Product Description

Ruby is unlike most little girls in old China. Instead of aspiring to get married, Ruby is determined to attend university when she grows up, just like the boys in her family. Based upon the inspirational story of the author's grandmother and accompanied by richly detailed illustrations, Ruby's Wish is an engaging portrait of a young girl who strives for more and a family who rewards her hard work and courage.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #432329 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 36 pages

Amazon.com Review
First-time kids' book author Shirin Yim Bridges uses a tender family story to travel back to turn-of-the-century China and teach a proto-feminist lesson about perseverance and self-belief.

Idiosyncratic young Ruby lives in a large (and wealthy!) Chinese family, in a gigantic "house filled with the shrieks and laughter of over one hundred children." She stands out because she insists on always wearing red, the color of celebration ("Even when her mother made her wear somber colors like her other cousins, Ruby would tie up her jet-black hair with red ribbons") but even more so because of her quiet dissatisfaction with the family's traditional gender inequity. Determined to study reading and writing--even when it means long hours catching up on more wifely training--Ruby eventually comes to the attention of her grandfather, the wise house patriarch, who springs a surprise as the time for her to wed approaches.

Graceful Aussie illustrator Sophie Blackall captures the culture--contrasted by Ruby's bright red defiance--expertly, with elegant calligraphy, muted period clothing, and countless nice details (from a porcelain bowl full of terrapins to ink smudges on Ruby's cousins' faces). And what's better, Bridges's well-structured story is true--with a fun surprise ending! (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly
Bridges, in her first book (based on her grandmother's story), handles the conflict between Chinese tradition and young Ruby's longing to attend university with grace and compassion. She sets the scene with a description of "a block of houses, five houses wide and seven houses deep, [once] the magnificent home of one family." Ruby lives in this home with her grandfather (who "did what rich men did in old China: he married many wives"). A tutor teaches any of the 100 assorted grandchildren who wish to learn, but Ruby is the only girl who continues to study while also keeping pace with learning her many household duties. Bridges characterizes the heroine as confident and spunky. For instance, she "insist[s] on wearing red every day"; opposite, Blackall (A Giraffe for France) gives a nod to Chinese silkscreening with four poetic images of her, one per season, wearing various red outfits. One day, her teacher shows Ruby's grandfather a poem she has written in calligraphy: "Alas, bad luck to be born a girl; worse luck to be/ born into this house where only boys are cared for." Grandfather questions her about the poem, and she confides her wish to go to university. Years later, at a New Year's Day celebration, he proves that he was listening. Blackall conveys their special relationship in subtle ways: Grandfather's presence on the balcony, observing Ruby at her studies, a gentle stroke of her head when Ruby is called to Grandfather's office. This understated tale takes Ruby's predicament seriously while still celebrating her love of learning and her joyful personality. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
K-Gr. 2. Born into a large, wealthy Chinese family, Ruby is named for the color she loves and wears every day. She studies traditional subjects such as embroidery and cooking but she also flourishes at the family school, even though in those days girls rarely learned to read or write. When she writes a sorrowful poem about her family "where only boys are cared for," Ruby's grandfather summons her for an explanation. Ruby confesses her desire to attend a university, and at a family celebration he surprises her with an announcement of her university acceptance. On the final page the narrator reveals that this is based on a true story: "Ruby is my grandmother, and every day she still wears a little red." Told in a concise, straightforward style, the narrative provides just enough background for young children. With crimson outlines and highlights, the gouache art features a vibrant, red Ruby set against predominantly neutral backgrounds. Ruby's tale will supplement multicultural and women's history units and serve as a springboard to other family stories. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Gorgeous book with a powerful theme.
Serendipity brought this book into our home and I'm so grateful. It is a beautiful book in every way, from its vibrant illustrations to its messages of respect -- for oneself, for one's elders, for one's culture and for the never-ending gift of learning. The story of Ruby, a Chinese girl whose intelligence, integrity and confidence inspired her family patriarch to break with tradition, speaks to all. We are African-American parents of a son. We read this book to him often and we know that, through hearing Ruby's story, our son's perspective on life and the world in which he lives has been enormously enriched.

Lovely, true story of a girl in China
Ruby, a little girl living in turn-of-the-century China, is so named because she loves red, not just on holidays, but every day of the year. She also loves to study with her cousins in the school provided by her wealthy grandfather. Her calligraphy is especially fine, and she comes to her grandfather�s attention when she writes the couplet �Alas, bad luck to be born a girl, worse luck to be born into this house where only boys are cared for.� Her grandfather questions her kindly and finds out that she would rather attend university than enter marriage�which is, of course, expected of all girls at the time...

On the last page we learn that this is a true story, based on the author�s grandmother. We also get to see a photograph of this grandmother, one of the first women university students in China. And we learn that �every day, she still wears a little red.�

This is a gem of a book, with simple yet evocative writing and beautiful illustrations which capture emotions wonderfully and provide a wealth of detail on Chinese dress and décor of the time.

This is a Great Book!
This book is a very inspiring book and I can't believe it hasn't been reviewed before. I don't want to reveal the surprise at the end but it is very sweet. A Chinese girl wants to go to school. What does her grandfather say?