Tea for Ruby (Paula Wiseman Books)

Awful in so many ways:
- Boring and hideously repititive. Same line page after page. I understand the value of repetition in children's books, but this takes it to a new extreme
- Mean spirited. The way you teach a kid manners is squash her enthusiasm and chastise her page after page?
- Non-sensical. (SPOILER) The kid thinks she is going to have tea with the queen. Turns out that it is a ruse from her grandmother. And the kid is still happy? I ain't buying it.

This is in no way celebrity sniping. I don't know who the heck the Duchess is and after reading this book I'm not sure I want to find out.

If you like the illustrations, just buy Fancy Nancy, which is done by the same artist.

Not recommended for anyone.

Dear Ruby,

You've received and invitation to have tea with the queen, and must be so excited! After all, you've told me about your invitation with all the enthusiasm a girl filled with dreams and hopes can muster. But because I don't care about your feelings, what is important to you, or our relationship, I won't validate you or thank you for sharing. But, I will shame you by telling you what is wrong with you when I express my spirit-crushing hope that you'll learn some manners before you have tea with the queen.

Ruby, In the future please don't share anything with me, not your excitement, not your hopes, nor your effervescent personality, I'm much to busy being thoughtless, disapproving, and dull.

Sincerely,

Everyone In Your Life

My daughter loves the Fancy Nancy picture books, which are illustrated by Glasser as well. So I was drawn to this, thinking it'd be a hit. The illustrations are lovely, but the story is terrible! Agree with another reviewer that it's repetitive, and that at it's core, it's about all of Ruby's friends/family members/teachers squashing her enthusiasm and excitement.
Yes, manners are important, but this is too heavy handed (and not very creative!) for a children's book, and not very engaging.

I have been reading this to my daughter now for at least two years. She loves the story and now loves to have tea parties too. Plus, I will reference it when I want her to use her good manners.

The book is mostly about adults telling Ruby everything she is doing wrong and not acknowledge
Ing how excited she is to have tea with the queen.

My five year old loves this book, especially since it was written by a duchess. Great photos that are fun to look at and inspire imagination.

purchased this as a replacement book for one my youngest granddaughter regretted losing. Ruby is invited to tea with the queen. All through the colorfully illustrated book, she happily announces she has been invited to tea with the queen -- interrupting people, shouting, talking with her mouth full. All her family express the hope that she won't do that during tea. Readers also get to see her thoughts as she imagines what the tea will be like. I won't give away the ending, but when she finally arrives, it is a surprise ending for the reader, and Ruby behaves perfectly. (Of course.) My granddaughter was around age eight or nine when I originally purchased a copy for her. At age nineteen, she has impeccable manners.

This was our absolute family favorite as our daughter was growing up. She loved it so much that she memorized the whole book and could “read it” to us herself years before she learned how to read!

My family already had this book and we bought it for a little girl who had a princess/tea-themed birthday party. This book is charming, focused on a cute story but full of beautiful and creative illustrations which spark the imagination.

My daughter likes pink and tea and tutus. Manners are pretty big for our family-- Please and Thank you's are important. But the plot of this book is just adults correcting Ruby at every turn literally telling her to "Remember not to talk when you shouldn't." These very explicit messages to girls on how to be good host, look graceful, and shut your mouth. It hurts my heart for the girls who read this and internalize its message to stay small and serve other people.