The Bicycle Man

The Bicycle Man by Allen Say

Kids at a Japanese field are excited about sports day. In the middle of the day, they are silenced by two American soldiers at the fence. They communicate with motions to the principal. One of the soldiers does tricks on the bicycle while the other leads him on. Everyone enjoys the performance. The principal gives them the big prize. The drawings are nice. The message is a bit bizarre. Americans and Japanese make friends shortly after the war. However, they do get the big prize. The black GI does the tricks while the red-headed one is the ring-leader. It is possible to treat it as a nice wholesome book, or to find all sorts of offensive ethnic views if you feel that way.