Description
Ruby buys a pen that gives her the power to fix all of her problems, only to discover that power comes with its own problems.
Ruby and the Pen is the story of a 12-year-old, cartoon-drawing girl who buys a pen from a mysterious market stall. The pen has a magical power: whatever she draws, happens! Initially the pen protects Ruby from the meanest girls at her new school, but over time the pen’s power becomes dangerous.Soon Ruby faces a difficult choice — the pen or her best friend.
As Ruby struggles to wean herself off the pen, she’s faced with problems galore. Can she foil her headmaster’s evil plan, and save an endangered species of bird in the process, relying on her own talents and working as a team with her friends? Or will she succumb to the pen’s power?
Featuring hilarious illustrations, and with messages about bullying, teamwork and the environment, this is fast-paced, entertaining middle grade fiction that will resonate with kids everywhere. After all, who wouldn’t want to fix all of their problems with the stroke of a pen!
Review
Ruby is a 12-years old and she is being sent off to boarding school at Hetherington Hall by her Mum’s rich boyfriend, who she has named ‘Dodgy Dave’. Ruby's Dad died four years ago, and her life has never been the same.
Ruby loves to draw and before she left home she bought a mysterious pen from a mysterious man at a market that has an inscription that reads ‘The future is in your hands’. Little does Ruby know, this is exactly what she has!
Upon her arrival, she is immediately the target of the mean girls, Sasha and Miranda. Ruby finds solace in the outdoors, and makes friends with Fav, Dougal and Andre. But as Ruby starts to learn the power of her pen - that everything she draws comes true - life at Hetherington Hall suddenly becomes interesting, to say the least!
Ruby is not picked on anymore, and she relishes being able to control things. But is having all this power really a good thing? Or will it cause Ruby to lose her real friends?
With the ongoing effort to try and stop her deceitful headmaster and his plans for development near the school, Ruby must make a choice - rely on the pen, or rely on herself and her friends?
This is a wonderful story about friendship, doing the right thing, resilience, and finding the courage within to realise that if we believe in ourselves, maybe the power can be in our hands after all! This will be best enjoyed by those in middle to upper primary.
Teacher notes prepared by the publisher are available for this title on our website.
Reviewed by Sam
