Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

The setting for this book is Italy in 1944. Florence is occupied by the German army but the Italian resistance movement are hard at work rescuing captured prisoners and sabotaging the Nazis. Paolo is a young teen. He just cannot cope with being kept at home so each evening he takes his bicycle and he rides for hours over Florence and the surrounding countryside. His mother is English, not Italian, so she has to be extra careful and her beloved husband has left to assist with the fighting. She knows about Paolo's night time riding but she is not sure she can stop him.

One evening Paolo is stopped by some men and they give him a cryptic message for his mother. Paolo has had no idea his mother has previously helped the Partisans. On his night ride he decides he should join the freedom fighters but when he does catch up with them they attack him. Luckily he is rescued by their leader - the mysterious Il Volpe (the fox).  Little does he know their paths will cross again and even though the most dreadful things have happened Paolo can indeed be a hero on a bicycle.

"The sight of his mother in conversation with three armed men gave his stomach a lurch of fear mixed with excitement. He was pretty sure who they were. The Partisans. The men whom he had admired so much for so long but had never met until last night. And now here they were, armed, in his own back garden. He couldn't imagine why they were here or what business they could possibly have with his mother."

Two young men are hidden in the family cellar over night. Late the next night Paolo takes them to the next safe house but they have been betrayed and there is an ambush. One man is taken prisoner and Joe, the Canadian, is badly hurt. 

"He motioned for Joe to follow him but, looking back, he saw that Joe was not in a good way. He was staggering, and blood had soaked through the left arm of his jacket and was dripping down his hand. ...  The way home was the worst journey Paolo had ever made. He took the back streest out of the city dreading at every turn that they would fun into anther German patrol."

I first read about this book back when it was published in 2012 but I didn't read it back then (it is still in print and there is an e-book version). Luckily for me there was a copy for $1 at our recent Lifeline Bookfair. I have been grabbing time to read this book over the last few days but be warned this book does contain some distressing scenes and at times I just had to put it down and take a breath. I was sure Shirley Hughes would keep me and the family (mum Rosemary, Constanza and Paola) safe but, as a said, at times, the tension she created was so real and so frightening. I would recommend this for readers aged 11+ and Young Adults. 

Taut, tense and vivid, this book will bring out the hero in any young boy or girl. You can almost hear the tanks rolling by and the fighter planes zooming overhead. And it’s a nice surprise to discover that Paolo is not the only hero found in Florence. The others might catch you unaware. The story is dramatically told, with warm and believable characters. Hughes captures the fears and frustrations of a young person thrust into war. Historical Novel Society

The first novel from much-loved author and illustrator Shirley Hughes is a thrilling and moving story with a touch of romance, set against a dramatic background of war-torn Italy. Based on Hughes' own experience of visiting Florence not long after the Second World War, it is a warm, tender tale of courage against the odds, which deals frankly with the brutality of war, yet maintains a distinctive sensitivity and lightness of touch. Book Trust

If you are a fan of books about World War II especially different aspects such as the situation in Italy I do recommend this book - it is sure to be in many public libraries.  Here are some other books about resistance fighters and World War II which might be in your library.

• What about me? by Gertie Evenhuis
• The Little Riders by Margaretha Shemin
• The upstairs room by Johanna Reiss
• Letters from the lighthouse by Emma Carroll
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Belle and Sebastien

This is such a wonderful book but it is very old and long out of print.

You are sure to be familiar with Shirley Hughes and her wonderful picture books for very young children. In this video she talks about Hero on a Bicycle. 

Shirley Hughes illustrated more than 200 children's books and is one of the best-loved writers for children, with beloved classics including the Alfie and Annie Rose stories, and Dogger. She won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice and was awarded the OBE for her distinguished service to children's literature. In 2007, Dogger was voted the UK's favourite Kate Greenaway Medal-winning book of all time. She passed away in March 2022 at the age of 94.