RUTHIE ROSE'S BIG IDEA

Ruthie Rose takes her spark of a writing idea and grows it with the help of her community.

As soon as Ruthie Rose wakes up, she has an idea that begins to take root. She shares it with Ms. Alexandria, “a book-talking, idea-loving librarian”; Mr. Zayn, “a collage-making, idea-loving artist”; Ms. Adelaide, “her story-sharing, idea-loving teacher”; and Lily-May, “her purple-wearing, idea-sharing friend.” The idea bounces around and finally takes shape. It’s “The Poetry Place”: “a space for everyone, a space for anyone to explore.” The illustrations blend bright, cartoonlike characters and settings with elements of collage. Ruthie Rose’s idea grows from her mind across the page, a thought bubble layered with text and painted vivid watercolors. A crinkled leather book in her hands is so realistic that it appears touchable. Disappointingly, these components appear sparsely throughout the book, though they are the most visually interesting elements. Still, Ruthie Rose’s idea bounces to life in a way that reminds readers that the most successful ideas are those that grow with community support. Muppetlike Ruthie Rose is beige-skinned with big red glasses and a mop of curly auburn hair; the supporting cast is diverse.

A sweet reminder that tending to our bright ideas can be transformative.