The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough

This book deals with the themes of courage and kindness during a tragic time in world history. The setting is the french countryside during the German Occupation in World War 11. The main character, Marcel has a passion for cycling. He follows the Tour de France every  year and dreams of one day competing in it. Marcel's passion for cycling creates a bond with the new mysterious student in town. Through the pages of this book Marcel and Delphine develop a unique friendship. They learn to appreciate not only each others similarities but also their differences. Delphine shows Marcel that competitiveness and courage can come from a girl just as easily as from a boy. Marcel shows Delphine that kindness can be come from people and places when you least expect it. This book is a historical fiction mystery. There are many twists and turns to keep up with. The setting is created beautifully by the author's choice of words. Lastly the characters are easy to relate to and well developed. This is a sure page turned. I highly recommend this book for 4th and 5th graders looking for either a mystery or a historical context.  Authors Website Review of the book by children's book blog