Today's read is one I wanted to hit before Christmas....and forgot. Yep, this book slipped off my pile and landed hidden below. I'm a huge fan of Christmas being a part of every day of the year (I've even thought it would be fun to run one of those year-round Christmas stores), so here it is. Plus, if it's a good read, I have no doubt that it's always a good read.
It just so happens to also be the third book in a series. I haven't visited the other books, yet (that was just a spoof in habits, last week), but I have a feeling this series is going to be one I'll have to revisit.
Grab those cuddly blankets and lets sink right in!
NORTH BEAT CHRISTMAS
The Beat Street Series
Book 3
by Jenna Zark
Dragon Moon Press
Middle Grade Contemporary
242 pages
ages 8 to 12
When Christmas is weird instead of wonderful—you can’t just give up.
Twelve-year-old Ruby Tabeata and her older brother Ray are visiting their father in the artists’ neighborhood of North Beach, San Francisco as Christmas approaches in 1958. What should be a glorious holiday turns sour as Ruby and Ray discover their father’s growing addiction to alcohol.
When Ruby finds work at a popular bookstore near her dad’s home, new friends and adventures distract her from worrying. Ruby’s experiences lead her to a daring decision to help her father—and a surprise that brings new meaning to her life.
Read more about Ruby’s Beat Generation family in The Beat on Ruby’s Street and Fool’s Errand.
MY TIDBITS
Heart and family hit every page in a way not only fitting for Christmas.
Ruby knows her father isn't doing well out in San Francisco and is determined to visit him for Christmas. After her and her brother miraculously convince their mother to let them take the train to San Francisco to visit him, everything seems to be looking up. But her father's life is more difficult than she expected. His alcohol problem sits deep, and her and her brother need to help him earn money by playing music and dancing at the park. When Ruby, finally, has a chance to take a break and chase her poetic hobby, a well-known bookstore nearby turns out to hold more than she realized she was looking for.
This is set in 1958 and brings the time period across nicely. Details, settings, and even the worries fit nicely to that period in history and expand readers' knowledge without even the slightest hint of 'teaching'. I didn't read the first two books in this series (something I'll have to change) and was a little jarred by Ruby's way of addressing her parents, but that slides in very well with the artist culture, which her family is imbedded in, at that time. The author has done the research and worked it in masterfully. In other words, it's well done.
Ruby is very easy to get behind. She has a strong personality and is willing to give her all for what she wants, but she also has enough sense to back down when necessary, and she does make mistakes. It's fun to follow her as she weaves through the streets of San Francisco and meets vibrant characters along the way. The tougher moments pull at the heart-strings, but her personality shines through every time.
This is a quick-paced story as it heads through Ruby's difficult family life. She loves them dearly, and her brother is an awesome support, but the struggles her father faces aren't small. The themes in this read are ones, which even hit families today. The divorce, single parenting, alcoholism of a parent, light crime, and more are handled naturally. The author doesn't sugar-coat any of these, letting them make the damage they do. While potent, it still stays suitable for the age group and it makes a very nice read.
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