Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner

PreS-Gr 1–Once a year, Ruby and her sprawling Black family gather for their family reunion. Each auntie, uncle, and cousin prepares a special dinner dish—a signature item cooked and shared annually. Ruby is still too young; her chin barely makes it over the counter’s edge. She’s too little to use the mixer, to stir greens on the hot stove, to cut onions, or to mess with the grill. Ruby finds her contribution in the shade of the backyard, where her uncle G helps her with the hard part as she rolls lemons to loosen their juice before slicing. Delineating every detail, the story reveals Ruby’s lemonade as the perfect accompaniment to all the other dishes offered at the crowded table. Digitally rendered art presents richly colored and painted scenes with expressive faces and contrasts of light emphasizing depth to landscapes. The traditions of this loving family are timeless and the scenes full of affection.