Joukje Akveld and Philip Hopman
Get On Your Bike!
A wonderful story about two married men, about how arguments can be part of a happy relationship.
‘Ah, go and ride your bike!’ shouts Willem the dog in an argument with his husband, Boese the panda. In Dutch, that means something along the lines of ‘Just go away! Figure it out for yourself!’
Boese climbs onto his bike and lets himself be carried away by the traffic. Slowly, he forgets about the argument and starts to marvel at the breathtaking landscape he encounters, beautifully illustrated by Philip Hopman. But then Boese misses Willem and heads home. Akveld makes this story about an everyday altercation feel very real. She demonstrates that arguments are part of life and love. On the last page, we see that this is a loving relationship between two men. Their wedding photograph is on the dresser. The text and illustrations complement each other perfectly, as Akveld and Hopman show that Boese and Willem’s marriage is just as ordinary – and as remarkable – as any other marriage.