Really Rubie: A Diary

This illustrated diary of an eleven-year-old girl has the look of countless other doodle-filled diaries that chart the hilarious mishaps of a middle-school-aged child navigating the pitfalls of growing up. However, it is far more original and heartfelt than its cover suggests. 

Rubie gets on okay at school, just about, thanks to her more confident and outgoing best bud forever – Riley – and her zumba-instructor, motivational mum. With their reassurance, Rubie feels able to attend – for the first time ever – the month-long summer camp at Camp Pinebutt. Plans take a catastrophic turn, though, when, moments before departure time, Riley drops the bombshell that she has broken her ankle and won’t be able to go!

It takes all of her emotional reserves for Rubie to get in mum’s car and head off to the camp without her BFF, bolstered by the knowledge that she can call home twice a week, and by the note in her pocket from Riley addressed to Owen from school, who will be attending the boys camp next door, and on whom Riley has a big, juicy crush.

Camp Pinebutt has all the classic ingredients of an all-American summer camp: campfires, archery, ‘horseback-riding’, makeovers, cute counsellors and nervous crushes. Riley feels the pull of all of them, yearning to make the types of memories that the other girls seem to be enjoying, but she is held back by her ‘Tuce Truce’ with Riley: a pledge not to experience certain things without Riley there. She is also conflicted by her feelings for Owen and the not-entirely-out-of-the-question possibility that he could just be her first kiss!

Riley is extremely relatable. Her diary entries brilliantly capture the enormity of feelings that eleven-year-olds experience, without ever being condescending. Trivial seeming matters like how long to leave it before calling your friend or how many layers of lip gloss to apply can feel momentous to eleven-year-olds and Ruby’s diary illustrates this while also celebrating the innocent, youthful love of a good bum joke. 

Frost’s charming line drawings add to the comedy, too – despite their simplicity. It is amazing how much expression can be shown by a simple line drawing of a face with no eyebrows! 

Any ‘tween’ age reader of any gender will recognise the constant tightrope walk of Rubie’s relationships, and – as long as they are brave enough to handle the occasional emotional moment (including the odd smooch!) – they will be eager to hear what Really Rubie gets up to next.