The Secret of the Ruby Ring [Paperback]

Yvonne MacGrory (Author), Terry Myler (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

An enthralling story about a girl of today caught in another world--the Ireland of manor houses and maids, Parnell and the Land League. "One of this year's most exciting stories. Don't miss it!"--The Irish Independent, "Top Ten Books of the Year." Winner of Ireland's Bisto "Book of the Year" Award.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-On her 11th birthday, Lucy McLaughlin, a young Irish girl, receives from her grandmother a ruby ring that can grant two wishes. Transported back in time more than 100 years, she finds herself walking up a lonely road as the imposing stone turrets of Langley Castle draw nearer and nearer. Then she looses the ring, and unless she can find it, she will remain lost in a bygone age. A multifaceted tale of time travel and historical fiction unfolds against the complexities of Irish politics in 1885 (which may not strike a responsive chord with many intended readers.) Numerous black-and-white sketches illustrate the style of living and the levels of servants in a wealthy household, and afford a brief glimpse of life among the rural poor outside the castle walls. Initially a rather spoiled and selfish child, Lucy becomes a nursery maid and is forced to recognize an individual's worth whether "upstairs" or "downstairs." MacGrory's evocative language, coupled with myriad details of daily life, reconstructs an age unknown to most. The book is rather lengthy, but the size and number of sketches so finely attuned to the text will bolster its appeal. A definite purchase to answer requests for "a book set in a foreign country," time travel, or historical fiction.
Joanne Kelleher, Commack Public Library,
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. This Irish time-travel fantasy is a good old-fashioned story in every sense. Just before her eleventh birthday, Lucy receives from her grandmother a ruby ring with a dramatic history and the power to grant two wishes. When Lucy wishes to live in a "much larger house," she's magically transported to a nearby castle in a time long past, 1885. There she earns her keep as the nursery maid until she can adapt to her new position, befriend the two children in the nursery, regain her missing ring, and wish herself home again. Just as the book seems about to end disappointingly in the "was it all a dream?" mode, Lucy's parents take her to the same castle for her birthday treat. She rediscovers her strangely distant yet immediate past insistently preserved by the two children who had grown up in the house a century before. Intriguing and convincing in its depiction of the historical era, the book shows clearly the discomforts as well as the romanticized elements of the times. The fantasy adds another dimension. Though Lucy's maturity seems to come rather suddenly, it's the hard-won reward of trials endured. Fans of Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden will find an echo of its power as the two eras converge at the end, poignantly underscored by Lucy's sudden, concrete understanding of the passage of time. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions (March 11, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915943921
• ISBN-13: 978-0915943920
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #543,298 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I ever read!!!!!, August 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Secret of the Ruby Ring (Paperback)

I am a 9 year old girl (named Morgan) starting 4th grade. I liked this book because its about a girl going back in time and she meets a lot of friends, especially the children who live in the castle in Ireland. Its an exciting book and was hard to put down. After a few chapters, I wanted to read the whole thing. I also learned about life in the 1800s.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For many years..., January 6, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Secret of the Ruby Ring (Paperback)

For many years I have been planning on getting around to reading the "Secret of the Ruby Ring" I always forgot to order it, or buy it. When I finally bought it over the holidays, I eagerly opened it and from the first word to the last I was not only thoroughly satisfied, but I also knew it was worth the wait. I felt disgusted at first with the young protagonist named Lucy, but as the book commenced, and Lucy began to understand her life and the history of her country a bit more fully, I was in awe of her. I would never think to do things she knew automatically, yet I would have done things she didn't think of as quickly before she did them. I found myself connected to the characters, who in the beginning I had loathed, and I myself had more of an appreciation for not only MY life, but for those who lived in a time in Ireland that history books in the U.S. shallowly mention. A good book for anyone who loves to learn about history without learning directly, loves novels, or just thinks it sounds magical and exciting. It lives up to every readers expectations and more!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great read; good historical perspective on Ireland, May 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Secret of the Ruby Ring (Paperback)

I am always in pursuit of good/great reading for my children. This book demonstrates to young people how spoiled we are in the modern age. It offers a good look at class/social systems as well as the work ethic of a by-gone age. I learned a bit about the history behind the on going political troubles in Ireland.