Bicicleta Nueva

Darcy Day Zoells graduated from Northwestern University where she studied art history and studio art. For ten years, she ran a visual literacy program in a K-5 school. She still feels passionate about helping children look critically and verbalize their questions about what they see. Her art history foundation and these experiences have had a profound effect on her work.

Selected as one of the Best Spanish Language Picture Books of 2024 by Bank Street College of Education’s.Lista de Mejor libro infantil 2024Gold Medal Winner of the 2022 Key Colors Competition, the two-yearly national contest for illustrators of children’s books.“Mari sets off on an adventure in her new, bigger bicycle in this Spanish picture book which shares the endless possibilities one can encounter in the world. Mari pedals faster and faster, trying out the new bell. She can fit so many things in her two baskets, and as readers follow her on her journey, they see Mari and her faithful dog pick up an elephant, cross an ocean, and travel even farther as they make their way to drop off their new friend in his home, making new friends and exploring new places along the way. As they make their way back, Mari’s new bicycle takes them safely back home. What begins as the story of a young girl enjoying her new bicycle becomes an adventure that shows readers they can go anywhere they can imagine. Brief Spanish text pairs perfectly with whimsical illustrations that will have readers poring over the pages, pointing out the people, places, and animals Mari and her companions pass. VERDICT: An enchanting Spanish-language picture book about the beauty in the everyday and the endless possibilities of the imagination.” – Selenia Paz; School Library Journal