The Treasure of Way Down Deep

September 15, 2013
Grades 4-6 The quirky crowd from Way Down Deep (2007) returns in this sweet sequel. Ruby, who mysteriously appeared as a toddler in the Appalachian town, is now 10 and still living with Miss Arbutus, who runs the boarding house. There are some new guests, including Ruby's grandmother, who is learning to read; little Rita, who lost her mother and stays during the week; and Ruby's teacher, the unpopular Miss Duke. Ruby loves her life, but things start turning when her pet goat dies and Miss Arbutus feels an ill wind blowing into town. Then the local mines start closing, and everyone in Way Down Deep feels the pinchand sometimes it's a slap. Can Ruby help save the town? Will the special button Rita gave her as a gift be part of the solution? And can the town come together when a treasure appears? This Capraesque story doesn't hold many surprises. But readers will respond to both the story's soft sincerity and the magical touches that provide an ending both they and the characters are longing for.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)