Review by Booklist Review
PreS-Gr. 1. In the spirit of Charlotte Zolotow's William's Doll (1972) comes this story of Ruthie, who isn't thrilled with the games her Nana dreams up during a visit. There are beautiful old dolls for a tea party and fancy clothes for dress up, but Ruthie couldn't care less. She prefers putting the dolls in a cardboard box and pretending they are firemen in a truck racing across town. In fact, it's the toy fire engine (and the motorcycle and the train) belonging to neighbor Brian that have really captivated Ruthie. Finally, she's allowed to play with him and all his moving motors. When Nana picks Ruthie up, she finds herself lured to the floor by the vroom, vroom of the engines, and she plays right along with the kids. This book hits the mark on three solid counts--a real story, good pacing, and deliciously full artwork that has its own momentum. The illustrations are also well detailed; it's easy to see Nana's hopeful look as she flounces around in dress-up clothes as well as the pleasure on her face as she and the kids zoom vehicles around the floor. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As with Newman's The Boy Who Cried Fabulous (reviewed April 12), the author here introduces a protagonist with interests that buck societal stereotypes. Ruthie and her grandmother spend lots of time together, buying Ruthie's favorite foods, checking out her favorite books and playing on her favorite swing set. But with each outing, Ruthie longingly observes the neighbor boy, Brian, playing with his noisy vehicles. " `Do you have a train to play with at your house, Nana?'... `No,' says Nana, `but I have some beautiful dolls waiting at home for you.' " While Nana encourages tea parties and flower painting, Ruthie prefers the roar of toy motorcycles and fire engines. Moore (I Love You, Stinky Face) balances the enjoyable times the pair shares (as in a vignette of their playdate at the park) with the slight disappointment Ruthie feels when her preferences don't mesh with Nana's. The vibrant watercolors pack in plenty of detail and the cheery hues of the busy spreads echo Ruthie's sunny optimism, as do her short, curly red locks. Nana eventually learns to let her granddaughter be her guide into more boisterous play, though readers may feel that the ending goes too far when Nana gets carried away with Brian's trains herself. Young and old will likely appreciate both protagonists' points of view. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Ruthie is visiting her grandmother for a few days. Coming back from the grocery store, they pass a young neighbor, Brian, playing with a fire truck. Ruthie hopes that Nana has a truck like that at her house but she doesn't, and the woman suggests that they play with dolls instead. Before long, the girl has an imaginary fire going and turns a cardboard box into a pretend truck. The next day, Brian is playing with a train set. Ruthie is not interested in putting on a fashion show with dress-up clothes, so she creates a train out of chairs. So it goes until Nana asks her what she'd like to do, and Ruthie asks to visit Brian. They play with all sorts of transportation toys and when Nana arrives to pick up her granddaughter, she joins in the fun. The next day, the two visit the toy store to buy a fire engine and a train. Moore's realistic illustrations, done in watercolor, are pleasant enough, but they cannot carry this predictable story. Old favorites, such as Charlotte Zolotow's William's Doll (HarperCollins, 1972), do a better job of addressing issues of male-female role expectations.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Nana has plenty of girly activities planned for her granddaughter Ruthie's visit. Ruthie plays along, but her inner tomboy secretly longs for the toy trucks and trains down the street at Brian's house. Ruthie's true feelings come to light, and Nana comes around too. Softly detailed and playful illustrations add heart to a familiar story. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Newman's latest recalls the Charlotte Zolotow classic William's Doll. Here, however, Newman shifts perspective, centering her story on a girl, Ruthie, and her grandmother, who tries to get her fire-truck-and-motorcycle-loving granddaughter excited about dolls and dress-up. In Moore's watercolor vignettes and framed panels, readers see Ruthie's dilemma--Nana hugs her old dolls while Ruthie puts them in a box that she pushes around like a passenger train; Nana dons heels, a hat and a feather boa while Ruthie turns a beret into a conductor's cap. Thankfully, Nana eventually opens her eyes, realizing that, although she and Ruthie enjoy different activities, they can still have fun together. Like Zolotow's William, Newman's heroine remains true to herself, bolstered by the enduring love of family. A good choice for challenging gender stereotypes and creating a culture of acceptance. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
