Stef Choi (illustrator)
Ruby Lu: Star of the Show
Atheneum, 2011
With an epigraph from FDR's first inaugural speech, Lenore Look signals to us that the Great Recession has arrived at 20th Avenue South. But I was completely taken by Stef Choi's vaudeville cover illustration, and thus, it came as a shock when Ruby's father lost his job and the consequences of that loss quickly mounted. That gap between expectations and reality is all too depressingly familiar these days. But Ruby, her family, her friends and community rise to the challenges. Growing up entails losing things (no more show-and-tell), but also gaining things (haiku as a vehicle for expressing excitement, fear, and anger). The loss of steady income can lead to panic and despair, but it can also lead to creativity, pride, community spirit, and realization of one's humanity. It isn't easy, but Rudy earns rewards beyond riches for doing the right thing for the right reasons.
No comments:
Post a Comment