Review of Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America?: Five Kids Meet Their Country

Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America?: Five Kids Meet Their Country
Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 16
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I'm a sucker for cycling touring books

On: 2007-12-14

Im a sucker for books about touring by bicycle, particularly about folks who are crazy enough to do it with kids. A good book, fast read, interesting viewpoints. If I had a criticism, it was that the dialog sounded too good to be true in some places. Kind of like, "thats what I MEANT to say or wish I had said, whether or not I actually said it."

Thats a minor nit, though. My hats off to the author and his wife (and the parents of the kids) for giving these middle-school-age kids the experience of a lifetime.

seems self-published

On: 2005-09-01

cant remember why i had put this on my list, but my husband placed an order and this was waiting in the cart, so...

this book is LONG, and seems like it didnt really have an editor. i like the idea, which is of some kids and two adults biking around the us.

Great Book Wish John Would Write More

by: Anonymous On: 2003-09-03

Having read a lot of books on bike tours,translate I did a research paper on bike touring in college. The adventures in this are the greatest. Although the tour was done about 10 years ago, the book is totally readable. Prepare for the totally unexpected and enjoy the adventures.
I just wish John or one of the other teachers in his school would write more about their adventures.

This was not a ride done in poverty, or with commercial support. Surviving a tornado alone with one other adult and 5 kids when you dont know it is coming. Fighting traffic, and weather from blistering heat to frigid cold, from no breeze to gusty winds.

Meetings with families from Plantations to a replacement tire being shown from the back of a jeep to replace a tire a young rider has being riding on held together by duct tape.

This was a great book.

Wonderful book to read to your kids

by: Anonymous On: 2003-07-03

Great book to read to your kids. I did a little editing as I was reading it aloud (my kids are 7 and 8 years old). We picked up maps from our automobile association and traced their journey from start to finish. My kids learned about human behavior, predjudice, generosity to strangers and geography! Well, were off on a bike ride!

motivation

On: 2003-04-12

in fifth grade, about eleven years ago, this book inspired a teacher at my elementary school to train any fifth graders interested, to be able to ride from the colorado river, to carlsbad beach in san diego. this was a 280 mile bike ride that took about 6 1/2 days to complete. i myself did this ride in fifth grade, and because of it, i can later in life be able to tell myself that i can do whatever i want to do. thank you to the authors of this book that inspired my teacher to begin doing this eleven years ago, and to continue to do it for years to come!

You Can't Put It Down

by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-18

This book is fabulous, I read it all week-end. My daughter started reading it in the afternoon and finished it in the wee hours of the next morning, not a smart move for the mohter of a night owl toddler.

I do hope John and Lynn do more books.

Real Guts

by: perkinsovich On: 2002-03-12

The story of two married teachers shepherding five 12-13 year old kids across country on bikes, I thought this was a really fun book to read. I couldnt help wishing I could have been one of those kids. What an education - what a way to see the country. Any story that features a bunch of kids probably has to be a bit schmaltzy, but the author keeps it to a minimum and the book moves along well, and I was sorry to see the last page. Theres enough biking to keep this from being a travelogue, and enough humility on the part of the author to keep it from being just his story. I wonder what those kids think of their adventure now.

One of my favorite books

On: 2001-10-17

I have read several bicyle touring books but this is one of my favorites. Even though Johns writing style is a little simplistic (sorry John) I still loved this book. Actually his simplistic style just adds to the mood of riding with five kids. If you are a fan of bicycle touring books this is a must read.

A Most Excellent Read !

On: 2001-03-30

This is one of my favorite books. Im an avid reader of bicycle travelogues and this one is just great. It follows a teacher and five of his young students on a cross-country bicycle ride. Its an amazing and inspiring tale. They encounter a plethora of strangers who become "life lessons" to the students. This is a great read.

This is a real education!

by: Anonymous On: 2000-12-29

When I told a friend this book was written by a social studies teacher who took 5 kids across country by bike in 4 months, she said, "what did they do for school?" The author had to deal with that question as well. But if you read the book, you understand the real education these kids received as well as gave others along the way, including the readers! I hope my kids have teachers like John. Read this book!

You'll Remember This Story Forever

On: 2000-09-05

Every so often you read a book so surprisingly good, and which etches itself so indelibly in your mind, that you want to share it with everyone you know. Hey Mom is that book for me.

I came to this book looking for inspiration. Fifteen years (and two children) after my last bicycle tour, I needed something to restir and restore my travel spirit. Little did I know how much MORE than a simple travel book Hey Mom would be. Its a story of bonding into a family, of courage and guts, of growing up and of reaching arms out to hug our country. Its a supreme adventure, built mile by mile with stories of an America few of us ever experience first hand. Its a book with true soul and terrific characterizations of kids you can only grow to love. Youll be startled when, all of a sudden, you just CANT put this book down. When finished, youll be in awe of how John Seigel-Boettner made a simple story about kids on bikes into a classic youll remember forever.

Inspiring!

On: 2000-01-14

Scott Boettners story is a first-rate adventure! A middle-school history teacher and bicycle enthusiast, Scotts dream was to bring Americas people and history alive to his students. His passion for his career and his love for his students is evident throughout, as he and his wife boldly set out to traverse Americas country roads by bike, accompanied by 5 of his students. It is a study of youth growing up, of kids pulling together, and of the power of an inspiring teacher, who emboldens his charges with the desire and strength to make it across America while enjoying every minute. As a middle school teacher myself, I understand the excitement of inspiring this age group to achieve. Scotts tale will make you believe in the spirit of Americas youth.

Life experience is the real 'teacher'

by: Anonymous On: 1998-07-12

TV and movies are fiction. This adventure is REAL! For anyone who has ridden their bike down the street and dreamed of where it might take them. Five kids, two adults and 5000 miles from sea to shining sea. I cant count the number of emotions I felt while reading this book. Ultimately, you will feel proud. Proud of John and Lynn for leading the kids to adulthood the best way they knew how. Proud of Heather, Joy, Carl, Rabbi Ethan, and James for completing such an ardous and worthwile task. And finally, proud of the good citizens and angels of our country who helped them on their way.

a good and interesting book

by: Anonymous On: 1998-04-08

i thought that this book was very good. i liked the idea and admired the courage it took for anyone to attempt such a thing. i would reccommend it to adults and kids both, because it seems like a good way to expirence America from your own home. kudos to John for his good work.

Wonderful book that shows what people can do!

On: 1998-02-10

I have read this particular book to my students for the last 3 years. We use it as a basis for our own Mighty Bike ride at the end of the year. A must read book for anybody who has ever thought about doing the impossible with a bunch of kids.

An exciting, emotional, loving bicycle trip across the USA.

by: Anonymous On: 1996-12-24

An aspiring crosscountry bicyclist or an armchair adventurer should love this adventure. Five junior high children with a teacher leader meet the USA and grown up a lot while doing their first bicycle touring. Anyone that likes children must love these. Your emotions will run wet as they meet challenges, get temporarially beaten, but come back and succeed. What they learn in meet the land head on and the people that work the land is an education that can never be matched. As a retired junior high teacher I fell in love with these children. You can understand their effort given when you have met their leader and his wife, as I have. What a combination for success. Howard Knost