Ruby

Book by Emberley, Michael

If readers notice that Ruby (a mouse) is reading Little Red Riding Hood while sniffing her mother's freshly baked triple cheese pies, they will easily imagine the next sequence of events. Ruby is given some pies to deliver to her sick grandmother and to a neighbor, Mrs. Mastiff. She is warned not to talk to strangers and especially never to trust a cat. Of course, Ruby forgets this sound advice and gets smart-alecky with a slimy reptile who steals her goodie bag. She is rescued by a well-dressed, smooth-talking cat whose drool drips down his whiskers at the sight of Ruby. When Ruby tells the cat exactly where her grandma lives, readers will be aghast, yet Ruby has a plan. All ends well-- except for the cat. There has been an recent inundation of takeoffs on familiar traditional tales, but this Red Riding Hood variation has enough plot twists and innovation to keep readers involved and interested. The illustrations show congested city roads and bustling sidewalks teeming with animals from all walks of life. Ruby is an independent, outspoken, street-smart mouse whose language is surprising, but never in bad taste; she is simply confronting the hazards of city living. Readers will know that she'll survive it all and have her fun. --Martha Topol, Interlochen Public Library, MI
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