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mariahistryingtoread's review
4.0
This was so much fun. I loved the emphasis on science, but not the usual STEM stuff that we see like coding or engineering or catch-all ‘I’m tinkering in my lab’ stuff. I’m all for STEM learning, however, most of the framing is low-key just about future job opportunities.
Middle grade books about girls in STEM/science have been on the upswing for a few years now. And while there is a deficit in tech when it comes to women, women of color especially, I think it's important to encourage scientific interest because girls are pushed out of it when they already have an interest or are discouraged from developing one. We shouldn’t be pushing girls into it purely to pad their hypothetical resumes.
I really enjoyed reading about a girl who loves a science that has extremely limited practical application. It’s for the love of bugs and nothing more.
The mystery was well done. I was never quite sure what was going on until it all came together. It’s not the kind of puzzly, riddlesome mystery you could logic out on your own. It’s the kind where strange things are occurring and you are along for the ride as Ruby figures it out.
I liked that Ruby used science as the basis for her investigation. It made sense for her character while also weaving in some educational principles for a reader to subliminally absorb. I liked the subtle way that K. Tempest Bradford wove in the way the deck is stacked against Black girls before they are even old enough to comprehend the obstacle. Ruby’s science teacher has doubts about Ruby’s ability to conduct a science fair project she deems ‘beyond her capabilities’. The problem, of course, is that the teachers’ idea of Ruby’s capabilities is skewed by the teachers’ bias against her.
I credit Bradford for not explicitly stating that the teacher is racist. In this way she more accurately depicted how racism is more likely to manifest in the average persons’ life. Flagrantly racist stuff still happens such as penalizing Black children for Black hairstyles in schools. But, the silent killer is the stuff you come to realize is racist that you can’t possibly prove. Why that one person everyone says is so nice doesn’t like you, why whenever you go up for a promotion despite being the best person for the job somehow somehow someone less qualified keeps getting it, why when you’re sharing a negative experience with a cashier to the manager the manager might tell you not to get upset even though you were perfectly calm - the list goes on and on.
Long story short, Bradford didn’t have to state the teacher was racist to make it clear she was. I wager most Black people will understand intuitively why the teacher was acting off without the confirmation.
What I most appreciate is that it preserves the innocence of the child - Ruby is not made aware of the racism and her father doesn’t tell her though he absolutely picks up on it. Racism is everywhere, all of the time. Black kids routinely have to grow up faster than white kids do yet so many Black middle grade books have to have a racial injustice spin just to get published. I like that this book was able to include racism in a way that does not necessarily risk popping the escapist bubble for a Black kid: it’s vague enough to fly under the radar on the assumption that the teacher is simply being belligerent. I like that Ruby as a character was not forced to contend with racism so young and her father was able to protect her a bit longer.
Ruby has a slew of friends who have little bearing on any events most of the book only to randomly be presented as this stronghold towards the end when confronting the bug. There were too many for all of them to be expanded on and even her cousin who she was closest to did not spend enough time with her to feel like more than a casual neighborhood friend. Each had a special thing to help you remember them, but that felt like a shortcut to actual development. It was particularly noticeable with Mason who Ruby makes a point of saying she tries to go out of her way to include because she’s a recent addition to the group only for Ruby to barely interact with her again the entire book. For someone she was trying to actively maintain a relationship with, couldn’t they have had a single one on one hang out to support this claim?
There is a plot thread about Ruby lying that is left on a weird note. Ruby resolves to never lie to her parents again yet she doesn’t ever have to own up to the big lie that inspired this newfound vow. It’s very convenient to set the standard for a later point in time that as the reader we will never see. It’s not like they wouldn’t believe her based on the events that just occurred. It would have been a good show of her taking responsibility and growing if she fessed up without needing to. It also would have been nice if the lying could have negatively affected the mystery to thematically tie it all together. She arguably had to lie to continue the investigation and assist in a solution so the lying to her parents was separate from a general lying problem and the legitimate issues associated with lying. I don’t think Ruby’s takeaway would be ‘lying is wrong’ by the end of this considering why she had to lie in the first place.
All in all, a great book. I had a great time, I learned some science (still hate bugs though) I would absolutely recommend.
Middle grade books about girls in STEM/science have been on the upswing for a few years now. And while there is a deficit in tech when it comes to women, women of color especially, I think it's important to encourage scientific interest because girls are pushed out of it when they already have an interest or are discouraged from developing one. We shouldn’t be pushing girls into it purely to pad their hypothetical resumes.
I really enjoyed reading about a girl who loves a science that has extremely limited practical application. It’s for the love of bugs and nothing more.
The mystery was well done. I was never quite sure what was going on until it all came together. It’s not the kind of puzzly, riddlesome mystery you could logic out on your own. It’s the kind where strange things are occurring and you are along for the ride as Ruby figures it out.
I liked that Ruby used science as the basis for her investigation. It made sense for her character while also weaving in some educational principles for a reader to subliminally absorb. I liked the subtle way that K. Tempest Bradford wove in the way the deck is stacked against Black girls before they are even old enough to comprehend the obstacle. Ruby’s science teacher has doubts about Ruby’s ability to conduct a science fair project she deems ‘beyond her capabilities’. The problem, of course, is that the teachers’ idea of Ruby’s capabilities is skewed by the teachers’ bias against her.
I credit Bradford for not explicitly stating that the teacher is racist. In this way she more accurately depicted how racism is more likely to manifest in the average persons’ life. Flagrantly racist stuff still happens such as penalizing Black children for Black hairstyles in schools. But, the silent killer is the stuff you come to realize is racist that you can’t possibly prove. Why that one person everyone says is so nice doesn’t like you, why whenever you go up for a promotion despite being the best person for the job somehow somehow someone less qualified keeps getting it, why when you’re sharing a negative experience with a cashier to the manager the manager might tell you not to get upset even though you were perfectly calm - the list goes on and on.
Long story short, Bradford didn’t have to state the teacher was racist to make it clear she was. I wager most Black people will understand intuitively why the teacher was acting off without the confirmation.
What I most appreciate is that it preserves the innocence of the child - Ruby is not made aware of the racism and her father doesn’t tell her though he absolutely picks up on it. Racism is everywhere, all of the time. Black kids routinely have to grow up faster than white kids do yet so many Black middle grade books have to have a racial injustice spin just to get published. I like that this book was able to include racism in a way that does not necessarily risk popping the escapist bubble for a Black kid: it’s vague enough to fly under the radar on the assumption that the teacher is simply being belligerent. I like that Ruby as a character was not forced to contend with racism so young and her father was able to protect her a bit longer.
Ruby has a slew of friends who have little bearing on any events most of the book only to randomly be presented as this stronghold towards the end when confronting the bug. There were too many for all of them to be expanded on and even her cousin who she was closest to did not spend enough time with her to feel like more than a casual neighborhood friend. Each had a special thing to help you remember them, but that felt like a shortcut to actual development. It was particularly noticeable with Mason who Ruby makes a point of saying she tries to go out of her way to include because she’s a recent addition to the group only for Ruby to barely interact with her again the entire book. For someone she was trying to actively maintain a relationship with, couldn’t they have had a single one on one hang out to support this claim?
There is a plot thread about Ruby lying that is left on a weird note. Ruby resolves to never lie to her parents again yet she doesn’t ever have to own up to the big lie that inspired this newfound vow. It’s very convenient to set the standard for a later point in time that as the reader we will never see. It’s not like they wouldn’t believe her based on the events that just occurred. It would have been a good show of her taking responsibility and growing if she fessed up without needing to. It also would have been nice if the lying could have negatively affected the mystery to thematically tie it all together. She arguably had to lie to continue the investigation and assist in a solution so the lying to her parents was separate from a general lying problem and the legitimate issues associated with lying. I don’t think Ruby’s takeaway would be ‘lying is wrong’ by the end of this considering why she had to lie in the first place.
All in all, a great book. I had a great time, I learned some science (still hate bugs though) I would absolutely recommend.
stilesb's review
adventurous
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
clenk's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
batesbarb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
wylovat's review
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kaitherabbit's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Pretty fun read. Perfect for middle schoolers who love aliens. But what about the science fair?? It feels kinda like a creature feature and I dig it
miszjeanie's review
3.0
Ruby is an 11-year-old future entomologist who loves studying insects and playing video games with her neighborhood friends. When she sees a strange bug in her bedroom and shares a picture of it on social media, suspicious agents appear at her door to re-capture the now missing insect. Soon, all the metal in her neighborhood begins to disappear as Ruby and her friends realize there’s more to the strange bug. This was a lot of fun and will appeal to fans of STEM stories and books about robots. There was just too much disbelief suspension for me, but kids will love it.
sashabaglai's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
It was such a joy to read it
detailsandtales's review against another edition
5.0
Ruby is a budding entomologist who captures what she thinks is a bug, and gets sucked into a sitaution that's more than she bargained for. She's dealing with government coverups, strange happenings she's sure the adults around her won't believe, and a science teacher who thinks she can't do the ambitious project she's laid out. She also has a whole group of friends, and family that cares about her and ultimately supports her when she needs it. Ruby is black, and this is not the focus of the story, but her lived experiences as a black girl come through in various ways such as her community's wariness when it comes to calling the police, her science teacher's low expectations, and the way her community comes together to support each other. It's rare that I enjoy a middle grades book as an adult, but I really liked this one.
avisreadsandreads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism