Frances Bradburn (Booklist, May 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 17))
Ruby Lavender is a nine-year-old charmer, in love with life and her adoring grandmother. She and Miss Eula keep in touch daily by leaving letters for each other in the knothole of a silver maple in Halleluia, Mississippi--that is, until Miss Eula goes to Hawaii to visit her son and his wife and her new granddaughter, Leilani. Ruby is crushed, forced to spend a hot summer on her own, and jealous, too, of a new little girl she fears will steal her grandmother's heart. But the summer is a maturing one as Ruby nurtures hatching chickens, makes a new friend, Dove, and finally comes to terms with her grandfather's death. Wiles has painted a picture of a time long past when communities were small and close-knit, people wrote letters, and chickens escaped only to create havoc at play practice. Yet she has also created a timeless story of life and death, the bond between grandparent and grandchild, and the reality that, regardless, "life does go on." Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2001, Harcourt/Gulliver, $16. Gr. 4-6.

Joan Kindig, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
Ruby lives in a small Southern town (Halleluia, MS) with only her mother, an extension agent for the County, but with her grandmother, Miss Eula, nearby. She and Miss Eula are very close and the book opens with them liberating (or stealing!) chickens from a farmer preparing to kill them. The story is set almost a year since Grandpa Garnet's death and we see Miss Eula and Ruby dealing very differently with their grief. Miss Eula decides to go to Hawaii on a real adventure to visit her son and her newborn granddaughter, Leilani. Clearly, the loss of Garnet has made Miss Eula want to wring as much out of life as she can. But her rather sudden departure leaves Ruby feeling lost and alone. She spends the long summer days at Miss Eula's house (the Pink Palace that she painted pink when Grandpa died) guarding her chickens and the eggs that one of them is hatching. Ruby has a dislike for a girl named Melba Jane that is completely mutual. Over the course of the story, we are given bits and pieces of the story of the fateful night that Ruby's grandfather and Melba's father ran off the road and were killed. Whose fault was it? Grandpa was driving and fell asleep at the wheel but why did they drive home so tired? No one will ever really know but we find that Ruby has felt responsible for the accident, as has Melba. With the help of Dove, a budding anthropologist bent on interviewing everyone in sight, Melba and Ruby begin to understand what they can never really understand. The story is about giving away your anger and opening your heart to others who hurt. The title refers to the closing of the letters that Ruby and Miss Eula exchange even when they're living in close proximity, but also to the letters that they exchange when Miss Eula is in Hawaii and Ruby is on her own at home alone. I loved that the letters often crossed in the mail, which suggested that writing is not just to exchange information but it is also cathartic. I loved this one! 2001, Harcourt, $16.00. Ages 7 to 12.

Janet L. Rose (Children's Literature)
Nine-year-old Ruby is devastated when her grandmother (and best friend) goes to Hawaii to see her newest (and second) granddaughter. Ruby fights loneliness and jealousy by writing letters to her grandmother and by caring for three chickens they rescued from the slaughterhouse. There was a serious accident a year ago--Ruby's grandfather and Melba's (also nine) father were killed in a car accident. Each character handles the personal loss differently--Melba is angry and blames Ruby, Ruby's grandmother goes to Hawaii to escape the memories, and Ruby feels guilty and always takes the long way into town to avoid the scene of the accident. She must also cope with Melba's anger and cruel teasing. The grudge escalates to Melba tossing rocks at the hen house and killing two baby chicks just before they are due to hatch. Ruby is devastated but learns to forgive herself as well as Melba. The maturity level and perceptions of these nine-year-olds is exceptionally high, but it is well-written and could appeal to an older audience. The format includes letters Ruby writes to and receives from her grandmother, which are full of pathos, humor and feeling. 2001, Harcourt, $16.00. Ages 9 to 11.

Marie Salvadore (Parents Guide, Fall 2001 (Vol. 4, No. 1))
Ruby Lavender and her grandmother, Miss Eula, are a team, sharing everything from stealing chickens to notes left in the silver maple tree. When Miss Eula announces that she is going to Hawaii to visit a new grandchild, 9- year old Ruby is convinced that Miss Eula is leaving her forever. Ruby's growing understanding is revealed through letters to and from Miss Eula and an engaging, often humorous, frequently poignant text. 2001, Gulliver Books (Harcourt), $16. Ages 10 to 12.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2001 (Vol. 55, No. 1))
Poor Ruby Lavender: her beloved grandfather died last year, her grandmother, Miss Eula, is off to Hawaii for an extended visit with a new grandchild, and her nemesis Melba Jane (of the tippy-tappy patent leather shoes) is making her life a trial. Ruby is trying to concentrate on taking care of her chickens and writing letters to her absent grandmother, but she seems to have a talent for trouble; the trouble usually revolves around Melba Jane, who holds Ruby responsible for the car accident that killed Ruby’s grandfather and Melba Jane’s father. In spite of her tough talk Ruby secretly agrees with Melba Jane, and it’s only when she confesses to new friend Dove that she learns the truth and finds release from her unnecessary guilt. The journey to that absolution, however, is littered with egg-sitting chickens, escaping chickens, and greedy chickens, Miss Eula’s pink house, Melba Jane’s blue hair, and the letters that fly back and forth between Ruby and her grandmother. The pace is quick and the tone is companionable, and if the final resolution between Ruby and Melba Jane is sentimental and sweet, well, as Ruby would say, sweet garden of peas! It couldn’t end any other way. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2001, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2001, Gulliver/Harcourt, 188p, $16.00. Grades 4-6.

Louise Foerster (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 14, No. 2))
Ruby Lavender and her eccentric grandmother correspond in letters daily until Grandma (Miss Eula) goes to visit in Hawaii. Ruby has adventures with her three pet chickens that she dearly loves. A good choice for independent pleasure reading for the younger crowd, this book will please both girls and boys. The letter exchange presents a different format. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades 3-6. 2001, Gulliver Books, 188p, $16.00. Ages 8 to 12.