Derrick Barnes is the creator and author of the popular Ruby and the Booker Boys series.
Read and Rise magazine (www.readandrisemag.net) speaks with Barnes about the inspiration for his spunky, little heroine, in Part 1 of a two-part Q&A with the author:
Q. Who is Ruby Booker?
A. Ruby Marigold Booker is the 8-year-old protagonist of the Ruby and the Booker Boys series.
She’s smart, makes good grades, is ultra creative, is an awesome singer, and is a fashion risk-taker. (Ruby often wears mix-matched, color-coordinated sneakers with her outfits.) She has a pet iguana named Lady Love, and is the reigning trivia queen of her hometown of Bellow Rock City.
Ruby is pretty much the life of the party, and the type of star with whom any girl would love to be BFFs. Her only problem is trying to figure out how to step out of the enormous shadows of her three, wildly popular, big brothers: Tyner, Marcellus, and Ro (otherwise known as The Booker Boys). She’s tired of being called little sis, and wants to stand alone as her own “Booker.”
Q. What inspired you to create Ruby?
A. Ruby is a mix of all of my nieces, daughters of a few friends, and every little beautiful, dynamic, African-American girl who has longed to see images that represent who they are.
Initially, I created the Booker boys with Ruby as just a minor character. Tyner was supposed to be the main character and their daily tales were going to be told from his point of view. Ruby was supposed to be a funny and pleasant contrast to all of the boy energy in the house.
But it became apparent to us that Ruby was the real star with her quick wit, creativity, her singing, and colorful personality. I rewrote all of the manuscripts, made Ruby the “Beyonce” to the Booker boys’ “Destiny Child” and the rest is history.
Q. Where does Ruby fit in today’s book marketplace?
A. I’ve filled a void. Every time I receive an e-mail from a little African-American girl (which happens every other day) who says for the first time she has picked up a book series that she can’t put down, I know I’ve filled a void.
When I receive an e-mail or letter from a parent that says her daughter has started her own book club as a result of Ruby, I know I’ve filled a void.
When I receive letters from educators of African-American children who say they’ve never seen anything like Ruby, and that they’ve waited for a long time for something like Ruby and the Booker Boys, I definitely know that I’ve filled a void.
Check back next week for Part 2 of our two-part Q&A with Derrick Barnes! For more information about the Ruby and the Booker Boys series, visit www.scholastic.com.
Learn more about Derrick Barnes at his Web site www.derrickbarnes.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment