The Colossus of Roads
by Christina Uss (Author)
From the author of the acclaimed The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle comes a tale of traffic jams, secret plans, and one eleven-year-old boy's determination to save his family's livelihood.
Rick Rusek's stomach has a lot to say. It's got opinions on tasty foods, not-so-tasty foods, and driving in traffic-jammed Los Angeles makes it roil, boil, gurgle, and howl. It's doing the best it can. It never meant to earn its owner the nickname Carsick Rick or make him change schools for fifth grade.
And Rick's stomach isn't the only one dealing with terrible traffic. His family's catering service, Smotch, is teetering on the verge of ruin after a rash of late deliveries and missed appointments. Fortunately, Rick has the solution. Unfortunately, no one wants to listen to a kid.
Absolutely certain that he could fix the constant, endless traffic snarls, Rick hatches a plan. But he'll need help from his unicorn-loving Girl Scout neighbor, a famous street artist, and the best driver in L.A. Together they'll take on the stream of stalled cars--and a secret conspiracy or two, too.
It's going to be tough, but Rick won't give up. If he can successfully move the 330,000 slow-moving cars standing in the way of his family's future, maybe everyone will see that he's not Carsick Rick. He's one of the seven wonders of Los Angeles.
He's the Colossus of Roads.
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School Library Journal
Gr 4 Up--When readers are first introduced to 11-year-old Rick Rusek, it seems that the only friend Rick has is his chatty stomach, which is so affected by motion sickness that he transfers back to his neighborhood school from the math and science magnet (the new bus schedule caused his route home to be longer, and his fragile stomach couldn't withstand such a ride). Rick's mom's catering business is on the verge of closure due to continuously missed appointments and late deliveries. Clients are not concerned with the massive traffic jams everyone in his Southern California community faces daily; they are only concerned with punctual delivery service for their food. Rick has been obsessed with delivery routes since second grade and this year is no different; except this year he's prepared a colossal road plan to alleviate the ginormous traffic snarls that could save his mom's business. To get this done, he will need the help of a Girl Scout troop, a famous artist, and a NASCAR-trained abuelita. The intergenerational cast of characters emphasizes how people of different ages can work together to improve their community. VERDICT In this heartwarming, fast-paced story, Uss seamlessly weaves STEAM threads along with a dose of wit and humor to help readers focus on the importance of friendship, family, and second chances.--Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden M.S., Newport News, VA
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
★ In The Colossus of Roads, Christina Uss (The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle) masterfully demonstrates the complications of living with a chronic illness, including missed opportunities, financial stressors and limited medical care. Not only does Uss depict a family struggling, she also shows how they make the best of a tough situation . . . colorful language, combined with quirky, memorable characters, like a bright-red Cadillac-driving Abuelita, round out a charming story about resilience and persistence.— Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
A heartfelt celebration of the zen of cycling and a sympathetic portrait of an atypical kid who struggles to learn the art of friendship. —The Horn Book
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
JUV041030 - Juvenile Fiction | Transportation | Cars & Trucks
Family life
California
Los Angeles
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Scouting (Youth activity)
Traffic congestion
Motion sickness
Traffic sighs and signals
