Ruby Paints a Picture (I Can Read!)

Susan Hill
Zonderkidz (2010)
ISBN 9780310720232
Reviewed by Madison Schlarman (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (08/10)


Ruby decides to paint pictures of God’s gifts.  She gathers her supplies and heads outside to paint a tree.  Slowly, but surely, each of her friends come along and asks Ruby to paint them also.  Ruby knows her friends are a gift from God so she paints them too.  After she is finished painting each one, the friend complains that she didn’t paint the best part of them.  When Ruby finishes the entire painting she shows her friends.  She tells her friends that although she did not paint what they thought was the best part of them; she did paint very special gifts from God.  Her friends agree and decide she did paint the best part of them after all, she painted their smiles!

Madison’s comments:

Ruby paints a picture.  She got her paper and paint and paint brushes.  She paints a tree and Fiona fox.  They are gifts from God.  Bunny gets painted too, then Jenny Wren.  “You forgot to paint my webbed feet” said Dan Duck.  Carlos crow gets painted.  “You forgot to paint my wide wings.”  She looked at her picture.  She looked at her friends.  I didn’t paint your tail or your ears or you feet or your wings but I did paint four special things.  She took her picture to her friends.  They said “you’re right, you painted our smiles.”

Mom’s comments:

“Ruby Paints a Picture” was a wonderful example and illustration to my daughter of seeing the best in others and realizing that everyone is special to God.  She really liked the part where she was able to view the painting and see Ruby’s friends’ smiles.  We were able to talk about pointing out the good in others, especially something they may not see in themselves.  Just as all the other Ruby books have been, this book is repetitive in nature for easy reading and learning of words by sight and repetitiveness.  Each time Ruby paints a friend the wording is set up exactly alike and changes based on the friends name and part of them that they believe is the best.  My daughter quickly caught onto this book and after we had read it three or four times, she was able to read or remember almost the exact wording for many of the sections in the book.  She felt proud of herself and excited to hold the book like mommy does and read it.  I highly suggest this series of I Can Read books for emerging readers and young children.  They are full of wonderful examples and wholesome concepts along with a great format for learning to read!

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