RUBY THE RAMBUNCTIOUS

An active girl with a muscular disability faces overly permissive parents.

Ruby falls down a lot. Whether dancing, running, or visiting the bakery, she somehow ends up on the ground. At first, everyone thinks she’s clumsy—including Ruby herself. So when a brown-skinned doctor explains that Ruby’s muscles simply “[don’t] work well,” Ruby is overjoyed (“I’m not clumsy!”). Her parents, however, react very differently. While her brothers still get “told off” for misbehaving, Ruby suddenly does not. Though her parents are clearly frustrated, they let her shenanigans slide—even when Ruby draws on Dad’s favorite painting and brings Mom’s tablet into the bathtub. “Don’t you care about me?” a bewildered Ruby wonders. Finally, she erupts across a double-page spread: “I DON’T WANT TO BE TREATED DIFFERENT THAN MY BROTHERS!” But, Ruby’s little brother points out, she is different—she’s “the most rambunctious of us all!” To Ruby’s relief, she’s finally scolded. In an encouraging conclusion, a manual wheelchair enables her to race, play, and continue raising joyful mayhem. Andrés’ upbeat text, translated from Spanish, will engage young readers while gently reminding parents that nondisabled and disabled kids alike need rules and boundaries. Serrano’s energetic cartoon illustrations vividly depict Ruby’s mischievous antics and infectious emotions. Ruby and her mom have pale skin; her dad and brothers have light-brown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Humorously insightful.