Ruby Redfort and Clarice Bean

It’s been too long since I’ve blogged. We had school holidays which require me to be mumming round-the-clock. Plus I’ve had some other exciting things going on, not the least of which is that I’ve discovered that I have time to go shopping without kids during the day and my wardrobe is starting to resemble that of a person who isn’t chief in a tribe of pre-schoolers. I’ve still been reviewing for the CBCA and we have been reading some really great books.

Lauren Child

Over the years we have enjoyed Lauren Child’s work, through her artwork for a great edition of Pippi Longstocking to the Charlie and Lola series. Her art is ‘exceptionordinarily’ distinctive, her characters are often independent and outspoken with naivety and innocence that is reflective of the children she aims to reach. Recently we have come to really love two of Lauren’s characters, Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort. While these are by no means new, they have been new to us and have quickly become favourites.

A few years ago I borrowed a Ruby Redfort book for Jude and he just wouldn’t give it a try. Perhaps he was daunted by the size of the book – they are thick and bulky, but deceptive so, they don’t take as long to read as you might think. Perhaps he also thought they were too old for him, they titles are kind of mature. So back to the library it went.

Earlier this year I wanted to give them a read. I think it was the covers of the books, they are so very retro and mysterious, I adore them (the books have be republished with a new cover which is not in the same style, definitely not in Lauren Child’s style, and honestly they look terrible). I got the first one and thought it was fantastic and managed to get Jude to try it. He then proceeded to reserve and read the entire collection our library has (I think there is still one more in the series he hasn’t read).

Ruby is a tween spy who is part of an agency that she isn’t allowed to tell anyone about. She is spunky, brave, and quick-witted. She speaks the truth (when she can) and has lots of great one-liners. Her parents are so wrapped up in their own world and oblivious to Ruby’s adventures. Other great characters are Hitch, the butler who is in on the whole thing, and Clancy Crew, Ruby’s best friend.

We have had Clarice Bean chapter books sitting around for quite a while, but no one has picked them up. Recently we finished a read-aloud and needed a new one and this jumped out at me from the bookshelf and they have been an absolute hit with the kids, Freya especially.

Clarice Bean, the narrator of the picture books and chapter books, is such an engaging, funny, loveable character. My kids relate to her, she is the third in a family of four children, her home is loud, her parents busy. She is very honest and has such a precise way of explaining things that you just want to meet her, you want some of her awareness and authenticity to rub off on you. The way she talks about her family, particularly her teenage brother, cracks me up: “Hormones are things which buzz about in your body, making you find your family embarrassing and causing pimples”.

The other really cool thing about the chapter books is that Clarice Bean is obsessed with a series called Ruby Redfort. In the first book Clarice, and her best friend Betty Moody, read Ruby Redfort books non-stop and we get to read excerpts from the books too. In later books, there is a TV series and a movie of Ruby Redfort that Clarice talks to us about.

I think one reason we love Clarice is that she feels similar to, perhaps just a bit older than, Kes Grey’s Daisy character which we have enjoyed this past year. Both characters speak honestly, get themselves in and out of trouble, have wonderful ideas, and explain a child’s perspective of the inconsistencies and unfairness in the world.