Ruby and the Booker Boys # 2: Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme
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Overview
Ruby Booker takes the spotlight (well, that's the plan anywayΒ )Eight-year-old Ruby Booker is the baby sis of Marcellus (11), Roosevelt (10), and Tyner (9), the most popular boys on Chill Brook Ave. When Ruby isn't hanging with her friend, Theresa Petticoat, she's finding out what kind of mischief her brothers are getting into. She's sweet and sassy and every bit as tough as her older siblings. She sings like nobody's business; she has a pet iguana named Lady Love; her favorite color is grape-jelly purple; and she has BIG plans. She's going to be the most famous woman animal doctor on the planet. She's the fabulous, oh-so-spectacular Ruby Marigold Booker!
Synopsis
Eight-year-old Ruby Booker is the baby sis of Marcellus (11), Roosevelt (10), and Tyner (9), the most popular boys on Chill Brook Ave. When Ruby isn't hanging with her friend, Theresa Petticoat, she's finding out what kind of mischief her brothers are getting into. She's sweet and sassy and every bit as tough as her older siblings. She sings like nobody's business; she has a pet iguana named Lady Love; her favorite color is grape-jelly purple; and she has BIG plans. She's going to be the most famous woman animal doctor on the planet. She's the fabulous, oh-so-spectacular Ruby Marigold Booker!
In Book 2, a zoologist is coming to visit Ruby's school, and there will be one representative from grade levels 2-8 chosen to compete in an animal trivia contest. The winner will land season passes to the Chill Brook Zoo for everyone in their grade level. Ruby, who can absorb factual information quickly and recall it at any time, is the third grade delegate, and her brothers are on board to help--or hinder--her preparation.
Children's Literature
Ruby Booker is a fashion conscious third-grader with three older brothers. She has a lot of people looking out for her (i.e., friends, teachers, parents, siblings) which leaves little doubt that she will succeed in whatever she attempts. In this story, her challenge is the school trivia contest, and Ruby is competing against her older brothers. Her worries that she cannot win are more convincing than the story's outcome, but the reader's own birth order may play a role in their ability to suspend disbelief. A positive overall message is "believe in yourself" and find others who believe in you, too. The dialogue models near-fantasy behavior, and the book begins and ends with "Laptop Journal" entries that introduce the conflict and emphasize resolution. There is also a final trivia test, and an invitation to read the next adventure. This title in the "Ruby and the Booker Boys" series creates a perfect third-grade world. Reviewer: Tina Dybvik