Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie

by Laura Rankin, Laura Rankin (Illustrator)

Overview

Laura Rankin touches on an important childhood issue of lying with gentleness and humor, offering a reassuring look at how standing up for the truth can help cut even the biggest mistake down to size.

Ruthie loves little things-the smaller the better. So when she finds a teeny tiny camera on the school playground one afternoon, she can hardly believe her luck. She wants to keep the camera in the worst way, but there's one little problem: It isn't hers.

Ruthie swears to her teacher and to her classmate Martin that she got the camera for her birthday. But deep down, Ruthie knows better, and all day long that teeny tiny camera weighs on her conscience until she can hardly stand it. How could one little camera turn into such a great big problem?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599900100
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	07/01/2007
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	179,148
Product dimensions:	9.96(w) x 11.16(h) x 0.35(d)
Lexile:	AD490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

LAURA RANKIN's picture books include Rabbit Ears and No Babysitters Allowed, by Amber Stewart, Fluffy and Baron, and The Handmade Alphabet. She has also illustrated the Harriet Bean mysteries by Alexander McCall Smith. She lives in Maine where she likes to collect all kinds of teeny tiny things.

Editorial Reviews

Rankin addresses a common playground issue through the thoroughly believable behavior of her little fox's full range of emotional responses, from exhilarating happiness to denial, lying, guilt, embarrassment and finally remorse. ....Direct poignancy will spark musing and discussion in every early childhood classroom.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Emotions ring true in this simple tale of learning right from wrong. ...An excellent choice for bibliotherapy as well as for entertaining reading.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Like a lot of girls (and girl foxes) in her peer set, Ruthie loves "tiny things-the tinier the better.... She had dinky dinosaurs, itty-bitty trains, ponies no bigger than your pinky, and teddy bears that were barely there." So when Ruthie finds a tiny camera on the playground, she immediately claims it for her own. Her classmate Martin identifies it as his birthday present, but that doesn't deter Ruthie: she lies to her teacher-"I got it for mybirthday!" Rankin (Rabbit Ears) unfolds this highly effective version of a psychological drama with skill and sympathy, using crisp, reportorial pencil-and-acrylic pictures to underscore the emotional and moral stakes. She allows readers to make their own connections to Ruthie's true-to-life feelings of guilt ("The bus ride home took forever.... Dinner was macaroni and cheese, Ruthie's favorite, but she couldn't eat.") and even subtly instructs parents in how to handle a situation like this one. Ages 3-8. (July)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2
Emotions ring true in this simple tale of learning right from wrong. A young fox loves teeny tiny toys and is delighted when she finds a miniature camera on the school playground. When confronted by the classmate who dropped it, she lets her desires get the better of her and tells the teacher that the camera was a birthday present. Ruthie's growing guilt is heartrendingly displayed in her expression and posture as she forgets the answer to 2+2 and rejects her dinner of macaroni and cheese. When she tells the truth and apologizes, her relief is palpable. Emotionally authentic in text and art, this story gets its message across without preaching. The didactic-sounding title is the book's weakest point, but that's a minor flaw. An excellent choice for bibliotherapy as well as for entertaining reading.
—Heidi EstrinCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Ruthie loves her miniature assortment of dinosaurs, trains, ponies, teddy bears, seashells and a dollhouse-size tea set. Finding a teeny tiny camera on the school playground during recess, Ruthie is thrilled to claim it as her own. Happily taking pictures of everything in sight, Ruthie tries to take Martin's picture when he informs her that she is holding his camera and he wants it back. A shouting match ensues with each child claiming ownership and Ruthie declaring, in an outright lie, "It's mine!" "I got it for MY birthday!" Wise teacher Mrs. Olsen steps in just in time to call a truce, put the camera in her desk and defer the situation for tomorrow. Rankin addresses a common playground issue through the thoroughly believable behavior of her little fox's full range of emotional responses, from exhilarating happiness to denial, lying, guilt, embarrassment and finally remorse. Light, crisp pencil and acrylics on watercolor paper offer visual perspective to a well-written demonstrative text through a varied set of anthropomorphized animals. Ruthie's self-reflection and ultimate candid decision to apologize and admit wrongdoing is tenderly rewarded with a teacher's praise and respect. Direct poignancy will spark musing and discussion in every early childhood classroom. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews