Synopses & Reviews
Although Ruby seemed to just appear out of thin air on the steps of the courthouse on the first day of summer in 1944, no one in Way Down Deep, West Virginia, ever worried too much about where the toddler came from. They figured that if Rubys people were dumb enough to lose something as valuable as a child, then that was their problem. So even though Ruby cant help but wonder where she came from, she has led a joyful and carefree life in Way Down Deep, loved and watched over by Miss Arbutus - proprietor of The Roost, the local boardinghouse - the residents of The Roost, and the rest of the town. But when Ruby is twelve, a new family moves to Way Down Deep, and they inadvertently provide enough clues about Rubys past that she is able to find her own people. Ruby travels from Way Down Deep to the top of Yonder Mountain to learn who she really is - only to find that she is bound to Way Down Deep by something even stronger than family ties: love.
With a touch of fairy-tale magic and a lot of heart, Ruth White explores just what it is that makes a place truly home. Way Down Deep is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Review
“Both fable and mystery,
Way Down Deep is simply irresistible, as plucky orphan Ruby June searches for the secret of her past, deeply entwined with an entire community worthy of Dickens. Funny, sweet, and filled with the hearts own truths, this is the best book yet from the queen of Appalachian storytelling.” —Lee Smith, author of
On Agate Hill and
Fair and Tender Ladies“A tale of magical beginnings and the everyday magic of an ordinary place populated by a colorful cast of characters worthy of Dickens. A story to love.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“At the heart of the story are profound questions that readers will enjoy puzzling out.”—Booklist, Starred Review
“Captivating and thoughtful on many levels, Whites novel offers humor, mystery, and a feel-good ending that a multitude of readers will find satisfying ‘way down deep. ”—School Library Journal
“Has its own memorable charm.”—The Horn Book
“Whites humor is wise and gentle. . . . Goats, children, readers, disappointed old men, and crotchety old women—all find a warm welcome in Way Down Deep.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
“Ruth White . . . narrates in a voice that is not condescending by wryly knowing, as if shes Flannery OConnor for the younger set.”—Chicago Tribune
“Peopled with delightfully quirky characters, this short novel caputres the authentic cadences of Appalachia.”—VOYA
“You easily fall in love with the little town of Way Down Deep.”—A YALSA YA Galley Teen Reader
“This book has a great plot. I love the small hometown-feeling of the story and all of the characters. . . . this book was great!”—A YALSA YA Galley Teen Reader
“This is one of my favorite books—I felt like I was really in Way Down Deep.”—A YALSA YA Galley Teen Reader
Synopsis
With a touch of magic and a lot of heart, award winning author Ruth White tells the tale of Ruby, an orphan in the South in the 1940s, who discovers something stronger than family ties: love.
Synopsis
Although Ruby seemed to appear out of thin air on the courthouse steps, no one in Way Down Deep, West Virginia, ever worried too much about where the little girl came from. They figured that if Rubys people were dumb enough to lose a child, then that was their problem. So Ruby has led a joyful and carefree life, loved and watched over by the entire town. A decade later, a new family moves to Way Down Deep, and they may know something about Rubys past. But Rubys life is so sweet—running errands in town with her red wagon, playing with her pet goat, Jethro, hiking to Way Up That-a-Way to buy honey from Granny Butler. If she learns the truth about her past, will she have to give up all the plans she had for her future?
About the Author
RUTH WHITE is the author of many award-winning books for children and young adults, including the Newbery Honor Book Belle Praters Boy and its sequel, The Search for Belle Prater. Her newest book, A Month of Sundays, will be available from FSG in October 2011. She lives in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.