Baskin, Nora Raleigh. Ruby On The Outside. Simon and Schuster, 2015. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8503-7. 163 p. Gr. 4 – 7. P7Q7
Eleven year old Ruby’s mother is in prison and she hides that shameful secret from everyone at school. Finally, a girl Ruby’s age moves in to the apartment complex. Could Margalit be the friend that Ruby grows to trust enough to share the secret? It looks hopeful for the young girl, desperate for a best friend, until the connection between Ruby’s mom and Margalit’s family emerges.
Verdict: While this wasn’t a compelling page turner, I did find the narrator (Ruby) credible. She sounds like a middle schooler. Perhaps I’m jaded, but I thought the connection between Ruby and Maraglit’s family was too incredible to believe.
October 2016 review by Shelly Jones.
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