Biker Girl

Aki is a bookish teen who finds a magic bike while cleaning out her grandfather’s garage. After she questions him, her grandfather tells her the story of how her beloved cousin Toru was killed by a rogue biker gang. Incredibly, Aki’s special connection to the bike transforms her into BIKER GIRL, a sassy heroine with expert biker skills. And so she sets out to avenge her cousin’s death with the help of Kai, a childhood friend who may be turning into a boyfriend. . . .

Grade 5 Up–It seems like a regular Sunday. Aki has slept in, eaten a nice breakfast with her parents, and promised to help her grandfather clean out the garage. Its there that her life changes forever. She comes upon her cousin Torus old bike, which comes alive. Aki finds herself dressed in full retro-60s biker-girl gear. It turns out that she is destined to become a bike hero like many before her, including Toru, who was killed by the leader of an evil gang. It is then up to Aki to race against the gang members, using all of her skills and the powers of her spirit bike to defeat them. Little does she know that in destroying the leader, she may also be destroying her family. The art is very cinematic and looks more cartoonish than traditional manga. Aki is a strong protagonist, and while the twist is not the most original, it still works. The plot moves quickly, there are some elements of romance with the boy next door, and the race sequences are exciting. Despite some of its darker themes, this title is, for the most part, lighthearted and fun. Its great for younger manga readers.–Melissa T. Jenvey, New York Public Library
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Gr. 5-8. In this manga-style adventure, a young girl becomes a reluctant superhero after she inherits a bike with magical powers. Aki is helping her grandfather clean the garage when she spies a dusty old bicycle. Upon touching it, she suddenly finds herself in a biker uniform, complete with helmet and goggles. She has unwittingly become the latest in a long line of family "bike heroes," the last being her cousin Toru, who died when he was run off the road by the mysterious leader of a rival bike gang. This same masked leader challenges Aki to a race, which she wins because of the legendary bike's ability to fly and transform its fenders into writhing snakes that bite and trip. She then makes peace with the rival leader (who turns out to be someone she knows) and is rewarded for her bravery with a kiss from her crush. Though predictable and silly, this fast-paced and well-executed story is nevertheless bound to be popular with middle-school fans of Chynna Clugston's Queen Bee (2005). Jennifer Hubert
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