Ruby Starr Series, Book 1

June 15, 2017
Ten-year-old Ruby Starr feels threatened when a new girl arrives in her fifth-grade class and turns everything upside down. Ruby, a white girl with blonde, curly hair, is an ardent bibliophile who often imagines she's a character in a book herself. Ruby's happily ensconced in school with special girlfriends and the Unicorn Book Club she started when new kid Charlotte, also white, appears. Before Ruby realizes what's happening, Charlotte's invited to join the Unicorns and Ruby's best friend seems "gaga" about the new arrival. When Charlotte eschews reading and suggests it would be fun to turn the book club into a drama club, an angry, hurt, and jealous Ruby asks Charlotte if she's ever even read a book. Immediately regretting her words, Ruby turns to her fictional heroines for inspiration. After accidentally discovering the secret behind Charlotte's dislike of books, Ruby eventually has a chance to redeem herself. Peppered with references to her favorite books, Ruby's fresh, humorous, first-person, present-tense account of her fifth-grade traumas, her real and imaginary friendships, and her supportive family rings true. However, the text is frequently abruptly interrupted by Ruby's dramatic daydreams complete with (uncredited) cartoon illustrations--a distracting and unsuccessful device. Ruby's world is a largely white one. A mostly amusing saga of primary-school friendships with a clever pro-reading subtext. (Fiction. 8-12)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Fifth grader Ruby Starr is a founding member of the Unicorns, a lunchtime book club she participates in with her best friends-some real, some from her favorite books. One day, a new student, Charlotte, arrives and decides the Unicorns should be a drama club rather than a book club. As Ruby's best friend begins hanging out with Charlotte, Ruby struggles with jealousy and disappointment. Family members advise her to try to make new friends with similar interests. Ruby's wild imagination helps her navigate her problems. The illustrations let readers visualize the protagonist's vivid imaginings, and break up the text. VERDICT Fans of Junie B. Jones will enjoy this work for its authentic look at middle school friendship. A great companion to James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts's Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life.-Adrienne Sayban, Peoria Public Library, AZ

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