Pride. Popularity… Poetry Middle School.
Ruby and Mia are total opposites. Ruby is a little awkward, not a ‘joiner’ and loves to write poetry. While Mia is type A, popular(ish) and wants to be class president. They used to be friends but now they have nothing in common anymore… or do they?
Terri Libenson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series and the cartoonist of the award-winning syndicated comic strip The Pajama Diaries. Remarkably Ruby is Libenson’s sixth and latest addition to the Emmie & Friends series.
This is a heartwarming story about how there’s more to everyone than meets the eye. Ruby’s not your typical protagonist. I can picture Ruby describing herself as a fleeting background character, but now the spotlight is on her and she’s learning to adjust.
Recommended for young readers aged 8+, this graphic novel navigates the ups and downs of friendship and self-love. Ruby’s at an age that’s full of change, uncertainty and inconsistency. She feels a bit like a fish out of water at her school, regularly compares herself to others, and is quite shy and awkward when meeting new people. I think we’ve all felt like Ruby at some point in our lives – especially during those pivotal primary school years. But this is a story about finding yourself and finding clarity in the unknown.
Graphic novels are very popular among BR Kids readers; they enjoy the seamless storytelling and conversational tone that accompanies the format. Learning to step into the spotlight, Ruby comes into her own, makes new relationships and mends old ones, while also realising there have been people there for her all along.
Don’t fret if you haven’t read the rest of the books in the Emmie & Friends series, because, like the other five books in the series, Remarkably Ruby can be read as a standalone. I can’t wait to see what Libeson has in store next for this series.
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