Ruby and the Sniffs - Hardcover

Michael Emberley is the New York Times best-selling illustrator of You Read to Me, I'll Read to You, written by Mary Ann Hoberman, and has written several books of his own, including Ruby and Dinosaurs! A Drawing Book.

Grade 1-4–"Ready?" asks Mrs. Mastiff. "I was born ready," announces Ruby when her baby-sitter starts counting for their hide-and-seek game. The sitter exacts a promise that Ruby will not hide outside the apartment, but this feisty mouse has a history of disobeying orders as seen in Ruby (Little, Brown, 1990; o.p.), Emberley's takeoff on "Little Red Riding Hood." Besides, how can she resist those mysterious noises in the apartment upstairs? Her investigations are interrupted by the arrival of the new tenants, three pigs called the Sniffs, and although she is hiding beneath one of their beds, they sniff her out immediately. They think she has scared off burglars and offer her a seat but–you guessed it–one is too hard, one too soft, and one breaks under the weight of Baby Sniff and Ruby. But the real burglar is yet to be discovered, and how he is brought to justice makes for a rousing finale. Emberley's watercolor, colored pencil, and pastel cartoon illustrations are filled with visual jokes. Ruby is reading The Three Bears, a foreshadowing of her imminent Goldilocks-like adventure. Three enormous snouts cover a spread as the porkers discover her. Mistaken identity and phrases like "Frizzle my bristles!" and "Don't get your tail in a twist, son," add to the humor. Although the text is long and many of the jokes may be beyond the youngest readers, both story and illustrations work wonderfully together to create a hilarious romp that will keep older children laughing and rereading.–Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT
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