In her debut effort, Bridges tells the story of her grandmother’s unique place in Chinese history. Even in a wealthy household, being a young girl in China meant that education was something of a dream, but luckily Ruby’s grandfather had a special place in his heart for his hard-working and talented granddaughter. Making his fortune in the California Gold Rush, one man returned to China to start a household full of wives and children and soon grandchildren. Even when the people in the household numbered over 100, it was easy to spot little Ruby in the group. Red was her favorite color and even when she was instructed to wear more traditionally colored clothing, Ruby insisted in twisting red ribbons into her dark hair. An enlightened man, the grandfather offered education to both boys and girls of the household and Ruby thrived. However, a poem that she wrote convinced her grandfather that perhaps he was not being completely equitable with his progeny. On what she believed to be her last New Year’s Day as an unmarried woman, her grandfather presented her with a letter saying that she had received admission as one of the first women at a university. Softly colored, Asian-inspired gouache illustrations accompany this tale of one little girl’s dream to become more than was traditionally possible. (Picture book. 4-8)
