Synopses & Reviews
Sometimes Nickel sees a horse that isn't there...Could it be the ghost of Joe's old horse, Cougar, who died in a recent barn fire? Nickel isn't sure. What he does know is that since he moved with his aunt Starla and her husband, Joe, to Joe's parents' farm, he is happier than he's been in a long time. But a run-in with a school bully threatens to pull Nickel down. Then he finds Joe's battered old bike. It's hard to ride, harder to steer, and warm to the touch -- more like a living creature than a metal machine. Can this mysterious bicycle with a mind of its own help Nickel free himself from his violent past and protect his new life?
About the Author
Helen V. Griffith lives in Wilmington, Delaware.
In Her Own Words...
"What I like about writing books is that I can sit and think about things that most adults never think about, and it's okay because I'm a children's book writer."
"I can imagine what my dog is dreaming about or what she and my cat discuss when I'm not around. I can design a time machine or make up a tall tale, and nobody says, "Grow up, Helen"--because I'm a children's book writer.
"I was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and I work in the family business. We're distributors of roofing and siding materials, and I've never yet gotten a story inspiration from that. Most of my ideas seem to come from dogs I have known.
"My grandfather was part of our family and used to read to me a lot-the Sunday funny papers, turn-of-the-century primers, and The Arabian Nights. When I could read for myself, I read fairy tales, dog and horse stories, and comic books by the dozen.
"I started writing poems and the beginnings of novels by the age of seven or eight, but I was forty before I thought about writing for publication.
"For fun, I like reading (especially Anthony Trollope) and birdwatching, and I've just started learning to play old-time fiddle!"