"There's a hush in the crowd as the mayor lifts his gun, then an ear-splitting Bang! and the race has begun, with a flashing of goggles and pale cyclists' knees, and a murmuring sound like the bumble of bees." Monsieur Albert enters the Grand Cycle Race, but he's up against Francois, the champion of France. Can he possibly win? Witty text by Pete Smith and gentle, funny illustrations by Bob Graham make this story a classic, ideal for reading aloud to young and old.

Author Biography

Illustrator Bob Graham was born in Sydney, and studied painting, drawing and design at the Julian Ashton Art School where he met his future wife Carolyn. They had two children, Naomi and Pete, and a dog called Oscar. Bob has written and illustrated around 35 picture books, and illustrated as many again for other authors. His books are known for their charm, simplicity and humour, and have won countless awards in Australia and overseas, including fiveChildrens Book Council of Australia awards and the Kate Greenaway Medal. Peter Smith was born and grew up in England, but at age nineteen came to Australia with his sister Carol. Pete is a dedicated cyclist, having ridden from Sydney to Melbourne and from Sydney to the Gold Coast among other trips, and works in Abbey's bookshop in Sydney. He is Bob Graham's brother-in-law.