Noodles on a Bicycle

A vibrant historical picture book about Tokyo's bicycle food deliverers, or demae, who balanced towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders while navigating crowded city streets.

When the deliverymen set off in the morning, the children wait for the flicker of pedal and wheel. It's the demae-- delivery men-- setting off to deliver steaming trays of noodles to hungry customers all over the city. They are acrobats: whizzing past other bicycles, soaring around curves, avoiding the black smoke of motorcycles. When the children see them, they want to be them. And so they practice with bowls of wobbling water stacked on trays. The day passes, and, finally, exhausted, the demae return home, to their families, and, yes, to steaming bowls of noodles.

This beautifully crafted, visually exciting story by a powerhouse author and illustrator team is sure to be adored by food lovers, young and old.

Kyo Maclear is a critically acclaimed author whose books have received starred reviews, appeared on numerous "Best of" lists, and been published in multiple languages around the world. The Big Bath House received five starred reviews and landed on many best of the year lists. One of her picture books, Virginia Wolf, has been adapted for the stage, and another, Julia, Child, is currently being adapted into an animated television series.

Gracey Zhang is an award-winning illustrator, author, and animator with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. She received the Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award for her debut picture book, Lala’s Words. Gracey has also illustrated The Big Bath House, which received five starred reviews; Nigel and The Moon, a Jumpstart Read for the Record selection; and The Upside Down Hat, which was a The New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2022.

ISBN: 9780593706084
Format: Hardback
Pages: 40
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: August 27, 2024

★ "Lively language honors long-honed skills worth remembering, while ink and gouache spreads capture every detail, right down to labels hand-painted on the soba boxes, in this wonderfully specific snapshot." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "A fascinating, loving snapshot of a gravity-defying artform lost to time." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "With vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of the city, the text sets readers right down in the middle of the scenes, while the writing makes for an animated read-aloud." —The Horn Book, starred review

★ “Delectably charming … The duo repeat their symbiotic success, nourishing readers with quotidian history ‘worth remembering and celebrating.’”

—Shelf Awareness, starred review