Rating: 
Summary: I liked this book and recommend it.
Review: Though I normally prefer science fiction and fantasy books, I enjoyed Ruby Holler. It is somewhat similar to Holes by Louis Sachar in being a funny story with a few twists in which the good guys have previously suffered but eventually win. The book, which has a slight adventure story flavor, although it really isn't one, is about twins Dallas and Florida, orphans who have spent their entire lives in the care of mean, sometimes crazy, adults. When sent to Ruby Holler, a beautiful place in which there are only two houses, they are at first skeptical of the seemingly kind nature of the people with whom they are living, but then realize that these grown-ups are not so bad after all. I'm not sure how to describe this book, but it's definitely good, and I would recommend it to other kids.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Sharon Creech masterpiece.
Review: Two 13-year-old twins are never going to get adopted, and not without reason. But an old couple from Ruby Holler want to take separate vacations, and temporarily adopt the two to accompany them on their trips. The odds are stacked against the kids and the arrangement. Creech tells the story with humor, warmth, and insight. The cranky, wicked, bumbling couple who run the orphanage reminded me of Roald Dahl's adults. The kids are right out of Karen Cushman's Rodzina. But the wise, down-home, older couple are the characters that steal the show. This book is a gem for children nine and older, as well as for adults who enjoy children's literature. My fifth grade students agree!
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