Ruby's Slippers

November 8, 2010
Like her idol, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Ruby believes that there's no place like home; she's very happy living in Curly Creek, Kans., a place where there's no need for technology and the neighbors are family. But Ruby's mother is taking her to Oz—aka Coconut Beach, Fla.—to live with Ruby's Nana Dottie, who her mother had an unexplained falling out with years ago. Ruby sticks out like a pair of ruby slippers (if ruby slippers were red Chuck Taylors) among her sophisticated classmates, and her eccentric mother doesn't help (as when she gives Ruby a vintage ABBA lunch box that sets off the school's metal detector). While navigating emotional landmines at home, Ruby tries to make sense of the culture of cell phones and divas-in-training while holding onto her ideals; she is challenged by popular Ava, who is enraged when Ruby is put in her group for the illustrious school talent show. Secondary characters are less developed than Ruby, but Rayburn's (the Maggie Bean series) story is a fun romp over the rainbow with a plucky and entertaining heroine. Ages 9–13.

June 1, 2010
Grades 4-7 This cheery novels references to the classic movie The Wizard of Oz start with the title and end with the last scene, in which seventh-grader Ruby watches her favorite film on a drive-in screen with all of her favorite people. Rayburn opens the story by uprooting her heroine from a fun but gadget-free existence in rural Kansas. Although narrator Ruby points out all of the parallels between her life and Dorothy Gales, Rayburn doesnt force too much of the movies plot onto her own story. Ruby moves to Florida with her mother and adapts to their new life with Rubys grandmother; Rubys new middle school seems less like Oz than it does a (very well financed) public middle school, complete with mean girls and an American Idollike contest. The happy ending not only brings all three generations together and finds Mom a great new career and boyfriend, but Ruby, too, finds true love and her own talent. Over the rainbow, yes, and a little bit over the top.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)