This is a delight tale of Ruby who sees the world in a wonderful, magical way. Despite the continual negativity directed toward her by her grandmother, Ruby thrives. Without triteness or corniness, the author weaves a beautiful story of Ruby who makes wonderment for all.

When Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, LA, and the leeves break, Ruby and her grandmother are able to climb to the attic. As the roof is blown away, they witness the incredible devastation.

In grand denial, Ruby's grandmother refused to leave. When her grandmother's boyfriend leaves before the hurricane hits, leaving them to fend for themselves, it is obvious that Ruby must be the strong one to navigate them to safety. ( )

Ruby, a teenager with a vivid imagination, has grown up with her grandmother who has told her all her life that her parents were dead and she was an only child. When Hurricane Katrina hits Louisiana. Ruby learns the truth about her background and her grandmother and finds a way to move forward past the destruction. ( )

Reviewed by JodiG. for TeensReadToo.com

There is a big storm coming. A "Big Spin," as Ruby calls it. Ruby knows the storm is coming because Ruby Butterfly told her, and the Big Oaks told Ruby Butterfly. So it must be true. But, should Ruby tell anyone else? Her grandmother, Mammaloose, says that Ruby just makes things up. Mammaloose probably wouldn't believe her. She would just say it's one more thing from Ruby's imagine. Kind of like Ruby's memories of her sisters and living in the swamp. Just Ruby's imagine.

Not real at all.

Ruby lives in Louisiana with Mammaloose and Uncle Gilbert. Ruby has a special way of talking. Her friend JayEl says it is like Ruby paints a picture with her words. Its just one more thing that makes Ruby stand apart from other people.

Mammaloose isn't particularly loving towards Ruby, but she has her good friends, human and otherwise. The flying people, the rooted people, Samuel Beckett Sparrow and Maya Angelou Hummingbird, Mr. Lagniappe and JayEl, all seem to understand Ruby better than her own grandmother. And Ruby loves everyone. And she warns them that the storm is coming. The storm is real, and it is coming straight toward them. Everything Ruby knows and imagines is about to change because the storm is bringing more destruction than anyone could have imagined and more truth as well.

As Ruby sees her neighborhood swallowed up by the water, she also finds out the truth about the family secrets that have been kept from her for too long. As it turns out, not everything was just Ruby's imagine.

RUBY'S IMAGINE is a true gem of a novel. You become immediately immersed in Ruby's world through her use of highly evocative words and her pure feelings for everyone and everything around her. The story is set during the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Along with a moving story about family and community, there is a very real message about the environment, a subject that is becoming more and more important to every one of us.

Most importantly though, Ruby is a character to cherish. Someone who is as in tune with nature and the people around her as she is with herself. Someone who is nonjudgmental, loving, and forgiving. Someone who likes to make a difference. She is guaranteed to be a character that you will remember for a long time to come. ( )