RUBY LU, STAR OF THE SHOW

The irrepressible Ruby Lu is back and feeling the effects of the recession. A couple of generations after Beverly Cleary broached the subject in Ramona and Her Father (1977), Look allows the economy to affect her latter-day imp. In this installment, Ruby Lu and her cousin Flying Duck, who communicates in Chinese sign language, embark together on the exciting adventure that is the third grade. Things get complicated, though, when Ruby’s mother gets a job selling shoes in the mall and turns over the household management to Ruby’s recently unemployed father. As their once-organized world starts to fall apart, Ruby concocts some interesting schemes to improve the situation, some of which work and some of which turn into hilarious disasters. Although the overall tone is lighthearted, Look provides some real insight into the struggles a family faces when its main breadwinner is out of work, and she resists providing an easy resolution. By the end, it is clear that Ruby’s family will survive the crisis but not without making some sacrifices and depending on each other more than ever. Fans of Sara Pennypacker’s Clementine and Katy Kelly’s Lucy Rose should definitely meet Ruby Lu. (Fiction. 6-10)