Ruby Sings the Blues

by Niki Daly

Ruby's voice is SO loud, it's driving everyone crazy! Then Ruby's jazz-playing neighbors come up with a plan to help her control her volume. Ruby finally learns to sing to her heart's content...without everyone needing earplugs! (Well, most of the time.) The perfect book-fun, celebratory, and maybe even a little helpful-for any family with its own irrepressible Ruby.

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Childrens, School, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2005

About the author

Nicholas "Niki" Daly, South African illustrator and children's book author.

http://www.childlit.org.za/ndaly.html

Reviews

[Cheryl]

I had to read the author bio to be sure that this is the same Niki Daly that wrote and illustrated Jamela's Dress and other picture-books set in or near South Africa. It is. But here the art is more slap-dash (at least, it seems so to me), the setting could be just about anywhere (though almost everyone is White, so it looks like the US to me), and the story, imo, only so-so. I suppose if you are, know, or have a child like Ruby, one who is irrepressibly outgoing and gifted with a voice that carries, you'll like it more. I, myself, got a headache just reading the book!

I will continue to read more by the author, but I might choose them more carefully.

[Yycdaisy]

Two teaching moments from this book might be: 1) being aware of how loud one is. This is difficult for some kids to grasp. The volume control is a cute idea. Other people may talk about 'inside voices' versus 'outside voices'.

2) what the 'blues' are. This would be an opportunity to play some examples. One could also talk about lessons and practice, and how some voices may excel at this form.

[C.D. Gill]

Entertaining book on how Ruby learned to control her volume. Nice that adults took interest in a child to teach instead of to condescend.

[Jessica Buchanan]

This book shows that even when you are sad, there is always a light at the end of the darkness

[Camie]

3.5
A kid’s book about turning an liability into an asset.

[Sofía Castell]

Me habló en un nivel profundo y personal porque mi mamá, mis abuelas y yo hablamos muy fuerte (no tanto como en el libro pero aún así…)

[wildct2003]

Good book

[babyhippoface]

Ruby is so loud no one wants to be around her until two jazz musicians in her building teach her to control the volume of her voice through singing. Daly’s playful computer-enhanced illustrations showing Ruby’s urban multicultural neighborhood perfectly complement the text, which swoops up and down on the page with Ruby’s voice for a jazzy feel. Together they demonstrate how, with encouragement and training, a negative trait can be re-shaped into a positive one. Music teachers may choose to play a jazz recording and have students listen for the singers’ change in volume and how each one alters the mood of the music. Teachers might also borrow Ruby’s teacher’s “button method” to help students be aware of their own personal “volume control.”

[Lesley Looper]

This book charmed me this morning! Very cute! Ruby, a girl around 9 or 10, has a loud voice--and trouble controlling the volume. A couple of neighbors, who happen to be musicians, volunteer to teach Ruby how to sing, where volume control is important too.

I really like the illustrations in this book too, partly because of the designs on everyone's clothes. Very cute details!!

[jacky]

This was on Between the Lions. It reminded me of a different book on that show about a girl named Violet loving music. I really enjoyed seeing this on the show, versus just reading it, since we got to hear Ruby singing and yelling. It was a cute story about figuring out how to transform what you have into a talent. Ruby was a very cute and spunky character.

[Adam Boehmer]

This book is about a young girl named Ruby who loves to sing the blues. However, her voice is so loud that it disturbs everyone around her. A good writing lesson that would go along with this book is teaching the students about synonyms for words that they tend to use often (EX: loud, holler, scream, thunderous, deafening, etc.)

[Salsabrarian]

Ruby has an outsized, loud voice that no one but the musician neighbors appreciates. Her parents, teacher and classmates attempt to get her to lower her volume but to no avail. The jazz musicians offer to teach Ruby how to sing. But every once in awhile she turns it up to make sure "her volume control is still working."

[Jackie]

Ruby does everything LOUD. Since everyone is annoyed by Ruby's shouting, she needs to find a way to channel that energetic volume.

Used for "An Actor's Life for Me!: Sing, Act, Dance" Storytime- October, 2010.

[Angela]

I really liked this book. I think the concept is great. This book may be useful in a music classroom, when discussing how volume can effect the dramatics of music. I also think teachers can learn a neat trick from the book too.

[Marissa Elera]

Niki Daly creates such lovely, energetic characters. This story about channeling your energy for good is really wonderful, and can be used for a multitude of purposes, from storytimes on music, noise, to plain on pleasurable reading.

[Sandi Roe]

The kids loved this book. It is a good book for two people to read together, so one person can play Ruby. We have two people at our summer story time, and the book went over very well with both the kids and the adults in attendance.

[The Brothers]

The little girl Ruby has a big problem - her voice! She is just too loud and neighbors, friends, and school mates alike tell her to tone it down. Only the jazz singer and saxophonist downstairs see her true potential and train her to become a magnificent singer.

Great illustrations!

[Hall]

Cute...but very interesting...kind of a weird plot.

[Rachelle Stoller]

This book was helpful in showing my daughter a fun way to speaking softer. We simply ask her to turn her volume control down.

[Jen]

girl learns to control her loudness and becomes a singer. whimsical pictures. might be a fun read aloud because you can be loud like Ruby.

[Katrina Smith]

Promising book about the blues fails to give any depth about musicians or practicing. Focuses on a little girls changeling a girl's loud speaking voice into singing. Cute illustrations.

[Brooke]

I love any excuse to get loud in the library, and Ruby gives me that excuse! Be yourself!

[Claudia Naranjo]

A story of a girl who was very, very loud. She learned to control herself through music.