Off We Go! A Bear and Mole Story

Mole is ready to lose the training wheels on his bicycle in his third outing with Bear. After a shaky start, he’s on his way—whether he likes it or not. “Bump. Bump. Bump,” writes Hillenbrand as Mole careens through a field of cattle. “Scramble. Scramble. Scramble,” he continues as Mole narrowly misses a turtle; Hillenbrand zooms in on the turtle’s terrified reaction as the bike’s giant wheel bears down. All ends well, and Bear remains a supportive, concerned friend through the chaos. Clipped sentences, onomatopoeic phrases, and the unpredictability of a wayward bike create a fun follow-up about this pair. Ages 3–6. (Sept.)