| Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes |
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What You Need to Know:
• A young girl gets involved with a secret agency that is attempting to stop an apparent plot to rob the local bank.
• There are guns and some scary bad guys, but the fear factor remains low.
• This book is the first title in a new series. Book two finds Ruby in an adventure at sea.
• Ruby Redfort, was first introduced to readers as a fictional heroine in Lauren Child's Clarice Bean novels.
• Ruby shares the many rules she lives by, like number 18, "People often miss the downright obvious".
• Check out the website rubyredfort.com to see Ruby's room and take the 99 second test.
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Sweet Book Summary:
Ruby Redfort is a perfect candidate for the spy world, so when a secret agency comes knocking, Ruby is ready for action. Ruby is not your ordinary 7th grader. She's smart, independent, and a bit quirky. Solving puzzles and cracking codes are her idea of a good time. At the same time, she's pretty much your average kid. She has friends, plays sports, ignores her parents on occasion, and watches lots of crime shows on TV. I guess she offers a little something for everyone. The best thing about Ruby, though, is how she stands up for herself. She's no fairytale character, waiting for someone to rescue her out of a tower. Ruby Redfort can take care of herself.
Ruby remains calm even as her house is completely ransacked, her long-time housekeeper disappears, she's recruited by a secret spy agency called Spectrum, and she comes face to face with the villainous Count. Her wealthy, slightly dimwitted parents don't have a clue what's going on around them and are completely absorbed in a museum charity event featuring the Jade Buddha of Khotan. They have no idea that Ruby is now spending her days helping Spectrum crack the code that will lead them to the bad guys and that the Jade Buddha may be in danger. She gets a little help from her best friend, Clancy Crew and her new butler, Hitch (who also happens to work for Spectrum), but mostly she figures things out on her own. In doing so, she does end up impersonating adults, lying, sneaking around, and snagging a few Spectrum gadgets that don't belong to her.
Despite the tense nature of a spy story, the tone is light, and the dialogue is amusing. Ruby even manages to keep up the clever banter in the most dangerous circumstances. Although the focus is more on action than on thoughts and feelings, there is a strong friendship between Ruby and Clancy and a nice rapport between Ruby and Hutch. Other than the fancy gadgets, there is no mention of modern technology. Ruby even uses a pay phone! |
Author: Lauren Child Illustrator: n/a Published: 2012, 400 pages
Themes: Detective Stories, Family Life, Friendship, Secret Agent/Spy |
Sweet Discussion Questions:
• Is Ruby a good secret agent? What does she do well and what mistakes does she make?
• Would you want to be friends with Ruby? Why or why not?
• Did you solve the Vigenere cipher? If so, how?
• Would you like to be a secret agent? Why or why not?
• Why is Ruby more comfortable lying to adults than to her friends?
• Predict what Ruby's next adventure might be. |
| This recommendation was written by: Melissa G. |
| Support Independent Book Shops: Click Here to Buy this Book on IndieBound |
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Capture the Flag
(3)
1. You can never be completely sure what might happen next.
2. If you want to keep something secret, don’t leave it lying around.
4. If in doubt, say nothing.
7. Never forget the little things – it’s the little things that will lead people to notice the big things.
9. There is always a chance that someone somewhere is watching you.
12. Adjust your thinking and your chances improve.
13. There is more to most things than meets the eye…
16. Even the mundane can tell a story.
18. People often miss the downright obvious.
19. Panic will freeze your brain.
26. Never kid a kidder.
29. Just because a lion says it’s a mouse, don’t make it a mouse.
32. Tell one lie and get ready to tell a whole lot more.
33. More often than not, there is always a very ordinary explanation for the “extraordinary” happening.
43. If you’ve go the advantage- make sure you keep it.
52. You can miss a lot in the blink of an eye.
79. What to do if you meet a bear: wish you hadn’t.
I'm listing all her rules in my note book and I was wondering if you give me the first twenty rules? Thank you, ruby