Applegate deftly tempers themes of grief and loss with compassion and humor as Ruby finds her place in the herd. Goofy, playful, and mischievous Ruby is fully dimensional, as she has shown her bravery during the many hardships of her young life. An elephant glossary and Castelao’s charming, illustrated guide to elephant body language help immerse readers in Ruby’s world. The unexpected arrival of someone from Ruby’s past life on the savanna revives memories both warmly nostalgic and deeply traumatic. Ruby was born in an unspecified part of Africa, later ending up on display in the mall, where she met Ivan, Bob, and Julia. Luckily, she can confide in her Uncle Ivan, who is next door in Gorilla World, and Uncle Bob, the dog who lives nearby with human friend Julia. She’s apprehensive about her Tuskday, a rite of passage for young elephants when she’ll give a speech in front of the rest of the herd. In this follow-up to 2020’s The One and Only Bob, Ruby the elephant is still living at Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary. Historical facts are woven into the story with such finesse readers will be eager to learn more. Although racial hostility is on display in abundance, the text does not include racial slurs. The author’s skillful blend of fact and fiction is backed up by fascinating backmatter that includes black-and-white photographs and easy-to-decipher infographics. The story unfolds smoothly, with lots of action faux newspaper articles and other “archival” material are interspersed between chapters. When a white woman who protested the arrival of the corps is accidentally knocked down by George, a campaign ensues to have the CCC removed from the town, and racial tensions heighten. Joseph finds an additional way to earn money when he meets George, a black CCC member who pays him to find some pigeons. An unlikely rapport develops between the two. Healey, a poor white man, if he can shine his shoes to earn the money. When he’s one dime short for birdseed, he asks town oddball Mr. During a shoeshine, the 11-year-old African American boy learns that a segregated company of the Civilian Conservation Corps will be setting up camp outside of town near his home, where he and older sister Maya, who has lost the use of her legs to polio, keep pigeons. In 1935, Joseph shines shoes to earn money. Joseph McCoy is a budding spy and the “best shoeshine in Elsinore, California.”
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