I love cycling, I’m Italian-American, and taped on my desk is a quote that keeps me on task: “Hai voluto la bicicletta? Adesso pedala!” which reminds me, “You wanted a bicycle? Now pedal!” So of course when I first saw the cover of Bartali’s Bicycle I was instantly intrigued. After I read it, I immediately contacted author Megan Hoyt in the hopes that she would be interested in being featured on this blog.

Bartali’s Bicycle is a gripping picture book biography that introduces Gino Bartali, an Italian cycling champion and unsung hero who secretly helped hundreds of Jews and others escape persecution during World War II. Young readers witness Bartali’s acts of heroism that reached beyond his celebrity to demonstrate selflessness, humility, courage, and deep compassion.

Why this Book? Why will it matter to kids?

A quiet hero is someone who does good work without concern for fame or fortune. Gino Bartali (BAR tah lee) was a medal-winning cyclist who earned international fame when he won the Tour de France in 1938. But his greatest achievement was unknown until his death in 2000: he used his reputation as a cyclist—and his bicycle—to assist the Italian resistance in saving eight hundred Jewish men, women, and children, along with others from death during the Second World War. Gino Bartali was indeed an unsung hero. He was a humble citizen who demonstrated his support for the rights of others in a time and place that was stunningly dangerous and disastrous. His heroism was by choice his secret. It offers a shining example of what it means to be a true and enduring champion.

Levels and Layers of Learning

Using This Book in the Classroom

Hit the Ground Running
Ready Resources for Educators, Homeschoolers, and Parents

Bartali’s Bicycle book trailer

Changemakers: Nonfiction Picture Book Biography Kit Teaching Guide

Write Away!
Ideas to prompt writing

Gino Bartali refused to believe a lie spreading across Europe during the Second World War. Author Megan Hoyt quotes a powerful leader of the time who said, “People will fall for a big lie more easily than a small one.” Give an example of a time when you witnessed people falling for a lie. Why do you think the lie succeeded? How could it have been stopped? What did you learn from the experience? What can we learn from Gino refusing to believe the big lie described in Bartali’s Bicycle?

When Gino Bartali witnessed soldiers separating families and disrupting workers, he decided he must do something to help. Have you witnessed something that troubled you? What might you do to help?

Gino was afraid, but he knew that helping those who were being persecuted was important—more important than winning races on his bicycle. Have you ever been afraid even though you knew the right thing ought to be done? How did you handle the situation?

Gino Bartali said, “Good is something you do, not something you talk about.” What does this mean to you?

Read the note from Lisa Bartali, Gino’s granddaughter, at the end of the Bartali’s Bicycle. If you could ask Gino Bartali one question, what would it be?

Poetry Break
Related poetry to recite before or following the reading of this book

Poetry breaks fit perfectly into brief moments in the day—from opening or closing the day to lining up for lunch; from zipping up backpacks and jackets to transitioning from one subject to the next. Reading a poem typically takes less than a minute, yet it can introduce or reinforce a concept, celebrate language, exemplify rhythm, enhance vocabulary, expand understanding, increase attention span, initiate reflection, or summon a giggle. And, poetry soothes the spirit.

• Find Megan Hoyt’s poem, “Thanksgiving by the Lake” in Thanku: Poems of Gratitude by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Marlena Myles
• Let There Be Light: Poems and Prayers for Repairing the World compiled and illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben
• Peaceful Pieces: Poems and Quilts About Peace by Anna Grossnickle Hines
• This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort selected by Georgia Heard, illustrated by Eighteen Renowned Picture Book Artists
• Voices from Afar: Poems of Peace by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Susan Guevara
• Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice by Mahogany L. Browne, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Olivia Gatwood; illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Find Poetry news below in News & Updates.

Illustration © Iacopo Bruno 

And Then There’s This…
Enrichment activities, related books, online resources, craft projects, and ideas for further study

Megan Hoyt shares several ideas for connecting Bartali’s Bicycle to curriculum.

“There’s math – figuring out time, distance, and speed correlations. Social Studies – World War II units and Holocaust studies. Language Arts – I used several literary devices, such as metaphor and simile. Notice verb choices. Study story arc, plot, rising action, tension, and conflict. There is also a tie-in to character trait studies, which many schools now incorporate: specifically, courage, honesty, and trustworthiness. The stylized art that Iacopo Bruno brilliantly created lends the book an old art deco movie poster vibe. Students can use Bartali’s Bicycle for art study, too!”

Related Books of Interest:

• Lend a Hand by John Frank, illustrated by London Ladd
• One by Kathryn Otoshi
• Peace is an Offering by Annette LeBox, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
• Peaceful Heroes by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Sean Addy

Meet the Author

Megan speaks at SCBWI conferences and workshops for teachers in the US and Canada. When she is not writing for children, she tutors child actors on set—Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes and Warner Bros.’ Wonder Woman 1984, among others.

​Megan has a BA in English and History from Southern Methodist University and an MA in Theology from Regent University in Virginia. She lives in Charlotte, NC, with her husband, son, and a goofy bichon frise named Fitzwilliam Darcy (he has no pride or prejudice).

Backstory: Q & A with Megan Hoyt

Judy Bradbury: How did you come to write Bartali’s Bicycle? What kernel seeded its creation?

Megan Hoyt: I wrote Bartali’s Bicycle after watching a documentary called My Italian Secret. There were three people featured, I think — all heroes of World War Two. Gino Bartali was one of them. This person who was being interviewed remembered him coming to the door with a packet of papers. They were so scared they didn’t answer the door and only later realized who he was. I immediately started Googling his name and the stories that came out were remarkable. He was the perfect man for the hour since he had the stamina to ride long distances quickly, like no one else could!

JB: Tell about one hurdle you experienced in the creation of Bartali’s Bicycle or provide a memorable (or humorous!) anecdote related to the creation of this book.

MH: There were a few hurdles to overcome while researching the story. One was the language barrier. Everyone who had the facts I needed only spoke Italian! We muddled through with a lot of Google translate and patience and tons of typing things into translators on my laptop, once I finally did get the proof I needed.

One funny thing – when I was in Assisi at the Museum of Memory, I was so excited to see the actual printing press that the false ID papers were printed on that I must have frightened the docent. She had a security guard come closer and just hang out near me. I heard them talking, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying, of course. Then, when I was leaving, I asked to take a selfie with her, and her demeanor completely changed. I guess she realized I was there for a reason and not a dangerous person after all!

JB: What did you learn from writing Bartali’s Bicycle?

MH: I learned that courage and heroism don’t just appear in your soul one day randomly. They are nurtured day by day, sometimes minute by minute, and developed by hardship. And then, when the time requires it, there they are, fully fledged deep within you. I don’t think as a child Gino Bartali decided to grow up and be a secret hero. He just loved riding bikes with his brother Giulio! Then, day by day, he got faster and faster. Eventually, the stamina he had grown over all those years of cycling was the exact thing needed for heroic deeds that would save lives. If you look at it as one spectacular season of heroism, you might miss the fact that the seed of it took root many, many years prior to that. Also, his brother was struck by a car and killed while cycling. I believe Gino wanted to make his brother proud – maybe even to live two lives at once since Giulio’s life was cut short so tragically.

JB: What would surprise readers to learn about you or about the writing of Bartali’s Bicycle?

MH: Hmmmm. I am not nearly as remarkable as Gino Bartali, but once when I was five years old at the school field day there was a flag pole challenge. No one at school could climb the flagpole and ring the bell at the top. The whole day you could see kids of all ages trying and slipping slowly down to the ground again. As we were leaving, I begged to try and climb it, even though I was way too young and tiny for my age. Well, I guess I was also agile, because I shot right up to the top and rang the cowbell! My brother took a picture so I have proof! It was so exciting! I am not an athletic adult, so that is my only athletic claim to fame!

JB: One of the themes in this picture book biography of Gino Bartali is that a person can be a quiet, or secret, hero. How did you decide what to emphasize about Gino Bartali’s character and his actions?

MH: The whole time I was writing Bartali’s Bicycle, I kept thinking about how he hadn’t wanted anyone to know what he’d done. But then I found a quote from his son Andrea that said Gino told him “Good is something you do, not something you talk about.” And I read on – it actually continued with something like: one day the time will be right to tell my story. You will know. I think today, when children are facing such grownup problems like a pandemic, for example, is the perfect time! I decided to focus on his humility and strength of character so that kids would understand that he was an ordinary boy who grew up to do extraordinary things, just like they are ordinary kids who will grow up to do extraordinary things.

JB: What do you hope readers will take away from Bartali’s Bicycle? 

MH: I hope readers will be inspired to be brave and strong in the face of adversity, to leave the world a better place, and to trust that there is still good in the world, all over the place, even if they can’t always see it.

JB: What is one question you wish I had asked, and what is your answer?

MH: How hard was it to wait so long for the book to come out?

Answer: Because my editor at HarperCollins wanted Iacopo Bruno to illustrate, we had to wait a while for him to finish up other work. The waiting time between writing a book, selling it, and seeing it on the shelf can be quite long! I wrote Bartali’s Bicycle in 2017! So yes, it was very, very hard to wait so long to see it in print! But soooooo worth the wait!

JB: What’s next?

MH: I am very excited about my next three books with HarperCollins’ Quill Tree Books imprint. I can’t talk about two of them yet, but one is going to be absolutely gorgeous – I’ve seen sketches! And the one that has been announced, the story of how Grand Central Station came to be, is going to be stunning! They recently told me we are making it a longer book to give space to all the amazing details and stories I uncovered about this remarkable building.

About the Illustrator

Over to You…

What is your favorite picture book biography intended for older elementary grade students? 

News & Updates

The third book in the Fort Builders, Inc. early chapter book series, Battle of the Blanket Forts, offers big themes of teamwork and creative problem-solving. Set in a sleep away camp, here’s an ideal summer reading pick for young independent readers. Find more information about Fort Builders, Inc., details and resources for using the first book in the series, The Birthday Castle, and an interview with author Dee Romito, in this Children’s Book Corner post.

The 2021 National Youth Poet Laureate was named on Thursday, May 20 in a virtual ceremony conducted by the Kennedy Center and Urban World. Alexandra Huynh, 18, is a second-generation Vietnamese American from Sacramento, California, and an incoming Stanford University student who views poetry as a means to self-expression and social justice. In her role as National Youth Poet Laureate, she will conduct workshops around the country, connecting with students and sharing her experiences. Find more information and a poem by Huynh on the National Youth Poet Laureate website.

Find information about ways to become involved in citizen science, or civic science and make a real difference. Volunteers of any age and without need of specialized training can participate in scientific research by gathering data that will be pooled with that collected by thousands of other citizen scientists to show patterns that help us better understand nature. Library Journal details five citizen scientist programs.

Final Thought