2012
WISE Score
Think James Bond meets Harriet the Spy, but with better outfits and actual logic puzzles you can solve.
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Ruby Redfort is a breath of fresh air in middle-grade fiction. It’s smart, stylish, and actually makes the reader feel clever.
Lauren Child (of Charlie and Lola fame) successfully pivots to a much older audience here without losing her signature wit.
If your kid is into escape rooms, puzzles, or just wants a protagonist who is the smartest person in the room, this is a must-read. It’s high-quality entertainment that actually exercises the brain.
Perfect for the 9 to 13 crowd. It’s sophisticated enough that middle schoolers won't feel like they're reading a baby book, but clean enough for a precocious 4th grader.
Ruby is a capable, independent lead with a solid moral compass and a grounded friendship with her best friend, Clancy. The tone is clever and dry rather than chaotic or mean-spirited.
The book is packed with literal codes, puzzles, and spy gadgets. It doesn't just tell a story; it invites the reader to think like a cryptographer and solve problems alongside the protagonist.
Standard middle-grade spy peril—think mild threats and tense situations—but no graphic violence, profanity, or sexual content. It’s safer than your average PG-13 action movie.
It celebrates intelligence and logical reasoning. Ruby isn't a 'chosen one' with magic powers; she’s just incredibly smart and observant, which is a great message for kids.
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