Gracie’s Guide: Bike Safety by Headline Books / Zoom Into Books

Gracie feels grown up when she is solving mysteries and spying around, but when her mom makes her wear bike-riding safety gear, she feels like a two-year-old. Things change when a friend has an accident on his bicycle and is rushed to the hospital, she is thankful for the protection. In this story, Gracie and her classmates learn about the importance of being a safe rider.

About the Author

Award winning author, Angie Wilson, is a veteran elementary school reading teacher. She is the creator of two children's book series, Appalachian Heritage Books and Gracie’s Mysteries Series. Her books have received a London Book Festival Award, Readers' Favorite Award, and three Mom’s Choice Awards. She is very active in the Headline Kids School Show Program and visits classrooms throughout the year. She can often be found traveling with her husband, Derek, a church consultant minister. For more information visit www.AuthorAngieWilson.wix.com/author-page

About the Illustrator

Award-winning author and illustrator, Ashley Teets, is a summa cum laude graduate of Alderson-Broaddus College where she earned a bachelor's of visual arts degree with a minor in creative writing. She has illustrated multiple award winning children's books. Ashley is also a portrait artist and muralist. For more information visit www.AshleyTeetsIllustration.com

Gracie’s Guide:

Bike Safety

Angie Wilson

Illustrated by Ashley Teets

Gracie’s Guide: Bike Safety by Angie Wilson illustrated by Ashley Teets copyright ©2017 Angie Wilson All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books. To order additional copies of this book, for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Books, Inc. P.O. Box 52, Terra Alta, WV 26764 www.HeadlineBooks.com Tel: 800-570-5951 Email: mybook@headlinebooks.com Headline Kids is an imprint of Headline Books www.AuthorAngieWilson.wix.com/author-page ISBN-13: 9781882658848

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

For all of those who watch out after others to keep them safe.

It was a warm Saturday morning at the park. Gracie and Kenzie, her BFF, were ready to play on the jungle gym, ride their bikes, and enjoy a picnic. There were a few other kids enjoying a day off from school, and the park was booming with action.

Gracie’s mom was sitting nearby reading a book as the girls kept the swings busy. At noon, the three of them picnicked and munched down on some sandwiches and fruit. Gracie thought it was a just-rightkind-of-day, that is, until Mom pulled this enormous bag out of their car that was full of safety gear for their bike ride.

Gracie felt embarrassed. The two girls had to wear knee pads, elbow pads, and a helmet. On top of all of that, she smothered them in another dose of sunscreen. Gracie felt sure that there was no way one ray of sun was going to get through to her skin for the rest of her life! She felt that her mom was treating her like a two-year-old. Lucas, the new kid in their class at school, had been riding his bike at the park all morning. He wasn’t wearing any safety gear and probably no sunscreen, either. The only thing he had was his iPod and ear buds and he was singing along as he rode his new ten-speed bike. Mom had brought her bike along as well, so the three of them started out on the bike trail that led around town. Gracie glanced at Lucas as they left. He was riding on the skateboard ramp and was zooming up and down as fast as a flash. In fact, he was fast at everything. He liked to be called by his nickname, “Lightening Lucas,” because he could talk fast, eat fast, walk fast, run fast, and ride his bike extra-extra-fast. 6

Crossword Puzzle

Word Search

Gracie thought it must be cool to be able to ride your bike without all of the extra safety stuff. Their ride was really fun, but after she took a little tumble on her bike, she was really thankful for the safety gear. If she hadn’t had elbow and knee pads, it would have been a mess when she slid down a hill. She could have been all scratched up.

The bike trail led them through a residential area. They came to a stoplight and Kenzie just kept riding toward the intersection without slowing down. The light was red! Gracie’s mom yelled to her. She came to a stop right at the corner of the road. “Kenzie, you must always be careful at a stoplight,” Gracie’s mom said. “I thought the lights were just for cars,” Kenzie stammered. “No, they are for everyone even walkers and bikers.” Kenzie’s eyes grew very big when she saw the traffic whizz by her. She realized if she had continued to cross the street, she could have been hit by a car!

Sudoku Number Puzzle

Directions for puzzle: Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each number appears only once in each row, column and region (3 by 3 block).

Color this picture of a safe biker

When the three of them returned to the park, Gracie could not believe her eyes! There was an ambulance parked near the skateboard ramp, and the emergency workers were loading someone into the back. When Gracie saw a new ten-speed bike on the ground beside them, she knew it was Lucas. They quickly rode over to him and were shocked to see how messed up he was. It looked like there wasn’t a single square inch of him without a scratch. The girls watched in silence as the ambulance left with Lucas. They found out later that he suffered from a concussion and multiple cuts and bruises.

He came to school on Monday, and he had quite a story for all of the kids in the fifth grade classroom. His face was scratched up as well as his arms and legs. He walked to the front of the room with a box that had a brand new bicycle helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads. He held the box up in the air for everyone to see as he announced, “This was a Christmas gift from my parents last year. As you can see, I’ve never even opened the box.” Everyone was a little puzzled. Why in the world would he bring an old unopened gift to school? Lucas continued, “I thought I was too old for all of that stuff. My little four-year-old little brother? Yes, he needed it, but me? No, I knew how to ride a bike and I didn’t need it.” Now usually the kids in room 117 are a pretty talkative bunch, but there was something about his story that was captivating. It was probably the fact that he looked like he had been in a fight with a wildcat . . . and lost. They sat and listened without moving a muscle.

Lucas continued, “I was riding in the park on Saturday and was doing some pretty awesome jumps on the skateboard ramp. There was even a little group of kids who sat around me and watched and clapped for each jump. I guess it kinda went to my head, you know? I started showing off a little because I had an audience. I rode a little faster and jumped a little higher. This probably went on for ten minutes, and then I decided to go for an extra-high jump off the tall end of the ramp. That was not a smart idea! I jumped high into the air, and my bike flew out from under me. I landed on the concrete and rolled down to the bottom of the ramp. I don’t remember what happened after that. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the hospital with my parents sitting beside me. I admit I was scared and in pain from all of the cuts and scratches on me. It was the first time I had ever been in the ER, and I didn’t know what to expect.” Gracie couldn’t believe the silence in the room. You could’ve heard a gnat sneeze! Lucas continued his story and filled everyone in on his injuries - focusing on the fourteen stitches in his elbow. Gracie was relieved to see there was a bandage covering them. She didn’t think her stomach could handle looking at that.

When he finished his story, he asked if anyone had any questions. There were a few kids who had a question. They asked him if he had to spend the night in the hospital, did he mess up his bike, and will he ever ride it again? He answered them quickly - no, yes, and yes. He explained that he was sent home after a few hours, he had a picture of his bent up bike, and then he said that he would definitely ride again. “You see, I’m still ‘Lightening Lucas’,” he said, “I will get right back on my bike and ride. Except from now on I will be smart about it. My new name is ‘Loaded Lightening Lucas’. I will be loaded with everything in this box.” He held the box up again and smiled. “I’m going to open it up right now and try them on.”

Helmet

Elbow Pads

Wrist Guards/ Gloves Knee Pads 24

Lucas pulled the safety gear out of the box and tried it on in front of everyone. To his surprise, everyone gave him a standing ovation. He smiled. It was a good feeling. Their teacher, Ms. T., chimed in with a few safety tips. “Safety is the main thing. Safety comes first,” she began. “There are bicycle rules just like there are rules for riding in a vehicle. Everyone knows how important it is to buckle up your seatbelt. It is just as important to buckle up your safety gear when riding.” She wrote the following ‘Bike Safety Rules’ on the board: • Always ride with an adult • Always wear a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads • Always obey traffic signs and stoplights • Stop, look, and listen before crossing a road • Wear bright clothes

Suddenly, Gracie was glad that her mom was so persistent about being safe. She looked at her elbows and knees- she was so thankful that she saw no scabs or stitches. She grabbed a pen and wrote the rules in a notebook because she didn’t want to forget them. One look at the scratches on Lucas and she determined that she would never again complain about gearing up. After that day, Gracie no longer felt like a two-year-old when she was wearing her helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads. She was no longer embarrassed. In fact - she felt responsible, she felt smart, she felt safe!

Hand Signals

Stop or Slowdown

Left

Right

SAFE KIDS “Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. The safest way to use your bike is for transportation, not play. Every year, about 300,000 kids go to the emergency department because of bike injuries, and at least 10,000 kids have injuries that require a few days in the hospital. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from head injuries. “A head injury can mean brain injury. That’s why it’s so important to wear your bike helmet. Wearing one doesn’t mean you can be reckless, but a helmet will provide some protection for your face, head, and brain in case you fall down.

Be Seen, Be Safe! “Wearing bright clothes and putting reflectors on your bike also can help you stay safe. It helps other people on the road see you. And if they see you, that means they’re less likely to run into you. Daytime riding is the safest so try to avoid riding your bike at dusk and later. You’ll also want to make sure that nothing will get caught in your bike chain, such as loose pant legs, backpack straps, or shoelaces. Wear the right shoes — sneakers — when you bike. Sandals, flip-flops, shoes with heels, and cleats won’t help you grip the pedals. And never go riding barefoot! Riding gloves may help you grip the handlebars — and make you look like a professional! But avoid wearing headphones because the music can distract you from noises around you, such as a car blowing its horn so you can get out of the way.” (kidshealth.org)

Safety Tips

(Taken from the West Virginia ESADD Activity Guide)

• Always wear a seatbelt in a vehicle, no matter where you’re sitting. • STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN before you cross a road. • It’s important to protect your brain – always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, scooter, or ATV. • Stay calm and quiet in a moving vehicle, and listen to the driver. • Be headphone-free when riding a bike. • Always follow the road signs when biking or walking.

To download the entire ESADD Activity Guide, go to www.wvsadd.org.

Check out ALL of Gracie’s Guide Books!

About the Author

About the Illustrator