A young orphan’s hopes and an unusual bicycle bring about magical results in this imaginative middle grade adventure from award-winning author Bill Harley.

“This pleasant blend of melodrama and fantasy will make youngsters frown over Darius’s misery and then smile in anticipation of the predictably happy ending.” ―School Library Journal

Life is an adventure for ten-year-old Darius Frobisher. His eccentric father Rudy sells insurance four days a week. The other three days he goes on exotic journeys. But when his father flies off in a hot air balloon and doesn’t come back, Darius’s happy, carefree life suddenly comes to an end. He is sent to live with his notoriously nasty Aunt Ida, where he has to sleep alone in a cold, damp basement and dodge the horrible teenage boy next door.

Darius sees a ray of hope when he finds a rusty old bicycle in the basement and begins to repair it in secret. Then one day he is startled to see an old man with long flowing hair riding a bicycle across the sky! That gives Darius a strange and wonderful idea. Now he knows what he has to do to get away from his miserable life.

Grammy-winning storyteller Bill Harley tells an offbeat, broadly drawn story about loss and hope, escape, injustice, and magic, featuring a cast of curious and unconventional characters that will easily capture the attention―and imagination―of young readers.

Awards:

Best Children’s Books of the Year ―Bank Street College of Education
Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Intermediate) ―Kansas National Education Association
Georgia Children’s Book Award (Nominee) ―University of Georgia
Keystone to Reading Book Award (Intermediate Nominee) ―Keystone State Reading Association
Volunteer State Book Awards (Master List, Grades 4-6) ―Tennessee Association of School Librarians

Also by Bill Harley:
Charlie Bumpers vs. His Big Blabby Mouth
Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Perfect Little Turkey
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year