Take a Ride by My Side

PreS-Gr 1—In this winning picture book, a dog and a cat decide to take a trip together, and what starts off as a simple bike ride turns into an adventure across land, sea, and beyond. The pair travel via all sorts of vehicles including a canoe, a submarine, an airplane, and lastly a rocket ship, which blasts them to the moon. Finally, the friends come full circle as the story concludes, determining that "even though it's fun to roam, there's nowhere quite as great as home." Ying's simple, concise rhymes bounce easily from one to another, making this picture book a solid option for a travel- or transportation-themed read-aloud. The story is told in dialogue, alternating between the dog and cat; the book cleverly uses two different font types to distinguish between the two voices. The digital illustrations feature bold, bright colors and thick lines with cartoon characters, which will make them eye-catching and appealing to young readers.