The Running Machine
The Invention of the Very First Bicycle
HarperCollins · Print & ebook · July 23, 2024
A story of pluck and determination inspired by the real events of 1815-17, when a young man named Karl Drais invented the very first bicycle.
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- Who it’s for
- A story inspired by Karl Drais’s invention of the first bicycle amid the hardships of 1815–17.
- Themes
- Bicycle invention, Resilience in adversity, Historical hardship
- Pacing
- Steady
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Start with this bookAbout this book
A story of pluck and determination inspired by the real events of 1815-17, when a young man named Karl Drais invented the very first bicycle. Before there were trains, or cars, or planes, people rode horses to travel from place to place. Then came the Year without a Summer, when a cloud of volcanic ash blocked the sun and crops withered across half the world. With no oats to eat, horses grew too weak to walk. Everyone despaired—how would they get around?
Continue reading
But one day, a young forester had a bright idea in the darkness... Inspired by true events, The Running Machine shows how resilience in the face of adversity can lead to something wondrous.
Karl Drais’s Bicycle
A story inspired by Karl Drais’s invention of the first bicycle amid the hardships of 1815–17.
Come here for
- Karl Drais’s invention of the first bicycle
- The Year without a Summer and its weakened horses
Expect
- A young forester’s idea in a time of scarcity
- Historical events that led to a new way to travel
Where it sits
| Science & Tech Biographies for Kids | 47% |
|---|---|
| Cycling | 33% |
| Inventions | 27% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- European Biographies
- Jobs & Careers
- Historical Europe
- Disasters & Natural Hazards
Show all 8 publisher categories
- Inventions & Inventors
- New Experiences
- Values & Virtues
- Transportation Adventures
- Authors
- Keith Negley
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- July 23, 2024
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Bicycle invention · Resilience in adversity · Historical hardship
- Reading lane
- European Biographies