hillenbrand
Logan's Big Move by Logan Martin, Jess Black and Shane McG
The Bike Lesson  by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Duck on a Bike  by David Shannon
Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike  by Dashka Slater and Laura Hughes
 Bike on Bear by Cynthia Liu Kristyna Litten











Display 2: Books set in the Northern Territory 
• Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo  by Alison Lester
To the Top End  by Roland Harvey
My Home in Kakadu  by Jane Christophersen
Dry to Dry: the Seasons of Kakadu by Pamela Freeman and Liz Anelli
Walking the Country in Kakadu  by Diane Lucas, Ben Tyler and Emma Long
Collecting Colour  by Kylie Dunstan
Big Rain Coming  by Katrina Germein
Too Many Cheeky Dogs  by Joanna Bell and Dion Beasley
Aunty's Wedding  by Miranda Tapsell and Samantha Fry
Look See, Look at Me!  by Leonie Norrington and Dee Huxley
Cyclone by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

Leonie Norrington, Joanna Bell, Samantha Fry, Rosemary Sullivan, Katrina Germein and Kylie Dunstan have all lived in the Northern Territory at some time.

Display 3: Books about Australian Birds
The teaching notes for the book suggests:
• Have your class work in groups to research different species of birds in Australia. What do they look like? Where do they live? How many birds illustrated in the story can they identify?

Display of books like these would help with this:
































Coming in August from CSIRO









Display 4 Books illustrated by Craig Smith.

The library has more than 100 books illustrated by Craig Smith. Time to revisit these two humorous tales:











And these two more serious tales:




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