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Girl on a Motorcycle
A picture book biography by an award-winning team about the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world
One day, a girl gets on her motorcycle and rides away. She wants to wander the world. To go . . . Elsewhere. This is the true story of the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world alone. Each place has something to teach her. Each place is beautiful. And despite many flat tires and falls, she learns to always get back up and keep riding.
Award-winning author Amy Novesky and Governor General's Award-winning illustrator Julie Morstad have teamed up for a spectacular celebration of girl power and resilience.
One day, a girl gets on her motorcycle and rides away. She wants to wander the world. To go . . . Elsewhere. This is the true story of the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world alone. Each place has something to teach her. Each place is beautiful. And despite many flat tires and falls, she learns to always get back up and keep riding.
Award-winning author Amy Novesky and Governor General's Award-winning illustrator Julie Morstad have teamed up for a spectacular celebration of girl power and resilience.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
April 23, 2020
This is the best, most striking story ever written for little girls. It contains amazing life lessons - a world full of adventure to explore, a journey of a lifetime full of exploration, motorcycle action, the thrill and the excitement of traveling alone, discovering both self and the world.
Girl on a Motorcycle is an amazingly illustrated story of a girl who wish to become a writer while also traveling around the world on a motorcycle. It is inspired by the real-life story of Anne-France Dautheville, who was the first woman to travel around the world on a motorcycle. The story opens up with an incredible view from Paris, the girl sitting on the window sill with the view of Eiffel Tower, a cat sitting by her side and the poster of a Kawasaki enduro bike on the wall. I got hypnotized by the gorgeous illustration as I consider myself, too as a cat-lover biker woman with a wanderlust. Girls should definitely read this while growing up, expanding their world, horizons and imagination. The vocabulary section included in this little book is absolutely adorable. The girl takes on a journey on her own, a whole world ahead and she will explore it on a motorcycle with an infinite freedom, learning on the way how to fix a bike, how to light a fire, how to set up camp and how to get used to stares.
“She takes bandages and tapes when she falls, and she will.” Such plain words tell so much!
Very-well done. Definitely recommended.
J’ai envie que le monde soit beau, et il est beau.
J’ai envie que les gens soient bons, et ils sont bons.
(I received a copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)
Girl on a Motorcycle is an amazingly illustrated story of a girl who wish to become a writer while also traveling around the world on a motorcycle. It is inspired by the real-life story of Anne-France Dautheville, who was the first woman to travel around the world on a motorcycle. The story opens up with an incredible view from Paris, the girl sitting on the window sill with the view of Eiffel Tower, a cat sitting by her side and the poster of a Kawasaki enduro bike on the wall. I got hypnotized by the gorgeous illustration as I consider myself, too as a cat-lover biker woman with a wanderlust. Girls should definitely read this while growing up, expanding their world, horizons and imagination. The vocabulary section included in this little book is absolutely adorable. The girl takes on a journey on her own, a whole world ahead and she will explore it on a motorcycle with an infinite freedom, learning on the way how to fix a bike, how to light a fire, how to set up camp and how to get used to stares.
“She takes bandages and tapes when she falls, and she will.” Such plain words tell so much!
Very-well done. Definitely recommended.
J’ai envie que le monde soit beau, et il est beau.
J’ai envie que les gens soient bons, et ils sont bons.
(I received a copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)
October 23, 2020
No doubt about it, this book is written in a lovely prose and has striking illustrations. It tells the story of Anne-France Dautheville, the first woman to solo travel the world by motorcycle. While the language and images are beautiful, the book had an uncomfortable unexamined privilege of Anne's ability to travel the world as a white and wealthy woman. The parts of the book that took place in the middle east seemed to me (also a white woman) to to have a bit of voyeurism, and I was really annoyed at the anecdote about mechanics in India fixing her bike for free and having her pay with "hand-drawn hearts and handshakes." What the heck? A person with the wealth and resources to travel the world on a motorcycle demands free labor from the people in the countries she visits and that's supposed to be heartwarming? It was gross.
October 18, 2021
les livres sont beaux parce qu’ils nous font voyager de toutes sortes de façons. je viens de faire un tour du monde en moto et j’ai beaucoup aimé cela!
December 28, 2020
In this nonfiction picture book, we witness a girl riding her motorcycle all over the world, having big and small adventures and finding ways to pass the time when she’s stalled by flat tires, non-working engine, and unexpected opportunities to talk with others and tour historical places. The text is written mostly in English, with sporadic words and phrases written in French, the rider’s native tongue. The Author’s Note explains that Girl on a Motorcycle is based on a real-life girl named Anne-France Dautheville, who was the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world, alone. I really enjoyed the small details shared in the text as it must have been difficult to pick what to emphasize after riding for so long. And it definitely made me want to pack my bags and travel overseas again — it’s been a looooong time. The artwork was created using pencil, ink, and digital means.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
February 7, 2021
I wouldn't expect a picture book to be able to capture existential longing in a way that young readers could grasp, but here it is! This book is beautiful in both its prose and illustrations. I don't ride motorcycles, but I do love travel. Novesky captures the feeling of those miraculous moments when a new places enables you to transcend yourself, and she does it without forcing the narrative (aided by Morstad's gorgeous illustrations).
I personally liked that the girl's name was not given in the text until the backmatter, as it made me feel more like I was on the journey or IN the journey myself. In that way, it was more of an inner, emotional biography than an external account of Anne-France Dauthville's life. I do wish the backmatter had contained more information about Anne-France, but I can also see how her life could inspire other PB bios (fingers crossed).
I suppose the book could be a bit abstract and quiet for some young readers, but it was definitely perfect for this older one. ;-)
I personally liked that the girl's name was not given in the text until the backmatter, as it made me feel more like I was on the journey or IN the journey myself. In that way, it was more of an inner, emotional biography than an external account of Anne-France Dauthville's life. I do wish the backmatter had contained more information about Anne-France, but I can also see how her life could inspire other PB bios (fingers crossed).
I suppose the book could be a bit abstract and quiet for some young readers, but it was definitely perfect for this older one. ;-)
November 30, 2020
Absolutely beautiful book with wonderful illustrations, 5-stars worthy for me. I appreciate picture book biographies that don't info-dump on young readers. But for me, this one goes a little far in the other direction. Anne-France Dautheville is a real person who became the first woman to complete a solo bike ride around the globe in 1973. We get into her head and see things through her eyes. The depictions of nature, discovery, and the tenacity of a solo traveler in the face of trouble are very compelling.
But, as another reviewer said, there is no acknowledgement that this is a white woman traveling through countries with different cultures without seeming to make an effort to understand or respect them, and at times it came off patronizing. She's also probably wealthy, because she doesn't seem to have an income. If she had financial backers in this endeavor, that would be really interesting to know. Her life is not accessible to everyone, and it's heavily romanticized.
I think kids would get a second-hand thrill from this book, but there are lots of kids who probably won't connect with this. It's important to acknowledge privilege and be critical of media we consume, even if it's "just" a picture book, and even if it has really good parts. I think this book is wonderful, but it can't go unscrutinized.
But, as another reviewer said, there is no acknowledgement that this is a white woman traveling through countries with different cultures without seeming to make an effort to understand or respect them, and at times it came off patronizing. She's also probably wealthy, because she doesn't seem to have an income. If she had financial backers in this endeavor, that would be really interesting to know. Her life is not accessible to everyone, and it's heavily romanticized.
I think kids would get a second-hand thrill from this book, but there are lots of kids who probably won't connect with this. It's important to acknowledge privilege and be critical of media we consume, even if it's "just" a picture book, and even if it has really good parts. I think this book is wonderful, but it can't go unscrutinized.
Read
February 8, 2026durant una època la literatura infantil es va omplir de llibres (de baixa qualitat)amb biografies èpiques de dones rellevants. Aquest àlbum, narra la història d'una dona que va fer història, sense voler fer-ne: només volia veure el món. Una excel·lentíssima lectura classificada al gomet vermell de les biblioteques, per tant, una obra pensada per les criatures que ja fa temps que llegeixen sols.
May 9, 2024
Die Geschichte der ersten Frau, die die Welt mit einem Motorrad umrundete.
Amy Novesky erzählt die wahre Geschichte von Anne-France Dautheville. Anfang der 70er Jahre beschloss sie, die Welt zu entdecken. Zwischen 1972 und 1981 reiste sie als erste Frau alleine um die Welt. Zehntausende Kilometer fuhr sie durch exotische Länder und durchquerte fremde Kontinente.
'Das Mädchen' trotzt den Pannen und Gefahren, mutig fährt sie von einem Abenteuer ins nächste. Ein Vorbild, das Identifikation schafft und Freiraum für Fantasie lässt, jenseits von gängigen "Motorradfahrer-Klischees".
Atmosphärische Bilder von Julie Morstadt, bisweilen eine poetische Sprache - beim Lesen kommen Fernweh & Sehnsucht auf.
Das Mädchen auf dem Motorrad ist eine kindgerechte, lebhafte, inspirierende und emotionale Geschichte über Mut, Abenteuer & Neugier und eine Liebeserklärung an das Leben. Für alle, die eine kleine Abenteuerin in sich tragen.
Amy Novesky erzählt die wahre Geschichte von Anne-France Dautheville. Anfang der 70er Jahre beschloss sie, die Welt zu entdecken. Zwischen 1972 und 1981 reiste sie als erste Frau alleine um die Welt. Zehntausende Kilometer fuhr sie durch exotische Länder und durchquerte fremde Kontinente.
'Das Mädchen' trotzt den Pannen und Gefahren, mutig fährt sie von einem Abenteuer ins nächste. Ein Vorbild, das Identifikation schafft und Freiraum für Fantasie lässt, jenseits von gängigen "Motorradfahrer-Klischees".
Atmosphärische Bilder von Julie Morstadt, bisweilen eine poetische Sprache - beim Lesen kommen Fernweh & Sehnsucht auf.
Das Mädchen auf dem Motorrad ist eine kindgerechte, lebhafte, inspirierende und emotionale Geschichte über Mut, Abenteuer & Neugier und eine Liebeserklärung an das Leben. Für alle, die eine kleine Abenteuerin in sich tragen.
September 28, 2020
The writing has a poetic quality to it, and the illustrations support this feel.
Some of the illustrations I liked, some I didn't, but what I really disliked was the disconnect between several of the images (like on the page where she arrives in India, the bottom illustration could be from another book, or p12 with the 3 mountain views, and then the picture of her in the rearview mirror, which feels like almost a different style, and clashes with the other images, but not in a good way).
I received a copy for review through Edelweiss, opinions are entirely my own.
Some of the illustrations I liked, some I didn't, but what I really disliked was the disconnect between several of the images (like on the page where she arrives in India, the bottom illustration could be from another book, or p12 with the 3 mountain views, and then the picture of her in the rearview mirror, which feels like almost a different style, and clashes with the other images, but not in a good way).
I received a copy for review through Edelweiss, opinions are entirely my own.
March 11, 2021
This might be my favorite picture book ever.
(It's definitely my favorite biographical picture book.)
GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE was written about motorcyclist Anne-France Dautheville, who became the first women to travel around the world by motorcycle. This book *speaks* to the wanderlust writer in me and showed me how beautiful the world can be when you give it a chance. I just want to read it over and over again.
(It's definitely my favorite biographical picture book.)
GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE was written about motorcyclist Anne-France Dautheville, who became the first women to travel around the world by motorcycle. This book *speaks* to the wanderlust writer in me and showed me how beautiful the world can be when you give it a chance. I just want to read it over and over again.
Read
April 3, 2020Read this with my youngest daughter. Really well done. Review to come.
October 6, 2022
Wowowowwow, quelle belle histoire et l’art est fantastique!
July 30, 2024
Mehr ein Gefühl als ein Buch. Wunderschön.
September 27, 2020
Richie’s Picks: GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE by Amy Novesky and Julie Morstad, ill., Viking, September 2020, 48p., ISBN: 978-0-593-11629-6
“They’re comin’ in the mornin’
That’s the last you’ll see of me
Oh Lord, I been all around the world.”
-- Grateful Dead (1973)
“And in 1973, she set out again, alone, becoming the first woman to ride across the world solo on a motorcycle. For four months, she rode from Paris across Canada to Alaska, in Japan, through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and back home again.”
-- from the author’s note
Author Amy Novesky provides factual information about Anne-France Dautheville in the backmatter of GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE. Dautheville is the woman on whose adventures this tween-centric picture book biography is based.
In conveying the poetic story itself, the author refers to the Dautheville character as “The girl…” or “She…”::
“She passes snow-capped mountains.
Everything is wild and beautiful.
The farther the girl goes, the fewer
people she sees.
the more trees.
The road is hers.
She is all alone, but she is not afraid. She is free.
The stillness is broken only by the hum of her motorcycle engine.”
This is not some moto-tour of popular tourist destinations around the world. Instead, what we encounter are magnificent vistas of the great outdoors; some cultural fashions from people along the route; elephants; buzzards; a couple of giant Buddhas; and images of the clothes and supplies the girl packed for her ride around the globe (including a good dress and lipstick.) It’s an out-of-the-ordinary picture book for older readers.
“In Kandahar, the flowers smell like honey.
A boy gives her a just-picked pink zinnia.
A child with big gray eyes and red cheeks takes her hand and shows the girl her school, her home, her family.
At the market, scents of meat, cardamom, cinnamon gasoline.
The girl bargains for silver jewelry.
At a tea shop. she takes her helmet off, releasing her long brown hair.”
She is the only girl there.
She writes letters home. Shares her cake.
Asakaanu alaikum. Walaikum asalaam.”
This is a girl with guts. The story is so matter of fact about the times her bike breaks down or runs out of gas. Such apparent disasters are depicted as nothing out of the ordinary, as if on par with stopping at a roadside diner in the middle of nowhere for a plate of pancakes. A delay is another chance to pause and meet people.
The people she encounters are kind and helpful, in addition to being impressed by this girl on a motorcycle.
The atmospheric illustrations are digitally-colored pencil and ink drawings, with a distinctive palette. They are a perfect companion to the contemplative tone of the text. The story portion of the book concludes with the girl in the distance, riding away from us, through a desertlike expanse, toward the reddish-orange setting sun.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“They’re comin’ in the mornin’
That’s the last you’ll see of me
Oh Lord, I been all around the world.”
-- Grateful Dead (1973)
“And in 1973, she set out again, alone, becoming the first woman to ride across the world solo on a motorcycle. For four months, she rode from Paris across Canada to Alaska, in Japan, through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and back home again.”
-- from the author’s note
Author Amy Novesky provides factual information about Anne-France Dautheville in the backmatter of GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE. Dautheville is the woman on whose adventures this tween-centric picture book biography is based.
In conveying the poetic story itself, the author refers to the Dautheville character as “The girl…” or “She…”::
“She passes snow-capped mountains.
Everything is wild and beautiful.
The farther the girl goes, the fewer
people she sees.
the more trees.
The road is hers.
She is all alone, but she is not afraid. She is free.
The stillness is broken only by the hum of her motorcycle engine.”
This is not some moto-tour of popular tourist destinations around the world. Instead, what we encounter are magnificent vistas of the great outdoors; some cultural fashions from people along the route; elephants; buzzards; a couple of giant Buddhas; and images of the clothes and supplies the girl packed for her ride around the globe (including a good dress and lipstick.) It’s an out-of-the-ordinary picture book for older readers.
“In Kandahar, the flowers smell like honey.
A boy gives her a just-picked pink zinnia.
A child with big gray eyes and red cheeks takes her hand and shows the girl her school, her home, her family.
At the market, scents of meat, cardamom, cinnamon gasoline.
The girl bargains for silver jewelry.
At a tea shop. she takes her helmet off, releasing her long brown hair.”
She is the only girl there.
She writes letters home. Shares her cake.
Asakaanu alaikum. Walaikum asalaam.”
This is a girl with guts. The story is so matter of fact about the times her bike breaks down or runs out of gas. Such apparent disasters are depicted as nothing out of the ordinary, as if on par with stopping at a roadside diner in the middle of nowhere for a plate of pancakes. A delay is another chance to pause and meet people.
The people she encounters are kind and helpful, in addition to being impressed by this girl on a motorcycle.
The atmospheric illustrations are digitally-colored pencil and ink drawings, with a distinctive palette. They are a perfect companion to the contemplative tone of the text. The story portion of the book concludes with the girl in the distance, riding away from us, through a desertlike expanse, toward the reddish-orange setting sun.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
July 31, 2020
The girl packs her bag, grabs her bike, and books a flight from Paris to Canada.
She's going on a journey.
Stunningly beautiful pictures accompanying a story based on real events, about the first woman known to have travelled the world alone on a motorcycle.
Coming from a biking family, this resonates with me a lot.
Some details made me smile, like the list of things she packs - a toothbrush but no toothpaste? Why?
I like the depiction of a helmet, because those things are important!
I loved this, I want to share this with my sibling because I think ey'll like it.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
She's going on a journey.
Stunningly beautiful pictures accompanying a story based on real events, about the first woman known to have travelled the world alone on a motorcycle.
Coming from a biking family, this resonates with me a lot.
Some details made me smile, like the list of things she packs - a toothbrush but no toothpaste? Why?
I like the depiction of a helmet, because those things are important!
I loved this, I want to share this with my sibling because I think ey'll like it.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
October 4, 2020
Beautiful story and illustrations. "I want the world to be beautiful, and it is beautiful. I want people to be good, and they are good."
October 4, 2021
loved this!
December 2, 2020
She wants to write and to wander. It’s her dream to wander that has won and now, it’s time to go, with no destination in sight. I really enjoyed this picture book which is based on a true story as this girl follows her heart. I enjoyed how this book shows how she prepared herself, how she set off and then, how she fulfills her dream.
In this time period, seeing a girl riding a motorcycle alone, exploring the world by herself was different. Some individuals accepted this notion and some didn’t. She’d camp out at night and get to know the area she was in. When I say that she was alone, I mean she’s really alone. She’s experiencing the world around her firsthand and she’s enjoying herself.
She looks isolated and different amongst some of the sights yet this is her dream. She is experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime experience visiting all these different cities, meeting all these individuals, and indulging in all the different cultures. Miles, upon miles are on her tires. When she finally arrives back home, she’s not the girl that she once was.
“She wears the world like a beautifully embroidered scarf,
all the places she’s been, the things she’s seen.”
This is a wonderfully written book that is printed on cardstock paper. You’ll be feeling the wind on your face as you ride along with the girl on her journey as you read this book. I enjoyed each of her stops and I felt myself relaxing as I read this book. It is a very nice picture book. In the back of the book, there is a two-page section on Anne-France Dautheville, for which this book is based on. Anne-France was the first woman to take a solo ride on her motorcycle, around the world. Filled with great information and photographs, you don’t want to miss this section.
In this time period, seeing a girl riding a motorcycle alone, exploring the world by herself was different. Some individuals accepted this notion and some didn’t. She’d camp out at night and get to know the area she was in. When I say that she was alone, I mean she’s really alone. She’s experiencing the world around her firsthand and she’s enjoying herself.
She looks isolated and different amongst some of the sights yet this is her dream. She is experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime experience visiting all these different cities, meeting all these individuals, and indulging in all the different cultures. Miles, upon miles are on her tires. When she finally arrives back home, she’s not the girl that she once was.
“She wears the world like a beautifully embroidered scarf,
all the places she’s been, the things she’s seen.”
This is a wonderfully written book that is printed on cardstock paper. You’ll be feeling the wind on your face as you ride along with the girl on her journey as you read this book. I enjoyed each of her stops and I felt myself relaxing as I read this book. It is a very nice picture book. In the back of the book, there is a two-page section on Anne-France Dautheville, for which this book is based on. Anne-France was the first woman to take a solo ride on her motorcycle, around the world. Filled with great information and photographs, you don’t want to miss this section.
Read
September 18, 2020Hmm... I'm not entirely sure what I think about this one. I have had some picture book readers looking for "adventure books" and I think I would try this on them, although it's a bit quiet for an adventure. The true story of Anne-France Dautheville who, at age 28, rode around the world solo on a motorcycle, this is a book that celebrates strength and travel and the feel of the open road. But... I guess not a lot really happens? Or what happens seems to happen to Dautheville internally, which is hard for the reader to pick up on. The artwork is gorgeous and I particularly loved spreads of Dautheville swimming under the stars in the Canadian wilderness. Hand to young travelers and free spirits?
September 23, 2020
A chic young woman leaves her Parisian life to travel the world on her motorcycle.
Clearly, she has lots of money to fly her bike and her body across the ocean to Canada, where she travels around North America, to India, where people are lovely, to Japan and back before riding back to Paris.
We should all have the kind of money that can afford us that kind of freedom.
I want to be this young Parisian woman.
Clearly, she has lots of money to fly her bike and her body across the ocean to Canada, where she travels around North America, to India, where people are lovely, to Japan and back before riding back to Paris.
We should all have the kind of money that can afford us that kind of freedom.
I want to be this young Parisian woman.
March 16, 2022
Un album aux couleurs magnifiques qui me replongent dans plusieurs souvenirs de voyage en Thaïlande et en Turquie. L’héroïne de l’histoire vit un moment au sommet d’une montagne où il y a une statue de Bouddha et ça m’a fait remémorer un de mes plus beaux souvenirs de voyage. ✨
J’étais aux anges en découvrant que c’est l’histoire vraie d’Anne-France Dautheville qui est la première femme à avoir fait le tour du monde en moto.
J’ajoute ce livre à mon réseau littéraire des voyages. ✈️
J’étais aux anges en découvrant que c’est l’histoire vraie d’Anne-France Dautheville qui est la première femme à avoir fait le tour du monde en moto.
J’ajoute ce livre à mon réseau littéraire des voyages. ✈️
May 2, 2021
This is a biography picture book about a girl who goes around the world with her motorcycle, alone.
Great depictions of countries from Paris to North America to middle-east. Gorgeous illustrations! I'm in love with the style.
Hurts a little bit in this pandemic era.
Great depictions of countries from Paris to North America to middle-east. Gorgeous illustrations! I'm in love with the style.
Hurts a little bit in this pandemic era.
February 25, 2022
Un super album jeunesse!!! L’histoire est basée sur la vraie vie d’Anne-France Dautheville. Très belle découverte
June 15, 2022
I don't know why but this book made me cry.
June 14, 2022
As a previous dirtbike rider (in my youth) and Harely owner and enthusiast, this lovely NF PB sang to me. Well-written with lovely art work!
December 2, 2022
I am giving this to my 10 yr old grand, and his family. A good one for the family to enjoy together. This girl is brave, and travels the world. Inspiring and fun gift for this traveling family. Wonderful! Illustrated by Julie Morstad, and great text too!
April 11, 2026
Un très beau livre, les illustrations sont magnifiques !
Ça se lit très vite, c'est un petit livre de 60 pages avec pas beaucoup de lecture dedans, soyons honnêtes MAIS c'est un très bon ouvrage tout de même.
Ça se lit très vite, c'est un petit livre de 60 pages avec pas beaucoup de lecture dedans, soyons honnêtes MAIS c'est un très bon ouvrage tout de même.
September 14, 2020
Novesky takes a more artistic approach to the story of Dautheville who in the 1970s was a young woman who decided to ride a motorcycle around the world traveling to places like the middle east, Canada, India, etc. The art compliments the magical mood of a woman following her dreams to see the world on her own terms and take ownership over the care of herself and her motorcycle around the world. Yet, I wanted a little more of the story itself-- aside from the thrill-- why did she do it, how did she fund her travel, did she document her journey, what did she do for the rest of her life (did she live a high-octane life until her death?)
The picture book inspires dreams of doing what you love but as a biography I wanted a little more!
The picture book inspires dreams of doing what you love but as a biography I wanted a little more!
June 13, 2021
Anne-France Dautheville rode her motorcycle around the world in 1973. She did this alone, but not without help: everywhere she went she encountered people with whom she connected and who offered her assistance in repairing her motorcycle, guiding her through difficult or interesting locations.
The story itself is highly readable, the illustrations radiating ‘70s vibes. And there is backmatter — including photographs. The only thing missing is how she paid for things, and a list of Dautheville’s own writing. Apparently she was a travel writer.
Add this to any list of books that encourage wonder and curiosity, as well as appreciation for the wide world around us, and a deep respect for the overwhelming goodness in people.
The story itself is highly readable, the illustrations radiating ‘70s vibes. And there is backmatter — including photographs. The only thing missing is how she paid for things, and a list of Dautheville’s own writing. Apparently she was a travel writer.
Add this to any list of books that encourage wonder and curiosity, as well as appreciation for the wide world around us, and a deep respect for the overwhelming goodness in people.
November 4, 2020
Novesky was inspired by Anne France-Dautheville to write this story of her trip around the world by motorcycle, highlighting her connection to the world and the people she finds along the way. It's got sparse by inspiring illustrations showing what she needed and what she found. But it never really got specific enough for me to connect either with the journey or the traveler, whose name only appears in the back matter.
The afterward contains a description of the woman and events the book is based on, and the dreams of the author that writing it encaptures. It's an aspirational book.
The afterward contains a description of the woman and events the book is based on, and the dreams of the author that writing it encaptures. It's an aspirational book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews