Ruby Booker is smart, confident, and determined. As the youngest child and the only girl with three older brothers, Ruby she is ready to shine and be as popular as her brothers. Ruby gets her chance in this second installment in the Ruby and the Booker Boys series. The book begins with Ruby as the sole female survivor in a game of tag ball (combination of dodge ball and freeze tag). She surprises her male opponents and leads the 3rd grade to sweet victory. More good fortune follows as Ruby learns that the zookeeper is not only bringing animals, which she loves, to Ruby’s class, but also has a big announcement. Ruby can’t wait to find out what it is. Readers can take the Ruby Challenge at the end of the book.
There are many elements that make this book successful. I believe that it appeals to a wide audience of readers in grades 1-3. This book is a good choice for readers that have mastered beginning readers, but are not quite ready for upper level chapter books because it combines more text and also includes illustrations. Ruby is a likeable character and one in which most elementary children are able to relate as they think about their interactions with their own family, best friends, classmates, and teachers. Children will delight in Ruby’s excitement as she participates and excels in a variety of school activities. The pace is appropriate for the book and is balanced to keep a reader’s interest without being overwhelming with too many characters or shifts in settings. All of the characters are enjoyable, well-described, and illustrated nicely so readers can know the character at which they are looking when they come to an illustration. The author has done a great job of accurately portraying children, their humor, and mannerism and there is a mix of male and female characters that could make this a gender neutral choice.
I think this book would appeal to both male and female readers. Although Ruby is the star of the book, her brothers and male classmates play significant roles allowing male readers to see themselves in the text. Readers that enjoy series such as Junie B. Jones and Amy Hodgepodge would also enjoy this book. This book also provides a great representation for African American girls to see themselves, someone that may look, talk, and act like them.
In a library setting, this book can be used as an introduction to series book, a stepping to higher level chapter book. Ruby and the Booker Boys would also be a good selection for a mother-daughter book club. The book could be read aloud leading up to library trivia program. There is a possibility of the library or school partnering with the local zoo to offer a similar program and reward.
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