Synopsis
Astorm is coming. Big Oak told Ruby Butterfly and Ruby Butterfly told Ruby the girl. But how does Ruby the girl tell everyone else? Her grandmother, Mammaloose, will say it’s Ruby’s imagination—not real. Like Ruby’s memories of her mama and daddy—just make-believe. But this storm isn’t make-believe. It’s coming hard and strong, set to destroy everything in its path. And if the storm is real, maybe Ruby’s memories are, too.
Children's Literature
A butterfly warns Ruby the Big Spin is coming. Ruby, strongly attuned to the natural world, believes the creature. But will anyone believe her? Almost-eighteen-year-old Ruby has grown up in New Orleans with her harsh grandmother, Mammaloose, but has memories of living in the bayou with her parents and sisters. Mammaloose claims those memories are Ruby's "imagine." Ruby, who calls herself a "citizen of the Earth," feels deeply about every living thing. Though Ruby's speech is naive and she acts dreamy, her feet are firmly rooted in her goal to study the ecology of bayous. She is fiercely loyal to her family of friends, especially JayEl. When the storm hits, Ruby and Mammaloose flee to the attic to escape the rising water. The winds rip off their roof, exposing them to the elements. Mammaloose confides that Ruby's parents did not die in a car crash. Her mother is a junkie and her father gave Ruby to Mammaloose with the promise to never contact him. Furious, Ruby leaves her grandmother alone to get help. She and JayEl become involved in the neighborhood rescue effort. When Ruby finally goes back for Mammaloose, her grandmother is gone. To say this book is about Hurricane Katrina is like saying the ocean has water. This is a book about daring to be different, about family secrets and forgiveness, and, mostly, about the importance of being connected to the world we live in. Narrated by Ruby's lyrical, rhythmic voice, Ruby's Imagine is a beautiful, powerful novel. Reviewer: Candice Ransom