Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Ruby in the Sky

Author: Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: selective mute main character. Syrian side character.

Publication Date: February 5, 2019

Genre: MG Contemporary

Recommended Age: 10+ (parent death, grief, sadness)

Publisher: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux

Pages: 304

Amazon Link

Synopsis: When twelve-year-old Ruby Moon Hayes and her mother move to Vermont, Ruby’s goal is to stay as silent and invisible as a new moon in the frozen sky. She doesn’t want kids at school asking about her missing father or discovering that her mother has been arrested. But keeping to herself isn’t easy when Ahmad Saleem, a Syrian refugee in her class, decides he’s her new best friend. Or when she meets “the Bird Lady,” a recluse named Abigail who lives in a ramshackle shed near Ruby’s house. No one in town understands Abigail — people whisper about her, about her boarded-up house and the terrible secrets she must be hiding.

As Mom’s trial draws near and Abigail faces eviction, Ruby is forced to make a choice: break her silence or risk losing everyone she loves. Ruby’s story is about the walls we hide behind and the magic that can happen when we are brave enough to break free.

Review: For the most part I liked this book. The characters in it were very well developed, I loved how the author included a selective mute main character and a Syrian refugee, and they tackled some real-world issues. The world building was also very well done and it was rich in detail. I also thought that the writing was very age appropriate and big world issues were explained very well for younger readers.

However, I hate that the grieving but unable to cope parents are becoming a trope. It’s a reality and I don’t deny it, but I don’t like the overuse of it in every novel. That’s just a me thing though.

Verdict: It’s a great read!