Hero on a Bicycle

Hero on a Bicycle (2012) is a historical novel for upper elementary and middle grade readers by the highly regarded English author and illustrator Shirley Hughes. It is Hughes’s first novel for older children. The story takes place in Nazi-occupied Florence during the summer of 1944. Thirteen-year-old Paolo longing for adventure wants to be a part of the Italian Resistance. Over the course of the novel, Paolo learns about the realities of war, the importance of family, and the true meaning of courage. Hughes based Hero on a Bicycle on the true story of a heroic family she met in Italy shortly after World War II.

Paolo Crivelli is bored. School is closed. There is nothing to do except play with his beloved old dog, Guido. Paolo is sick of being cooped up in the family household with all the women: his mother, Rosemary, his sixteen-year-old sister, Constanza, and their housekeeper, Maria. Paolo’s father, Franco, is in hiding. His passionate anti-Fascist views make him an enemy of the occupying Germans. Even the family doesn’t know where Franco is. To satisfy his need for adventure, Paolo defies curfew, sneaks out of the villa at night, and rides his bicycle into the city. He imagines he is like his hard-boiled hero, James Cagney. However, even these nighttime excursions don’t satisfy Paolo because nothing exciting ever happens.

Paolo idolizes the Partisans, anti-Fascist resistance fighters. The Partisans hide in the hills and launch insurgent attacks against the Germans by blowing up railroad lines and bridges and helping prisoners of war escape. The Partisans anxiously wait for the Allies to advance and liberate Florence. Paolo is also excited about the Allied approach, and the fact that the “real fighting” is finally coming.



Rosemary worries about Paolo but doesn’t have the heart to stop his nighttime rides. An Englishwoman married to a dissident in hiding, Rosemary knows that the Germans are monitoring her. She tries to pretend everything is normal by keeping to their daily routine and trying to fit into the community.

Constanza wishes she had a normal teenage life. She rereads her old Vogue magazines, plays records, and gossips with her wealthy Fascist friend, Hilaria—one of the only friends Constanza has left. Despite Rosemary’s disapproval, Constanza enjoys the attention of a young German Lieutenant, Helmut Gräss, who treats Constanza as an adult. Helmut confides in Constanza that his own father disagrees with the Nazi high command.

Partisans stop Paolo one night to give him a message for his mother. Rosemary meets them nervously: She knows the Partisans are ruthless and can bring danger to her family. Rosemary reluctantly agrees to their request to hide two escaped Allied POWs. Eavesdropping on the conversation, Paolo decides he wants to join the Partisans and become a hero of the Resistance. Instead of letting him join the group, two Partisans beat him up and try to steal his bicycle. Their leader, Il Volpe (“The Fox”), steps in to rescue Paolo.



The two escapees, David, an RAF pilot, and Joe, a Canadian sergeant, hide in the villa’s cellar. Il Volpe knows they will need a native language speaker to conduct them to the safe house, and despite Rosemary’s objections, Paolo gets the job. Paolo takes the escapees to the safe house, but it is a German trap. David is recaptured and Joe is injured. Paolo risks his life returning home with Joe. Constanza realizes she cares for Joe. A friend warns Rosemary that the Gestapo are coming to search the villa, and the family moves Joe to a small storage room. He is not discovered.

Out riding his bike, Paolo notices that German troops are on the move ahead of the Allied advance. Seeing that German soldiers have captured Il Volpe, Paolo follows them to a village. He knows they will publicly execute the Partisan leader. Partisans intervene, however, and Il Volpe flees the village square, right toward Paolo. Paolo gives his bicycle to Il Volpe, and the leader escapes.

Hilaria warns Constanza that soldiers are returning to search their home again for the missing prisoner. Joe hides in Guido’s doghouse, and the brave old dog barks at the Nazis. The German soldiers shoot and kill Guido but look no further for Joe. Fighting begins in earnest. Constanza takes Joe into town and they kiss goodbye. Constanza is happy to meet Paolo walking home. Helmut and a truckload of German soldiers stop to warn them that the roads are dangerous. The Germans are retreating ahead of the Allied advance and Helmut’s team is testing the road for landmines. Constanza wishes him well. Moments later, they hear an explosion and Helmut is killed.



At home, Paolo is crushed to learn that Guido is dead. Their villa is now on the front battle line. Allies bomb the German troops, harassing them on their retreat. The family shelters in the cellar. One day, a British soldier arrives, requisitioning the villa as a command post. Rosemary and the family learn that Florence has been liberated. Now, the Partisans can appear in public. Il Volpe is safe. The Partisan leader salutes Paolo and returns his bicycle. Constanza receives a letter from Joe, saying that he is safe and so is David. Joe admits that he dreams of Constanza and can’t wait to see her again. Rosemary, Constanza, and Paolo are overjoyed when Franco finally arrives home.

In the Preface to Hero on a Bicycle, Hughes includes a link to the website www.heroonabicycle.co.uk. There, Hughes offers more information about the historical events she describes in the novel, including material from her sketchbooks, audio recordings of songs of the era, photographs, and videos from newsreels.