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RUBY AND LONELY

Name: RUBY AND LONELY
Author: Patrice Karst
ISBN: 9781662508042

by Patrice Karst ; illustrated by Kayla Harren ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2023

A warm, genuine journey that promotes self-reliance.

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A child learns to embrace her inner strength and transform loneliness into something new.

Ruby, a youngster with long red locks and pale skin, feels very much alone—both at school and at home. Everyone around her is so busy; no one really notices Ruby at all. Tan-skinned Mr. Garcia, her teacher, tells Ruby’s diverse class that sometimes it is helpful to give a name to your problems, to help solve them. Ruby decides to name her problem “Lonely.” Lonely first begins as a reflection of Ruby in a storefront window and, later, a mirror, reflecting Ruby’s frown and slumped posture. However, as Ruby shares things that she enjoys with her new friend, Lonely comes to sit beside her, gradually absorbing color and strength. Lonely is Ruby’s own inner self, gaining confidence and joy—which others start to notice. As Ruby makes friends at school, Lonely doesn’t need to be present as much but is always there in the mirror, just in case. Harren’s soft palette adds a nostalgic twinge to this sensitively told narrative, letting Ruby tiptoe through sorrow and then also shine brightly. An author’s note explains that the story was inspired by Karst’s own loneliness as a child; the author also discusses the importance of having an “inner friend” and ends with discussion questions. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A warm, genuine journey that promotes self-reliance. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023

ISBN: 9781662508042

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Two Lions

Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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THE INVISIBLE STRING BACKPACK
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THE INVISIBLE WEB
by Patrice Karst ; illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

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THE INVISIBLE LEASH
by Patrice Karst ; illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

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THE WORLD NEEDS THE WONDER YOU SEE

by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 28, 2025

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.

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Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.

There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025

ISBN: 9781400247417

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tommy Nelson

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORLD NEEDS WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE
by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)