Ruby Holler

Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech, is the story of twins - Dallas and Florida.

Dallas and Florida grew up in the Boxton Creek Home. They were left on the doorstep in a box when they were babies. Over the years, they went to a few foster homes, but none that worked out - mostly because the people who fostered them were rotten.

Now Sairy and Tiller have taken the twins to Ruby Holler. The idea is that for the summer, Dallas and Florida will go with Sairy and Tiller on an adventure. Sairy wants to fly to a tropical island for birdwatching and Tiller wants to canoe down the river.

Dallas and Florida are wary. Why are the old people being so nice? It is as if there are no rules in the holler - not like at the home. After not being yelled at for a few days, Dallas asks if there are any rules. Tiller thinks for a minute and says that there is one: donkeys are not allowed on the roof of the cabin.

Will the twins have to go back to the home at the end of the summer - after finding the first nice adults they have met?

Sharon Creech has written a book about trust, family, and knowing what you want. This is a beautiful story. It won the Carnegie Award in the UK for Best Children's Literature 2002.

Creech, Sharon. (2002). Ruby Holler. New York: HarperCollins.