BIBSY CROSS AND THE BIKE-A-THON

Voluble, ambitious Bibsy survives more “sweets-and-sours.”

As readers of Bibsy and the Bad Apple (2024) know, this 8-year-old doesn’t lack self-confidence or persistence. When her beloved library runs a “Bikes for Bucks for Books” fundraiser, her competitiveness ramps up. She may be short on patience and impulse control, but admirably, she also likes doing good and wants “to make the biggest difference [she] can make.” (And she’s gotten sharper at knowing formidable Mrs. Stumper’s limits.) Bibsy’s BFF Natia attempts to put things in perspective, but the lure of prizes naturally throws oil on that fire. A key plot complication is expertly telegraphed and leads to a crisis of confidence for Bibsy. A further unexpected challenge tests Bibsy’s moral character, but after briefly wobbling, she makes a big personal sacrifice and rises to the occasion. Like the first installment, this tale features complex characters who grow a bit, in believable ways. Natia appears once more, and Mina (also from the first book) plays a larger role here. Above all, Bibsy’s setbacks and successes engage us, and her heart is always in the right place. In Ho’s cheery, two-toned art, Bibsy, Mrs. Stumper, and Mina are light-skinned; Natia is Black.

A lovable protagonist rides again—and readers win.