In a city built of junk and powered by drone races, a girl and her robotic gecko must pull off the heist of a lifetime to save their home from a terrifying machine.
“City of Rust” is Gemma Fowler’s thrilling middle-grade sci-fi debut that offers an engaging environmental cautionary tale. Set in a dystopian future Earth overwhelmed by waste, the story follows Railey, a talented young engineer, and her bio-robotic gecko friend Atti as they compete in drone races in their container-constructed city of Boxville. When a bounty hunter disrupts their biggest race, the pair flee to the feared Junker clans who mine the rubbish orbiting Earth in “the Soup.” There, with the help of two Junker kids, they discover a deadly trash bomb threatening Earth and must use all their ingenuity to save the world.
This book provides teachers with an excellent resource for exploring both SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) through its powerful visualization of waste consequences and creative repurposing solutions. Railey is a true Inquirer as she solves problems with thoughtfulness and ingenuity.
Use the book as a springboard for classroom discussions about waste management, engineering challenges, and sustainability initiatives. Railey’s engineering prowess also invites discussion about women in tech. Consider pairing readings with hands-on STEM activities where students design solutions using recycled materials, or create sustainable city models.
