Ruby Red Shoes

September 23, 2019
Named for various shoes “the color of radishes” that she’s worn since she was a baby rabbit with very cold feet, Ruby Red Shoes stars in a series in Australia. In soothing, succinct prose and dainty pencil and watercolor drawings, Knapp’s introductory volume explains how the Mary Engelbreit–esque bunny is being raised by her wise grandmother, Babushka Galina Galushka, to be “an aware hare”—kind to herself and others, and a good steward of the planet. But rather than offer a narrative arc that might test these qualities—or any kind of narrative arc at all (aside from a fleeting moment when Ruby imagines she’s in a bathtub that takes off on an adventure)—the author opts for a lifestyle approach. Pages extol the “prettily painted” caravan that’s her home, her lovely things (“generous teacups for hot drinks, feathery quilts to snuggle up in”), her expertly tended garden, and a flock of “jazzy” chickens who adore learning French (“oeuf = egg” says the blackboard in the al fresco classroom). As a student of pleasant companionship, mindful existence, and living one’s best life, Ruby Red Shoes excels, paws down. Ages 3–7.

November 1, 2019
Ruby, a white hare, always wears red shoes. Her first pair came from Babushka Galina Galushka, the grandmother she lives with in a sweetly decorated caravan, evocative of Eastern Europe. Though the title suggests that Ruby might learn or teach a lesson about awareness in the story, this book offers almost nothing in the way of plot. There is little interaction between Ruby and Babushka Galushka, no dialogue outside of the grandmother's advice to treat feelings as "delicate birds' eggs," and no additional named characters. What this work offers in abundance is a sweet satisfaction with the day to day. Ruby's unhurried routine showcases the role of humble objects within it, such as capacious teacups, energetic, engaged chickens, and a billowing clothesline. While some readers may find such inaction, well, boring, others may appreciate sensing the comfort of home. A charming cadence shapes the narrative, making it appealing to read aloud. Within the clean, sophisticated illustrations, notable attention is paid to the small details, such as holes in each individual button in a jar, tiny petals folded tightly on flowers, and slightly rounded points on Ruby's colored pencils. Everything about this book asks readers to go slowly, to put aside the expected, and to savor the simplicity of the moment. Surprisingly pleasant. (Picture book. 5-8)

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