11 Ruby Road: 1950
The third installment in the 11 Ruby Road series, set in the post-war 1950s - perfect period fiction for middle-grade readers and for fans of the Our Australian Girl series.
Since Patsy's baby sister was born, things at home have felt different. So when her mother goes to spend some time in countryside, Patsy stays with her uncle and aunt, at Number 11 Ruby Road. There are so many new people to meet, especially when she begins to help out in Uncle Alex's bright and busy milk bar.
Patsy and her new friend Jolanta soon bond over their shared love for sketching. Jolanta's family are 'new Australians' from Poland, but Patsy discovers that not everyone is as welcoming to the people who came all the way from Europe after the war.
Inspired by the stories of the old Jazz, Cricket and Pastry Club that used to take part in 11 Ruby Road's under croft, Patsy has an idea to bring together all the wonderful inhabitants of Ruby Road ... wherever they come from!
Creators
Charlotte Barkla is a Brisbane-based author and teacher. Her books include the 11 Ruby Road historical fiction series, Let's Try Again Another Day, Robo-teacher, All Bodies Are Good Bodies, the Edie’s Experiments series and From My Head to My Toes, I Say What Goes.
Charlotte’s books have been translated into multiple languages and short-listed for awards, including the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards and the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature. In 2023, All Bodies Are Good Bodies was adapted into a song by the children's band The Quokkas.
As well as writing for children, Charlotte is a creative writing tutor for the Australian Writers' Centre, and has written feature articles for publications including AEU News, Create Digital, Beanz Magazine and Double Helix. She regularly visits schools, libraries and festivals for creative writing workshops, sharing her passion for creativity and stories with children of all ages.
Reviews
I loved this addition to the 11 Ruby Road series that brought 1950 to life and captures what it means to accept people and how this has occurred over time. It also shows that being silent never works, and whilst there are people who will never listen, surrounding yourself with those who will listen can be effective, especially when more voices grow to support inclusion and diversity.
The Book Muse
