Ruby on the Outside

This short book for middle grade readers handles its topic (the incarceration of a parent) with sensitivity and empathy. Ruby's evolving feelings of shame, longing, and anger are believably portrayed. Ruby deals with them all in the context of a budding first best-friendship. Ruby has never mentioned to anyone that her mother is in prison. What would her friend Margalit think if Margalit knew? Especially if, as Ruby begins to suspect, Margalit's family is somehow connected with her mother's case? What shone for me in this story even more than Ruby's friendship with Margalit were her remembered encounters with other children during visiting hours at the prison: Tevin, who's confident his family's letter-writing campaign will get his mom out of prison, and Rebecca, who has both parents in prison and tells Ruby she can look up her mother's case online. Through their stories as well as Ruby's, you get a very clear picture of what it's like to have an imprisoned parent. The story had just the right touch, for me. It's definitely focused on its theme, but the characters are well developed and feel emotionally true, and the story through which the theme is investigated kept my interest and sympathy. The one storytelling choice that surprised and perplexed me was the solution to the problem of Margalit's family's connection to Ruby's mother's crime. The initial set-up seemed implausible, but its negation made for a situation that was equally implausible. Overall, however, the story is very believable and was a pleasure to read.

The book arrived as described and nicely wrapped. I was most impressed with the personalized handwritten note! I would definitely buy more items from Buschi.

Great book for pre-teens about friendship and trust.

I really enjoyed this book. The author was able to describe with accuracy and great compassion the experience of a parent is in prison as told through the eyes of the child. Equally important, the authenticity of Ruby's voice and her thoughts about peer relationships and the need for a best friend is well accomplished. I appreciated the writing style and that the story and narrative rings true. I loved the role writing played in book and the integrity and maturity of her friend.

This book did a fantastic job of helping you see what the other victims of crime, the children of the offender, go through. I cried for Ruby who so badly just wanted her mom home with her. But as she grew older she then struggled with the secret of where her mom was. Excellent book that made you realize that the kids are victims too.

What a gift this book is - not only an inspiring and sensitive exploration of this particular topic - kids with parents in prison - but also a blueprint for navigating the changing and assumption/disappointment-filled relationship between any parent and child. I love how the mother talks to Ruby and genuinely wants to understand how she feels, even if it’s difficult to hear what she has to say. There are also some wonderful insights about true friendship, and how it all starts with accepting yourself. I didn’t want the story to end – how about a sequel?

Ruby lives with Matoo for Ruby’s mother lives a short distance away and she visits her every Saturday afternoon. Waiting in line, emptying her pockets and sitting in the assigned seats, this has become a routine in her life, a routine that Ruby has kept hidden from everyone around her. Ruby is embarrassed to admit her mother is in prison and calling her aunt Matoo helps cover up the fact that she does not live with her mother. Ruby vaguely remembers her mother without her green attire but it’s the visits that she remembers, these weekly visits over the years. As a small child, she remembers waiting each week to see her mother with the expectation that mother would be departing with them, leaving the correction center behind. Only Ruby was disappointed as they drove away as her mother had years left on her sentence. Now, Ruby is ready for middle school and she still is uncomfortable with her mother’s situation. Her fear of the truth has isolated her and I found it sad that after all this time, no one has spoken to her about her mother. I realize she was young but they had to realize she had questions. Her world had changed and her situation was different from other kids her age, so why didn’t anyone talk to her? I felt sorry for her; someone should have at least opened the door for her so she could at least posed questions to someone. Kristin and Ruby live a group of condos and summer camp is beginning. Kristin was a friend, they went to the same school but they were not that close. They notice Margalit, a new girl hanging out by the pool, looking confident and enjoying herself. Kristin is headed off for the summer leaving Ruby to wonder if perhaps Margalit might be someone she could become friends with. I loved Margalit’s personality and her energy. She was the perfect person to walk into Ruby’s life and Ruby was a great light for Margalit. As the girls share their past, the story gets intense and emotions get heated. Its funny how life is, you think you have troubles when in reality everyone has bumps in their road. The novel provides great messages and I see mature and change. Ruby sees that consequences aren’t always fair but its part of life and you have to deal with it and move forward. I really loved the message about being a bystander. We preach this message a lot at school. Being a bystander means that you are not the one committing the crime or the offense but that you are there watching it being committed and you are doing nothing about stopping it. You have a choice as a bystander, you can stop it or you can watch it, it is your choice. Watching it, you are just as guilty as the person doing the crime or the offense because you did nothing to stop it. Therefore, you need to take responsibility for your action. I really thought was a powerful message in this novel. I liked that the author took on the issue of having a parent in prison, I applaud her for doing this. I really think this would make a great read aloud for upper elementary grades.

This was a wonderful book. My daughter (now in 6th grade), chose it for her summer reading program at school. She really enjoyed this book and coukdn’t stop reading it. That makes a mother very proud!