Can Do: Cantaloupe and HoneyDo Ride a Bike

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Can Do: Cantaloupe and HoneyDo Ride a Bike

Author(s)

Mike Boldt

Publisher

Dial Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

June 11, 2024

ISBN

978-0593697740

Buy This Book

From the New York Times bestselling artist of Just Try One Bite and I Don’t Want to Be a Frog comes a picture book series of spectacular firsts, featuring two melons with hilariously—and helpfully—opposite worldviews.

Cantaloupe brings the caution and HoneyDo the confidence. Together, they’re learning what they can’t do, at least not at first, and what they totally can—with a little practice, a little care, and their two smart melons. From riding a bike to baking a cake to learning to swim and more, with friends like this, new things are can-do.

Editor review

1 review

Let's Go Ride a Bike

May 12, 2024 (Updated: June 08, 2024)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Cantalope has a beautiful new seafoam green beach cruiser bike, and shows it off to Honeydo. It has tassles on the handlebars, a bell, and a wicker basket. The only problem? Cantaloupe doesn't know how to ride it. Since he doesn't, Honeydo tries, but fails miserably at even sitting on the bike the right way. Not giving up, he straps on a helmet and makes several attempts at pushing off and balancing. Eventually, Cantaloupe steps in to show him... and ends up riding the bike. Faced with a jumping ramp, Cantaloupe is unable to stop and falls off the bike. He once again is sad, and claims that he can't ride a bike, but Honeydo assues him that crashing is just another form of stopping. Emboldened by his friend's success, Honeydo attempts the jump even though he can't really ride a bike either.

Good Points

The illustrations involve pictures of actual melons, incorporated into the action, and is similar to Terry Border's Peanut Butter and Cup Cake books. There is a photograph of the bicycle as well. The goofy faces drawn on the melons, and the silly way they attempt to ride the bike, will appeal to young readers who will have an opportunity to correct the outrageous behavior. The fonts are large, making this easier for young readers to process the text.

I'm glad that both characters take the time to put on a bike helmet before attempting to ride a bike. It's a good safety practice that is often ignored.

The cover of this has a graphic that says "A Can Do Book", and it seems like this might be the start of a series. I can't find much information, but baking a cake and learning to swim might be in the friends' future. Bike riding can be a difficult task to master, and this book has good information, as well as a positive spin on doing things that are difficult. Read it along with Slater and Hughes' Wild Blue, Medina's Elena Rides, and Raschka's Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle to a child who is getting ready to take off on two wheels.