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Ruby In The Ruins
From beloved British storyteller Shirley Hughes comes a touching tale of unconditional love as a family puts itself back together in postwar London.Ruby and Mum cling to each other while they live through the terrifying London Blitz, waiting for Dad to come home from the war. Day after day they hope for his return -- but when the moment to meet him at the station finally comes, Ruby hardly recognizes the tall man who steps off the train. He's big and sunburned, and he doesn't seem to be as engaged as he once was. It's easier to play outside in the wreckage of the bombings than to stay at home with a dad she doesn't know anymore. But when Ruby hurts her knee in the ruins, there's only one person who can rescue her and make her feel all right.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2018
50 people want to read
About the author
Shirley Hughes
370 books209 followersShirley Hughes is the illustrator of more than two hundred children’s books and has won many prestigious awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal twice. She is the author-illustrator of DON'T WANT TO GO! and OLLY AND ME 1 2 3. She died at her home in London on the 25th of February, 2022.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 16, 2019
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Ruby in the Ruins tells the story of little Ruby in the days after the ending of World War Two. For so long it has just been her and her mum living in London, cowering each night in bed together listening to the bombs dropping around them. Her father was a soldier and in some foreign land fighting for his country.
When the war finally ended and Ruby’s father returns home she doesn’t really remember him. He’s so big and takes up so much room. There is no longer the nightly cuddles in bed with mum, she is in the drafty and cold attic room.
Ruby is happy to have her father back but struggling to make a re-connection with him and also it came across that she felt like she had been pushed to the sideline now her dad was back.
It’s very easy to understand how little Ruby felt. She’s lived through some horrific times just her and her mum, through no fault of theirs or her fathers. So when he returns Ruby knows he’s her dad but he’s also a stranger. She feels uncomfortable and although she is glad he is home she doesn’t know how to act around him.
For her father too. This is a man who has been through some horrendous years, possibly having to do things he never dreamed he would have to do or sights he would have to see. The war is over and he’s no longer being ordered about, fighting in a war zone, he’s back home in the quite of his home with his wife and daughter. He too most likely felt like they were strangers.
This book is about exploring these feelings and understanding how it was for both Ruby and her dad. Eventually, something happens that brings the pair together and it was lovely to see that bond between the two return.
The old fashioned illustrations really bring this story to life and make all the emotions easy to detect as well as invite you into the past and to London 1945.
Ruby in the Ruins tells the story of little Ruby in the days after the ending of World War Two. For so long it has just been her and her mum living in London, cowering each night in bed together listening to the bombs dropping around them. Her father was a soldier and in some foreign land fighting for his country.
When the war finally ended and Ruby’s father returns home she doesn’t really remember him. He’s so big and takes up so much room. There is no longer the nightly cuddles in bed with mum, she is in the drafty and cold attic room.
Ruby is happy to have her father back but struggling to make a re-connection with him and also it came across that she felt like she had been pushed to the sideline now her dad was back.
It’s very easy to understand how little Ruby felt. She’s lived through some horrific times just her and her mum, through no fault of theirs or her fathers. So when he returns Ruby knows he’s her dad but he’s also a stranger. She feels uncomfortable and although she is glad he is home she doesn’t know how to act around him.
For her father too. This is a man who has been through some horrendous years, possibly having to do things he never dreamed he would have to do or sights he would have to see. The war is over and he’s no longer being ordered about, fighting in a war zone, he’s back home in the quite of his home with his wife and daughter. He too most likely felt like they were strangers.
This book is about exploring these feelings and understanding how it was for both Ruby and her dad. Eventually, something happens that brings the pair together and it was lovely to see that bond between the two return.
The old fashioned illustrations really bring this story to life and make all the emotions easy to detect as well as invite you into the past and to London 1945.
May 2, 2019
3.5 stars. A nice story of how Ruby feels when the war is over and dad returns. After the street party Ruby gets used to having dad home again, makes some new friends and explores the exciting playground that is the bombsite.
I didn't love this one quite as much as the ones I had enjoyed reading when my children were small. I did find that all the characters did seem to have almost the same face and the same smiley expression, which didn't suit the situation these characters were in. However this was a nice gentle story and introduction to what life was like as the war ended.
I didn't love this one quite as much as the ones I had enjoyed reading when my children were small. I did find that all the characters did seem to have almost the same face and the same smiley expression, which didn't suit the situation these characters were in. However this was a nice gentle story and introduction to what life was like as the war ended.
December 5, 2018
This book resonated with me, bringing back memories of tales of my father's childhood. He was born at the beginning of WWII and was six years old by the time my Grandad, who served in the SBS (Special Boat Service) came home after the war. They were strangers to each other, just like Ruby and her Dad in this story. I am very familiar with the author's other books, which I read to my son in the late 1980's in England. His favorite being "Dogger." So, it was a real treat to re-discover Hughes' work. This is a heart warming tale set in London during the aftermath of WWII. The rubble from the bombings is in evidence, as life slowly gets back to 'normal.' Ruby's family is reunited, but she and her Dad are strangers at first. Gradually they build a sense of trust and affection, much like my Dad did with his father.
November 18, 2018
I picked this up from a section in our library for children's books that touch sensitive topics.
This time it is about Ruby, an English girl living in London just at the end of the war. We learned how she endured the Blitz in her flat with her mom, refusing to go to the bomb shelters. The war is finished and the ruins are still there when the father comes back home from the war. We don't know much about him, but Ruby just cannot connect to him, and he doesn't do too much of an effort either. They keep their distances. Dad takes back his place in mom's bed and Ruby goes back to the attic and its rats.
Ruby hangs out with other kids and plays in the ruins. She gets into trouble and this allows her to find dad again in a very touching ending.
The story is great and the art is very well done. We loved the book. My daughter took it to school for the teacher to use it in her Remembrance Day discussions.
This time it is about Ruby, an English girl living in London just at the end of the war. We learned how she endured the Blitz in her flat with her mom, refusing to go to the bomb shelters. The war is finished and the ruins are still there when the father comes back home from the war. We don't know much about him, but Ruby just cannot connect to him, and he doesn't do too much of an effort either. They keep their distances. Dad takes back his place in mom's bed and Ruby goes back to the attic and its rats.
Ruby hangs out with other kids and plays in the ruins. She gets into trouble and this allows her to find dad again in a very touching ending.
The story is great and the art is very well done. We loved the book. My daughter took it to school for the teacher to use it in her Remembrance Day discussions.
April 20, 2018
I mentioned in my review of Voices from the Second World War that writer/artist Shirley Hughes was one of the people who contributed her wartime experiences to that excellent collection of oral histories, and that she had also written a book based on them (see Whistling in the Dark).
Ruby in the Ruins is Hughes' latest picture book, one that takes place just at the end of WWII. Everyone in Ruby's London neighborhood is celebrating the end of the war with block parties, including Ruby and her Mum.
But, though the fighting may have ended, the memory of the Blitz is still fresh in their minds. There were all those nights when the air raid sirens went off, and people were supposed to go to their nearest shelter. And kids had been sent out of London for safety, but Ruby and her Mum stayed - just in case her dad, who is in the army, got leave and could come home to visit for a visit.
Those scary days and nights may be in the past, but all around her, Ruby sees houses had been bombed and blackened, and now they were fenced off piles of rubble that need to be cleared up. And while Ruby's friends have already welcomed their dads home from the war, she and her mum have to wait a long time for her dad.
When Ruby's dad finally does come home, Mum welcomes him with open arms, but Ruby doesn't know what to say to him. And besides that, now everything has changed. Ruby sleeps in the small attic room instead of with Mum, and has forgotten that her tall dad takes up lots of space. Not only that, but she continues to feel rather shy around him.
But when her Mum allows Ruby to go off with two neighbor boys that she knows, they decide to explore the fenced off ruins of some bombed out buildings. When an accident happens, it proves to be just the catalyst that helps Ruby overcome her resentment and shyness towards her dad.
The detailed illustrations are done in ink, watercolor, and gouache, and, because Hughes has drawn them from her own memory of the war, have a real air of authenticity about them. The bombing damage to London's buildings was extensive and the fascination of playing in the rubble must have been irresistible for kids at that time, just as Hughes depicts, but also dangerous.
Ruby in the Ruins is a charming story with a pleasing ending, but it never become sugary sweet. What it does do, as Shirley Hughes always does so well, it look at the end of the war from the point of view of a child who world suddenly changes. The war is over, its no longer just Ruby and her Mum, and she experiences an expectable awkwardness when her Dad returns after being has been gone for such a long period of time. Post war picture books are in short supply, and I can't recommend this one enough.
Ruby in the Ruins will be available in the U.S. on May 8, 2018
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Candlewick Press
Ruby in the Ruins is Hughes' latest picture book, one that takes place just at the end of WWII. Everyone in Ruby's London neighborhood is celebrating the end of the war with block parties, including Ruby and her Mum.
But, though the fighting may have ended, the memory of the Blitz is still fresh in their minds. There were all those nights when the air raid sirens went off, and people were supposed to go to their nearest shelter. And kids had been sent out of London for safety, but Ruby and her Mum stayed - just in case her dad, who is in the army, got leave and could come home to visit for a visit.
Those scary days and nights may be in the past, but all around her, Ruby sees houses had been bombed and blackened, and now they were fenced off piles of rubble that need to be cleared up. And while Ruby's friends have already welcomed their dads home from the war, she and her mum have to wait a long time for her dad.
When Ruby's dad finally does come home, Mum welcomes him with open arms, but Ruby doesn't know what to say to him. And besides that, now everything has changed. Ruby sleeps in the small attic room instead of with Mum, and has forgotten that her tall dad takes up lots of space. Not only that, but she continues to feel rather shy around him.
But when her Mum allows Ruby to go off with two neighbor boys that she knows, they decide to explore the fenced off ruins of some bombed out buildings. When an accident happens, it proves to be just the catalyst that helps Ruby overcome her resentment and shyness towards her dad.
The detailed illustrations are done in ink, watercolor, and gouache, and, because Hughes has drawn them from her own memory of the war, have a real air of authenticity about them. The bombing damage to London's buildings was extensive and the fascination of playing in the rubble must have been irresistible for kids at that time, just as Hughes depicts, but also dangerous.
Ruby in the Ruins is a charming story with a pleasing ending, but it never become sugary sweet. What it does do, as Shirley Hughes always does so well, it look at the end of the war from the point of view of a child who world suddenly changes. The war is over, its no longer just Ruby and her Mum, and she experiences an expectable awkwardness when her Dad returns after being has been gone for such a long period of time. Post war picture books are in short supply, and I can't recommend this one enough.
Ruby in the Ruins will be available in the U.S. on May 8, 2018
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Candlewick Press
July 23, 2019
This is a lovely story set just after the Second World War. The war has finally finished and Ruby and her mum have had to cope on their own while her father has been away fighting. One day he finally comes home but when he does, Ruby isn’t quite sure if she’s happy that he’s back or how she really feels about him. The paperback is filled with glossy colourful pages with lots of lovely colourful illustrations and some text.
I’ve always enjoyed stories set around the Second World War and this one has a particular charm with the illustrations. Ruby does things and thinks like any child would today and when her father comes home from the war she feels nervous. She doesn’t really get along with him at first, not even remembering some things about him, and instead turns to playing games outdoors with the other children in the neighbourhood. The story is simple but it has a lovely feel to it and when Ruby gets into trouble, her father is there to help her. The last page with Ruby and her dad is a lovely one and I couldn’t help but smile after reading this.
The illustrations make the story all the better and I love how expressive Ruby is. You can see the fear or worry in some pages and I’m sure children will be able to relate to similar situations in modern life where they may have been scared or nervous about something. Somehow the illustrations fit perfectuly in with the time period too and I’ve really grown to enjoy Shirley Hughes’s unique style!
The story is a good introduction to teach kids about the second world war and it can be a good place to start the tough subject, given that the story is set after the war is over and things are getting better. I’m sure children will be able to understand and even relate in some way to how Ruby feels. The inside back and front covers have some faint but still visible adverts/information from the time period, these look like real newspaper adverts for things like sandwich recipes and information about rubber shoe soles and ration books, etc. which was also fun to look at and an additional thing to talk about with kids when reading this.
Overall, despite feeeling a bit short for me, this was a lovely story to read and I do hope to see more books set in the past from the author in the future.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
I’ve always enjoyed stories set around the Second World War and this one has a particular charm with the illustrations. Ruby does things and thinks like any child would today and when her father comes home from the war she feels nervous. She doesn’t really get along with him at first, not even remembering some things about him, and instead turns to playing games outdoors with the other children in the neighbourhood. The story is simple but it has a lovely feel to it and when Ruby gets into trouble, her father is there to help her. The last page with Ruby and her dad is a lovely one and I couldn’t help but smile after reading this.
The illustrations make the story all the better and I love how expressive Ruby is. You can see the fear or worry in some pages and I’m sure children will be able to relate to similar situations in modern life where they may have been scared or nervous about something. Somehow the illustrations fit perfectuly in with the time period too and I’ve really grown to enjoy Shirley Hughes’s unique style!
The story is a good introduction to teach kids about the second world war and it can be a good place to start the tough subject, given that the story is set after the war is over and things are getting better. I’m sure children will be able to understand and even relate in some way to how Ruby feels. The inside back and front covers have some faint but still visible adverts/information from the time period, these look like real newspaper adverts for things like sandwich recipes and information about rubber shoe soles and ration books, etc. which was also fun to look at and an additional thing to talk about with kids when reading this.
Overall, despite feeeling a bit short for me, this was a lovely story to read and I do hope to see more books set in the past from the author in the future.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
April 23, 2018
Ruby and her mother have survived the London bombings together and finally the war is over. The neighborhood celebrates with a picnic and treats. Soon her friends fathers return from the war and eventually so does her dad. She finds it a mixed blessing at first. She no longer sleeps in a bed with her mom. Instead she sleeps alone in the drafty attic, ugh, is that a mouse she hears? Things are so different nos, she just wants to go play with her friends. They choose to play in an unsafe bombed out area. It is very fun until Ruby jumps too far and scrapes her knee. When her father comes to the rescue everything begins to right itself. Ruby is glad that her dad has come home.
This is a good book to open a discussion with youngsters whose father's are returning from current war zones. It does not delve deeply into PTSD or other issues surrounding veterans and re-assimilation or really with Ruby's feelings. The simplicity of the story is both its strength and weakness. Because nothing is really specific it would be easy for an adult and child to talk about their own personal feelings and experiences and why it is good for a daddy to come home and what some potential changes are likely to be. The ending however, is a bit unfulfilling because it is a bit too impersonal. As previously stated this is a good book to open a very specific conversation about military life, but for the general public it is flat and not emotionally engaging for a situation that is charged with emotional realism. A dependable read that depends largely on it's utility to a reader's experience.
This is a good book to open a discussion with youngsters whose father's are returning from current war zones. It does not delve deeply into PTSD or other issues surrounding veterans and re-assimilation or really with Ruby's feelings. The simplicity of the story is both its strength and weakness. Because nothing is really specific it would be easy for an adult and child to talk about their own personal feelings and experiences and why it is good for a daddy to come home and what some potential changes are likely to be. The ending however, is a bit unfulfilling because it is a bit too impersonal. As previously stated this is a good book to open a very specific conversation about military life, but for the general public it is flat and not emotionally engaging for a situation that is charged with emotional realism. A dependable read that depends largely on it's utility to a reader's experience.
May 27, 2018
Have to admit to being slightly biased when it comes to Shirley Hughes books as I find the illustrations so evocative, pulling up memories of my childhood in London as they do. This book is no exception especially as I can remember bomb sites near where I was growing up.
Ruby and her mother have stayed together in London during the war and, when her father finally comes home she feels as though he's a stranger taking up a lot of space in the house. She also feels as if she's been pushed out, relegated to the attic bedroom rather than sharing with mum and you get the feeling that she's resentful of this change in her life.
However, when she hurts herself exploring a local bomb site, it's dad who comes to the rescue and she realises that she's pleased to have him home after all.
A good book to read with a child who is having to accept a new adult into their family as there's lots of opportunities for discussion. It's also wonderfully devoid of twee little girls dressed in pink!
Ruby and her mother have stayed together in London during the war and, when her father finally comes home she feels as though he's a stranger taking up a lot of space in the house. She also feels as if she's been pushed out, relegated to the attic bedroom rather than sharing with mum and you get the feeling that she's resentful of this change in her life.
However, when she hurts herself exploring a local bomb site, it's dad who comes to the rescue and she realises that she's pleased to have him home after all.
A good book to read with a child who is having to accept a new adult into their family as there's lots of opportunities for discussion. It's also wonderfully devoid of twee little girls dressed in pink!
September 17, 2018
Ruby and her mother have survived the London Blitz together; now Ruby must adjust to the return of her father. In the surroundings of World War II's end in London, servicemen are returning home, and finally, after watching others reunite, Ruby's father is home. During the war, Ruby and her mother slept together, sometimes huddled as bombs rained down. Now Ruby moves to the attic and it's not exactly pretty, though promised to be fixed up when there's money. Ruby's father takes up space, an interesting observation, but when a child is only used to her mother, it's hard to adjust. She ends up having some fun playing in the bombed-out ruins, has an accident, and finally realizes her father is someone she can count on. The illustrations feel authentic to the time period and the end covers show WW II posters like "Make Last Year's Clothes Last Years". The story will generate lots of discussion points.
June 3, 2018
The war is over, and Ruby's dad should be home to London soon. When the day finally arrives, Ruby hardly recognizes her dad. Things have changed a bit at home, Ruby's room is moved to the attic and her dad just sits around the flat, not ready to go to work. So, Ruby plays with neighborhood boys in the rubble of the bombed out buildings. This is dangerous, but better than hanging around with the dad she hardly remembers.
Post war WWII and the effect it had on the children - this is an interesting subject and applicable today. The implication that her dad is suffering from PTSD, Ruby feeling awkward and displaced makes this a timely book. Beautifully illustrated, this would be a great book for a child struggling with a parent who has returned from the war. Everything will be ok.
Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
Post war WWII and the effect it had on the children - this is an interesting subject and applicable today. The implication that her dad is suffering from PTSD, Ruby feeling awkward and displaced makes this a timely book. Beautifully illustrated, this would be a great book for a child struggling with a parent who has returned from the war. Everything will be ok.
Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
June 18, 2019
This was a little weird.
For starters, it was too old for my 5-year-old...he declared it "not scary," which to me means he didn't get it. So this is for an elementary audience, which is fine.
I was left with questions, though. I understand this mom wanting to stay put during the Blitz, but she bugged me. Why stay in bed with your child and not go to an air raid shelter? Both these parents seem to have a disregard for this small child's safety that I personally found off-putting.
In terms of a portrayal of a period in history and helping kids understand what the Blitz was, good choice. But be prepared for the questions if you share this with kiddos.
For starters, it was too old for my 5-year-old...he declared it "not scary," which to me means he didn't get it. So this is for an elementary audience, which is fine.
I was left with questions, though. I understand this mom wanting to stay put during the Blitz, but she bugged me. Why stay in bed with your child and not go to an air raid shelter? Both these parents seem to have a disregard for this small child's safety that I personally found off-putting.
In terms of a portrayal of a period in history and helping kids understand what the Blitz was, good choice. But be prepared for the questions if you share this with kiddos.
December 13, 2023
After the terrifying London Blitz in World War II, Ruby and her family start to put their lives together.
This bittersweet tale is made lovlier by the story's sweet ending.
My favorite part is how kids were playing in the rubble made by German bombers. For instance:
The children loved this wonderful playground.
Len and Jimmy climbed all over the wreckage
like mountain goats, not caring how dangerous it was.
When characters like these are recovering from tragedy, the beauty of the human spirit can shine all the brighter. That's what happens in this FIVE STAR storybook.
This bittersweet tale is made lovlier by the story's sweet ending.
My favorite part is how kids were playing in the rubble made by German bombers. For instance:
The children loved this wonderful playground.
Len and Jimmy climbed all over the wreckage
like mountain goats, not caring how dangerous it was.
When characters like these are recovering from tragedy, the beauty of the human spirit can shine all the brighter. That's what happens in this FIVE STAR storybook.
May 10, 2018
This is a good book for children in grade school learning about the London Blitz, and the war's impact on families. The storyline doesn't go too in-depth about the impact on the father, but it does lightly allude to PTSD in the text. I would potentially also recommend this book to military families who need to discuss reestablishing a new normal of a parent returning.
October 11, 2018
So many children’s lives were ruined by World War II, and Ruby’s life was no exception; yet simple acts of nurturance mended families like this one as they healed their obvious and invisible wounds. Detailed illustrations invite readers into Ruby’s war-torn world and make readers care enough about this family to forgive the abrupt ending.
December 7, 2018
Beautifully illustrated with a wealth of detail which, as with all Shirley Hughes's books, makes this a wonderful way to open up a discussion with your children. This would be a highly useful book for primary school children who are learning about World War II. I am going to donate my copy to my local school library.
March 30, 2019
Charming little story of the ways in which a little girl in London during and just after WW2 sees her family change and adapt to hard times. Wasn't very high intensity, the pictures were soft, and just vague enough that the reader can imagine themselves in the scene with the characters, while still containing enough detail to let you feel like you know exactly what was being portrayed.
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May 18, 2021In this historical fiction book, WWII has just ended and Ruby’s dad has returned from fighting in the war, but Ruby has trouble reconnecting with him because he seems like a stranger after so much time away. However, she likes playing in the war ruins with her friends, and one day gets hurt. Fortunately her dad comes to help her get better!
April 15, 2018
This is a really nice picture book with gorgeous illustrations. Set just as the Second World War ends and we follow Ruby as her father returns home and as her playground becomes the rubble of bombed buildings.
June 5, 2018
Ruby in the Ruins by Shirley Hughes
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Ruby returns to London after the war.
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Beautifully illustrated, this is great for a child struggling with a parent who has returned from the war.
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ADVISABLE
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
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Ruby returns to London after the war.
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Beautifully illustrated, this is great for a child struggling with a parent who has returned from the war.
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ADVISABLE
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
January 4, 2019
This illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful. I loved the story of Ruby waiting for her father to act like he did before he came home from the war. The ending is very sweet as she realizes he is still her father and will always love her and protect her.
March 26, 2019
I found this to be a heart-warming portrayal of a post-WWII family trying to come back together after being separated for so long and experiencing such destruction and devastation. Healing and reconnecting take time but this book offers the hope that it is possible.
July 14, 2019
Big fans of Shirley Hughes, illustrations are great as always. My 6 year old enjoyed this book with me, it tells a story of tough times & situations in a gentle way leaving you able to discuss more as appropriate to your child.
May 22, 2018
Great picture book regarding life after WWII is over.
May 28, 2018
A remembrance of what it was like in the aftermath of World War 2 in London.
June 23, 2018
A glimpse at WWII and Post WWII London.
November 10, 2018
Fascinating. We need something like this for the kids with parents returning from service in the never ending boondoggle of Afghanistan & Iraq.
March 26, 2019
A young girl and her mother wait out the war in their London while her father is away as a soldier. When he returns will life be the same? Elementary and up
January 20, 2021
I love the illustrations. Ruby has to adjust to her dad returning from WW2.
1/20/21 Read with Julia
1/20/21 Read with Julia
February 13, 2021
I have loved Shirley Hughes books since I read them to my children. "David and Dog" (I can't believe that I remember its name ) was my son, Jody's favorite book.
April 13, 2025
Good read aloud introducing what it was like for young children who watched their father's leave for war and came back different men they had to befriend again. Illustrations are always so enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews