The Biker Girls

Pakistani artist and activist Shehzil Malik’s empowering picture book celebrates girls carving out the right to ride bikes, in a society where it’s traditionally been only allowed for boys.

Zoey has never ridden a bike, as most people in her part of the world feel it’s strictly for boys. So when Sophie and Maya invite her to ride with them in the park, and offer to teach her how, she’s beyond excited. And once she gets the hang of it, she falls in love with the feeling of flying on her bike. But when the girls decide to leave the security of the park and venture into the city, it does not go smoothly—the people are not used to seeing girls riding bikes! Could Zoey’s dad be right that it’s not safe for girls to ride? Or is there something the friends can do to challenge the status quo about girls on bikes?

Inspired by the author’s experiences, this empowering story shows that while the rights some of us might take for granted aren’t enjoyed by everyone, change is possible!“Three South Asian girls find empowerment through cycling. . . . Malik sets her tale in an unnamed city likely inspired by her hometown of Lahore, Pakistan. Bright, bold, Technicolor art dominates the pages with pink, orange, and purple skies and flora, lending the tale an upbeat, comic book–like feel. A spirited tale about finding one’s freedom—and making room for others to revel in it, too.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The author’s note shares how [Malik’s] childhood in Pakistan inspired the story, and encouraging messages about being brave and independent are emphasized throughout the action. This dialogue-driven picture book with graphic-novel-style paneling ends on a happy note, as townspeople become accustomed to seeing girls on bikes. The last line, ‘Things were really changing,’ brings the story to a satisfying conclusion and will hopefully inspire young readers to never be afraid to shake things up.” —Booklist
Shehzil Malik (Shehzil.com) is a visual artist who focuses on feminist topics and women’s narratives. The Biker Girls is her picture book debut as an author and illustrator, and she also illustrated the picture book A Girl Called Genghis Khan: How Maria Toorpakai Wazir Pretended to Be a Boy, Defied the Taliban, and Became a World Famous Squash Player (by Michelle Lord), as well as the cover for Aisha Saeed’s Amal Unbound and Omar Rising. She often works to examine socio-political questions around gender-based violence, injustice, and freedom using digital art, publications, textiles, and public art. She is a Fellow at the Universität der Künste Berlin, as well as a Fulbright scholar. Her commercial practice includes clients like Oxfam, Malala Fund, Marvel, New York Times, GIZ and Google. She lives in Berlin, Germany.