Ruby Holler facts for kids
Front cover of first edition
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| Author | Sharon Creech |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel, magic realism |
| Publisher | HarperCollins (Joanna Cotler Books) |
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Publication date
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26 March 2002 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 310 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-06-027732-7 |
| OCLC | 45487314 |
| LC Class | PZ7.C8615 Ru 2002 |
Ruby Holler (2002) is an exciting novel for young people by the American writer Sharon Creech. It was published by HarperCollins in 2002. The story is about twin teenagers, Dallas and Florida, who are orphans. They are known as "trouble" kids. An older couple, Tiller and Sairy, adopt them. They take the twins to live in a special, almost magical place called Ruby Holler.
Sharon Creech won the important Carnegie Medal for Ruby Holler. This award is given by British librarians. It celebrates the best children's book published in the U.K. The librarians described the book as "a beautifully written story about love and trust." They also said it shows how people's strength can help them overcome challenges. Sharon Creech was the first American to win this British award. She was also the first person to win both the American Newbery Medal (for Walk Two Moons in 1994) and the British Carnegie Medal.
Contents
The Story of Ruby Holler
The story begins at the Boxton Creek Home. This is an orphanage run by Mr. and Mrs. Trepid. They are a very strict and dishonest couple. Dallas and Florida, who are imaginative 13-year-old twins, have lived there for a long time. They often get punished for breaking the many rules the Trepids have.
Over the years, the twins have been adopted many times. But they were always quickly sent back to the Home. Because of this, they are called the "trouble twins." Dallas and Florida have a secret plan. They want to run away and take a train far from Boxton.
A New Home in Ruby Holler
Far from Boxton, there is a place called Ruby Holler. Tiller and Sairy Morey, a very old couple, live there. Their own children have grown up and moved away. Tiller and Sairy decide they want a new adventure. They choose to foster children and adopt Dallas and Florida.
Sairy is a very kind and trusting old lady. She is excited to have children at Ruby Holler again. But Tiller, who can be a bit grumpy, is not so sure. The twins love the freedom and adventure they find in the holler. Yet, they are still suspicious. They think Tiller and Sairy will treat them badly, like others have. Soon, they learn their suspicions are wrong.
Tiller and Sairy tell Dallas and Florida about their travel plans. They want the twins to come along. Dallas will go with Sairy to explore an island. Florida will go with Tiller on a rafting trip. All four feel a bit uneasy about being separated from their partners. But they don't talk about it. Tiller and Sairy use their "understone funds" to pay for their trips. These are savings they have kept hidden underground for years.
Trouble from Mr. Trepid
Meanwhile, Mr. Trepid hears about the understone funds. He learns about them from Dallas and Florida. The twins run into him while shopping for trip supplies in Boxton. Mr. Trepid promises to pay a shady man named Z. Z is a neighbor of Tiller and Sairy. Mr. Trepid wants Z to map out Ruby Holler.
Mr. Trepid does not say why he needs a map. Z feels uneasy because he likes Tiller and Sairy. He slowly starts making the map. At the same time, he helps the Ruby Holler family get ready for their trips. Dallas and Florida still think Tiller and Sairy are trouble. So, they decide to take some supplies and run away.
They don't get far from the cabin. Sairy and Tiller "find" them camping out. They tell the twins it was a good idea to test the supplies. They suggest taking practice trips together, closer to home. On these practice trips, Tiller and Sairy learn about the twins' past. They realize the Trepids are not trustworthy people.
Adventures and Discoveries
The four begin their trips to the river and the island. Z continues to delay making Mr. Trepid's map. He feels more protective of the kids. He starts to believe Dallas and Florida might be his own children. He sees Dallas's birth certificate. It looks like their mother was Z's runaway wife.
Eventually, Z gives Mr. Trepid a map. It shows possible hiding places. But Z has already moved the understone funds. He wants to protect them from Mr. Trepid. On Tiller and Florida's rafting trip, their boat flips over. Tiller then has a heart attack. Luckily, Dallas, Sairy, and Z find them in time. Tiller is taken to a hospital and gets better.
Z forms a bond with the twins. They set up traps for Mr. Trepid. He searches for the understone funds but cannot find them.
A Family Together
In the end, two of Tiller and Sairy's grown children visit Ruby Holler. They want to check on Tiller's health. They suggest that the twins go back to the Boxton Creek Home. Dallas and Florida overhear this conversation. They run away again before hearing Tiller and Sairy say no to the idea.
In the morning, Dallas and Florida smell their breakfast cooking. It smells just like usual. They return home to the cabin in Ruby Holler. They realize they truly belong there.
Main Characters
Dallas
Dallas is one of the main characters in the novel. He is 13 years old. His mother left him as a baby. He lived at the Boxton Creek Home for most of his life. He was adopted by other families but always sent back. They saw him and his sister as trouble. Dallas is very imaginative and quiet. He often lets Florida do most of the talking. He usually hopes things will turn out well. He is close friends with Sairy.
Florida
Florida is Dallas's twin sister. Like him, she was left at the orphanage when she was young. She and Dallas were sent to many homes and then returned. The two are very close. Florida is bold and speaks her mind. She often seems to dislike many things. She believes she and Dallas can take care of themselves. But sometimes she shows care for others. When Florida first arrives at Ruby Holler, she is very suspicious of Tiller and Sairy. She thinks they will be like other families. She does not know how to swim. This causes a problem when she falls out of the boat on a rafting trip. However, she knows basic CPR. She uses this skill to help Tiller after his heart attack.
Sairy
Sairy is an old woman who lives in Ruby Holler with her husband. She is very kind and caring. She is especially good with children. She is also very trusting. Her dream is to have another adventure before she gets too old. She once lived in New York City. Tiller wrote to her every week from Ruby Holler. Eventually, she left the city and married Tiller. She has four adult children who have moved away from Ruby Holler.
Tiller
Tiller is Sairy's husband. He is about her age. Unlike Sairy, he can be grumpy and doubtful, much like Florida. He was born on a houseboat. He has lived in Ruby Holler his whole life. When all his children left, he planted a tree to remember them. Dallas and Florida accidentally chop it down. Tiller's plan is to build a boat with Florida. They plan to take a rafting trip down a river. During the trip, their boat flips over in rough water. Tiller suffers a heart attack. But he eventually gets better.
Z
Z (whose full name is never told) is Tiller and Sairy's neighbor. He is described as a bit mysterious. He agrees to help Mr. Trepid find the understone funds for a lot of money. He is not very responsible. But he easily learns useful information. He helps the Ruby Holler family get ready for their trips. During this time, he learns that Dallas and Florida might be his children. He sees Dallas's birth certificate. It lists his ex-wife's name as the mother. Z is very good friends with Tiller and Sairy and helps them a lot.
Mr. Trepid
Mr. Trepid helps run the Boxton Creek Home with his wife. He is very strict. He puts rules in every room of the house. He punishes children who break rules with chores or time in the basement "thinking corner." He is also greedy. He dreams of expensive things and an easy life. When he hears about Tiller and Sairy's understone funds, he hires Z to help him find the money.
Mrs. Trepid
Mrs. Trepid is Mr. Trepid's wife. She also helps run the orphanage. Like her husband, she is strict with the children. She also dreams about an easier life. She often says she has constant headaches. She is suspicious of her husband's plans to get more money.
