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    Ruby Lu, Brave and True
    Ruby Lu, Brave and True
    Ruby Lu, Brave and True
    Ebook72 pages49 minutes

    Ruby Lu, Brave and True

    By Lenore Look and Anne Wilsdorf

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Most days the best thing about being Ruby is everything. Like when she's the star of her own backyard magic show. Or when she gives a talk at the school safety assembly on the benefits of reflective tape. Or when she rides the No. 3 bus all the way to Chinatown to visit GungGung and PohPoh.
    And then there are the days when it's very hard to be Ruby. Like when her mom suggests Chinese school on Saturdays. Or when her little brother, Oscar, spills all of Ruby's best magician secrets. Or when her parents don't think she's old enough to drive!
    Come along with Ruby Lu in her chapter-book debut -- which even includes a flip book of a magic trick -- and share the good and the not-so-good days with an (almost) eight-year-old Asian-American kid.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtheneum Books for Young Readers
    Release dateMay 11, 2010
    ISBN9781439107157
    Ruby Lu, Brave and True
    Author

    Lenore Look

    Lenore Look is the author of Ruby Lu, Brave and True, an ALA Notable Book, as well as its sequels, Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything and Ruby Lu, Star of the Show. Her picture books include Love as Strong as Ginger, illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Stephen T. Johnson; Henry’s First-Moon Birthday; and Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding, both illustrated by Yumi Heo. She lives in Hong Kong.

    Read more from Lenore Look

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    Reviews for Ruby Lu, Brave and True

    4/5

    63 ratings14 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I liked the details in the book when she describes different events. For example when Ruby is driving with her grandpa. But I didn't like it when she was writing about one thing that was happening and then jumped to a totally different scene in the book. Sofia
    • 5/5
      I cannot believe that I didn't know this book was set in Seattle. Not only Seattle, but Beacon Hill. Not only Beacon Hill, but she goes to Kimball and she lives by the Jefferson Park golf course. I know this particular little slice of neighborhood very well, and it delights me to see it in print. Ruby is a charmer, and her adventures are excellent and age appropriate. Good stuff!
    • 1/5
      asdf
    • 4/5
      I feel as if young readers could relate to this book very easily. In other classes, we've been talking about the importance of readers making a personal meaning to the books that they read. Since Ruby Lu has a lot of problems with her little brother, many students can relate to this issue with their own siblings. This short chapter book is a great way for students to gradually start reading longer books. The author also did a good job with having the main character get through all of her problems. Whenever the main character encountered a new problem in her life, she was always able to change her mindset and fix it. Thinking positive is important. Therefore, this is a very good lesson for children to learn while reading this book.The central message is family and courage.Summary: Ruby Lu loves her life on 20th avenue south. However, her life is not perfect. Throughout the book, Ruby Lu has to work on her magic tricks, deal with bullies, and learn Chinese. Her brother quickly grasps onto the Chinese language and ruins Ruby's magic tricks. Through these hard times, Ruby Lu has to learn how to deal with them without getting too upset. She ends up with a new roommate at the end of the book, her cousin named Flying Duck from China. Even though she's nervous at first to share her room with someone she's never met, it turns out better than she could have ever expected.
    • 5/5
      Ruby is learning about her world. She has a baby brother and neighborhood friends that keep her very busy. Children can learn to speak some Chinese and learn a little about Chinese culture. Ruby's antics comical and entertaining.
    • 4/5
      Ruby Lu can do anything she sets her mind to - including the magic tricks in her backyard, playing with her friends and helping her younger brother walk and talk. There are many things she shouldn’t do but that doesn’t stop her - like driving herself and her little brother to Chinese classes. This transitional chapter book lends itself to the imagination in every child dealing with real kid issues like suddenly having to share a bedroom, having to go to lessons on Saturdays and dealing with not being the best at everything. The illustrations help convey the emotions of the characters and even provide a fun magic trick flip book in the corners. Recommended for children ages 6-9 and would even be a fun read-aloud for younger children.
    • 5/5
      This chapter book is about Ruby Lu, an eight-year-old Asian-American girl. In the story, Ruby faces many things including Chinese school on Saturdays, a "friend's" illness, and Ruby's adventures in magic. The chapters are short enough, and there are illustrations every few pages to help newer readers through the story. The font is easy to read and Ruby is definitely an entertaining character. This is a great book for reader's just entering into chapter books, and some of the lessons contained therein can spark good conversations about those issues.
    • 3/5
      Ruby is an elementary aged girl who is quite unique. She learns about life and matures through her experiences as a big sister, a friend, and a student at Chinese School.The book would be a great way to begin a discussion about connecting with family heritage and maturity.
    • 5/5
      Ruby Lu is a strong female character without any of the rough-edges of similar characters like Junie B. Jones. She lives an energetic life with her beloved baby brother Oscar on a close-knit street in Seattle. Ruby Lu is loving and enthusiastic. She puts on a daily magic show for the neighbors and loves attending Chinese class. She is honest with her feelings in the book even when difficult like when the neighborhood bully gets very sick and Ruby Lu feels relieved. Her character grows as she learns to like the neighborhood bully and love her newly emigrated cousin despite feelings of jealousy. 
    • 4/5
      Ruby Lu is almost eight years old and excited about everything, especially her brother and magic shows. Even as she worries about Californian bullies, Chinese school, and preparing for the arrival of her cousin from China, Ruby still manages to make the best of every situation. Ruby Lu, Brave and True provides readers with a spunky protagonist, a glimpse into Chinese-American culture, and a series of events that readers of all cultures will relate to. The glossary of Chinese terms is both informative and funny. Although there is little continuity between chapters, it works well as a transitional chapter book. Ann Wilsdorf’s occasional pictures are simple and funny. They are a perfect compliment to Lenore Look’s short, childish sentences. Girls in first through third grade will enjoy this series. Ruby Lu is recommended for the children’s section of public libraries, as well as elementary school libraries.
    • 5/5
      This book tells stories about a Chinese American girl Ruby Lu, who is eight years old, enjoys her life, likes doing magic tricks and doing all sorts of other interesting things in her life. The characters are interesting and funny. Children can always learn good lessons from the book. It is a good idea to have a flipbook to go with it and the guide of pronunciation and definitions. The illustration also adds color to the book, however, some of the illustrations could be done better in a more detailed way. It is a celebration of diversity. I’d recommend 2nd to 4th graders to read the book, since it is very fun to read and the content will teach them some things.
    • 4/5
      Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look is a fun chapter book for young readers that follows the daily life adventures of Ruby a Chinese-American girl. This eight year old is especially fond of magic and takes magic classes from Mr. Tupahotu, a second grade teacher, at 3:12 sharp. She is amazed by his ability to differentiate between nouns, as well as his ability to read long novels and her book reports, without getting the two confused. The humor built into the stories is similar to that of the Junie B. Jones books. Each chapter is about a different event in Rudy’s life, either at home or at school. For example, in one chapter she tries to teach her baby brother how to talk, in another chapter, she holds a magic show in her backyard. She tries to drive the car with her little brother, and her parents explain how unsafe it is for someone her age to do so. Her cousin comes to live with her from China and Ruby has to adjust to the new house guest. The glossary in the back of the book helps expose young readers unfamiliar with the Chinese culture to words and terms used throughout the book. For example, Ruby refers to her mom’s parents as her gung-gung (grandpa) and her pohpoh (grandma). The adventures of everyday life are similar to those experienced by the young reader, wondering what it’s like to drive a car, wanting to communicate with a younger sibling, loving the attention received when performing (albeit poor magic tricks), the frustration of learning something new (magic tricks) and having to practice over and over before getting it. Look does a great job intertwining humor with the realities of a young elementary school student. When Ruby’s mother says she wants her to go to Chinese school, Ruby protests because it’s held on Saturdays. But, in the end, mother knows best and Ruby ends up enjoying herself. While this book exposes readers to the Chinese culture, there are many parallels to the human culture, making it universal. Almost any child can relate to at least one of the many issues Ruby must learn to deal with like having a baby sibling, going to a new school, having to practice to become good at something, making friends, etc.
    • 3/5
      So, one thing - interesting that the stories spread among multiple chapters. (Children’s novel) I was guessing from the size and the general tone that this would be the sort where each chapter is a standalone story.Classic themes - jealousy with a braggy friend, troubles with a little brother, standing up to a bully. Developing empathy for the bully. Some nice turns of phrase "everything was changing as fast as shuffling cards” Glossary of Chinese words (nice.)APPALLED, at the "oh driving the car is a fun adventure" story, though.
    • 4/5
      Interesting book early chapter book

    Book preview

    Ruby Lu, Brave and True - Lenore Look

    1

    The Best Thing About 20th Avenue South

    The best thing about living on 20th Avenue South was everything.

    Ruby liked her house. She had lived there since kindergarten. Tomato slugs lived at the bottom of the front steps. A plum tree lived in the backyard. The kitchen smelled like jook and ice cream.

    Ruby liked the rain. It rained often on 20th Avenue South. The rain sprinkled diamonds on spiderwebs and poured silver on the sidewalks. At night the rain was a lullaby of a billion grains of rice falling on the roof.

    Ruby liked the sunshine. It was not often sunny on 20th Avenue South, but when it was, all the bottle caps in the street shone like coins. Windows opened. Radios played. Laundry dried. Plums ripened. Mothers took their babies out.

    Ruby liked the bus. The No. 3 ran from Chinatown to the Jefferson Golf Course. Ruby’s pohpoh and gunggung lived in Chinatown. Ruby lived near the Jefferson Golf Course. The No. 3 bus brought PohPoh to Ruby, or Ruby to PohPoh, whenever GungGung was too busy to drive them, and they saw each other as often as they could.

    Ruby liked her school. Kimball Elementary was usually four blocks away. But whenever Ruby got the urge, school was nine blocks away: two more blocks over to the driving range to look for golf balls that had come through the fence, three blocks backtracking to school. Ruby was almost eight and was finally allowed to walk to school by herself. She wore lots of reflective tape—just so her mother wouldn’t have to worry, especially on foggy mornings.

    Everyone should wear reflective tape, Ruby liked to say. And she got to say this every year at the school safety assembly.

    Ruby liked her new wallet. The librarian gave out a shiny wallet to every child who became a card-carrying member of the Beacon Hill Public Library. It was school-bus yellow and closed with crunchy Velero. Ruby carried her wallet everywhere. It meant that she was almost ready for a driver’s license and credit cards. Ruby could hardly wait.

    Ruby especially liked after school. Mr. Tupahotu’s magic class began at 3:12 sharp. Ruby was never late. Mr. Tupahotu had been a famous magician before he became a teacher. He turned scarves into butterflies. He floated a beautiful lady in midair. He owned 513 rabbits (not all at once). He appeared on TV. He signed an autograph for Ruby.

    The Great Tupahotu was now just a regular guy, but he was not your regular second-grade teacher. He could read a whole Russian novel (without falling asleep) and usually one of Ruby’s book reports (without confusing the two). In addition he could tell who threw the paper airplane just by the way it was folded, and fold a much more impressive one. He knew the difference between a person, place, and thing, except sometimes when it came to Ruby’s imaginative writing. And he could write in cursive, even on the blackboard.

    In magic class he made everything look so easy. But everything was actually very hard. Ruby could never do any of the tricks the first time around. Or the second. Or sometimes even the 199th. But she was getting better.

    She could put a coin through her elbow.

    She could cut a string into two pieces and then turn it back into one piece.

    She could hypnotize a handkerchief and make it obey.

    She could almost make a coin stand up just by blowing on it.

    She could make knots disappear …

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