For fans of historical fiction, the Beat Street Series is an option to explore for the scene in Greenwich Village in the late 1950s. Ruby's parents are Beat artists. Her father is a musician, while her mother is a painter. Ruby and her brother Ray are home schooled along with some friends by another couple in the neighborhood. Ruby's greatest problems seem to be saving the money for a new leotard and a pair of earrings, and getting the chance to meet Jack Kerouac. But when she gets into a disagreement with a local shop owner, the police and social services get involved and it may be the end of Ruby's time in the Village.
Readers will be amazed at the details packed into the story - the sights, sounds, and even smells of the Village in 1958 fill Ruby's life and her poetry. From the carefully balanced apples and oranges on a fruit cart to the Italian restaurant that hosts Ruby's birthday party, the author carefully constructs the setting. The social worker who creates tension and change in Ruby's home life seems to be clueless about what her interference means to those involved, so bent on doing her job that she is blind to the chaos and potential heartache she creates.
For teachers looking for books where the characters are creative and respond to what is happening in their lives through their art, Ruby and her poetry offer another possibility to share in class. Recommended for ages 10+. I read an e-book provided by the publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment