Harper Collins Australia
March 2020

ISBN: 9781460758885

ISBN 10: 1460758889

Imprint: HarperCollins – AU

List Price: 19.99 AUD

What’s wonderful about my grandmother is she is not only my grandmother but also my friend.

On the day before my Jen slipped away from us as I held her hand and stroked her hair and promised I would take care of Small (as she was known then) she looked at me and said ‘You know you are her best friend.’

So this beautiful new Ruby Red Shoes story, the little hare who lives with her grandmother, touched my heart on the most personal of levels and while Small is now fifteen and way too hip-teen for this, it’s one I’m going to treasure and keep  as it resonates so much….right down to the aquaerobics classes and the fairies in the garden!

Ruby loves her grandmother of course but all the many reasons she gives for her grandmother being so wonderful are just perfect: cooking together, daytrips, exploring rockpools, sharing music and learning new words. This book really could have been written for Small and I  and I am not the only reader who will connect with it. When Ruby invites the reader to share why their own grandmothers are wonderful what a marvellous opportunity arises whether it be with a class of children or a solo reader.

In our strange and anxiety-filled times many grandchildren and grandparents are separated by distance for a time and so what better way to keep the connection than by sharing this with both? The grandies could list why the grandparents are wonderful and vice versa – what a beautiful exchange that would make!

What’s wonderful about my grandmother is she wears x-ray spectacles. She can see deep inside me and knows just what I’m feeling. (and I can)

My highest (and slightly teary) recommendations for little ones from around three years upwards. It could have been written just for us, thank you Kate.