With the weight of the world on his shoulders, and knowing happiness is contagious, Rick is determined to have one solve the other. Even at eleven-years-old, he has big dreams to help his family but what he’s thinking isn’t exactly the right way of going about things so Rick is taking a lot of risk. For such a young man, he has a big conscience, and he’s basically wondering if the ends justify the means. His next-door neighbor is Mila. Soft spoken, yet very dependable, she’s a true friend. Art and drawing are her passion, especially unicorns, and she’s also got some serious listening skills. Mila and Rick make a good team.
This is Rick’s story of how a kid with a dream can make a difference. He and his stomach have side conversations which are pretty entertaining. Sometimes it even reminds him of how a friend should act and that what he does to help the people around him really does matter. In the end, Rick spills the truth and things take a turn he didn’t expect.
The author, Christina Uss, has done a splendid job blending family and culture into this tale. From Abuelita’s driving, to the bike loving SPLAT club, to Rick’s family and their financial crunch, this is a story worth reading. The pacing is fun and energetic so it keeps the reader coming back for more. With a boy and girl main character, plus several other entertaining people thrown in throughout the story, this could be a winner for any young reader looking for an adventure outside the usual story “box”. This is Christina Uss’s second book and it was just as entertaining as her first: The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle which is also worth picking up a copy and reading. Both of these would make good family read-aloud books.
Review of an Advance Reading Copy
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Margaret Ferguson Books
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: None
Violence/Gore: None
Sex/Nudity: A museum curator, who is giving a presentation at a middle school, shows a picture of the Colossus of Rhodes who is naked, no description of nudity, just kids giggling.
Mature Subject Matter:
Vandalism, family financial difficulties, earthquake.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
None