Ruby's Imagine

KLIATT - Janis Flint-Ferguson

Ruby lives with her grandmother in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. She is an odd girl with her own names for things, with a love of nature and with a neighborhood full of friends, including JayEl, whose father owns a small store. According to Mammaloose, Ruby's grandmother, Ruby's parents died in a car crash, but Ruby has memories of older sisters and a life in the bayou country that doesn't seem to align with her grandmother's account. Ruby talks to animals and one morning while she is on her way to work at the Crossroads Cafe, a butterfly tells her that a "big spin" is coming—a hurricane. Gradually it becomes more apparent that there is indeed a big storm moving toward New Orleans and people are making arrangements to either stay or leave. As the storm hits, Ruby and Mammaloose are forced into their attic. In her fear and uncertainty, Mammaloose explains to Ruby how she came to live with her. The shock of the revelation is quickly lost as the roof blows away and survival takes precedence. Ruby is resourceful and is able to make her way to safety. The images of the ruin and devastation are powerful. Gradually Ruby comes to terms with her family and with her feelings for JayEl. The novel shows how people support and encourage one another through a crisis while raising the question of why residents were left without outside help. YA readers will be drawn in by Ruby's story—both her personal story and the community's story of survival. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson

Children's Literature - Candice Ransom

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

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up

Ruby, nearly 18, is an imaginative young woman in present-day New Orleans. Her unique way of expressing herself sets her apart from others. She is one with nature, speaking to the plants and animals around her. She named the trees "Rooted People" and the birds "Flying People." A butterfly has told her of a coming "Big Spin." Ruby imagines her life prior to coming to live with her grandmother, Mammaloose, but the woman has no patience for Ruby's stories. The teen wonders if the memories of her mother and father and two sisters are real or just in her mind. When Hurricane Katrina hits and all seems lost, Mammaloose begins to reveal secrets that she has kept from Ruby for years. In the midst of the ruin of the city, Ruby's "imagine," her distinctive way of looking at the world, gives hope to survivors as they begin to rebuild their lives. With a delightful cast of characters and evocative descriptions of places and events, this is an affecting story.-Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

Kirkus Reviews

Big Oak told Ruby Butterfly, who warned Ruby the Girl, about the Big Spin, a storm on its way to shake up the city of New Orleans and Ruby's life. Raised by her angry grandmother, Mammaloose, Ruby has been disconnected from her family history. As the storm draws near, Ruby has to face her own swirling confusion over her past and her future. Narrated in a lyrical voice that captures the rhythms of the Jazz City, this coming-of-age story manages to encompass not only the enormity of Hurricane Katrina, but the quiet struggle of one girl. When Ruby and her grandmother find themselves trapped in their attic as the devastating storm rages, Ruby sees beyond her usual half-dream state to confront reality. Rebuilding her life and her city will not be easy, but Ruby's reaction to these difficulties is exceptional. Rich language and a unique perspective hint at the magic that exists just below the surface of everyday life. (Fiction. 12 & up)

Baton Rouge's The Advocate - Greg Langley

"Ruby’s Imagine" by Kim Antieau is an astonishing book set in New Orleans before and during Hurricane Katrina and told in the voice of nearly-18-year-old Ruby Marie Pelletier.

School Library Journal - Denise Moore

In the midst of the ruin of the city, Ruby's "imagine," her distinctive way of looking at the world, gives hope to survivors as they begin to rebuild their lives. With a delightful cast of characters and evocative descriptions of places and events, this is an affecting story.