Born to Ride: A Story About Bicycle Face

The year is 1896 in Rochester, New York. Women are not allowed to vote or ride a bicycle. But strong-willed Louisa Belinda Bellflower wants to give it a try. Her brother, Joe, asks what their mother will say. Louisa decides Mother needn’t know! What about bicycle face? Her face may strain and freeze permanently in place. Louisa Belinda decides to chance it. She was born to ride. She casts her skirt aside in favor of her brother’s pants and learns how to ride a bicycle. After falling off many times, she gets right back on it again and again. She finally stops wobbling and rides. And Louisa Belinda does end up with bicycle face after all—she can’t stop smiling.

Larissa Theule’s Born to Ride is an inspiring story set against the backdrop of the women’s suffrage movement. Louisa Belinda’s determination gives young readers a strong sense of the independent spirit of the women who helped us gain many of our freedoms today, including the right to vote. The additional back matter provides a deeper historical context of the times. Kelsey Garrity-Riley’s brightly colored illustrations fill up every page and include the mother’s involvement painting signs of protest.