Ruby was born in an unspecified part of Africa, later ending up on display in the mall, where she met Ivan, Bob, and Julia. Luckily, she can confide in her Uncle Ivan, who is next door in Gorilla World, and Uncle Bob, the dog who lives nearby with human friend Julia. She’s apprehensive about her Tuskday, a rite of passage for young elephants when she’ll give a speech in front of the rest of the herd. In this follow-up to 2020’s The One and Only Bob, Ruby the elephant is still living at Wildworld Zoological Park and Sanctuary. Final art not seen.Ī wholesome story that bridges generations. The easygoing pace and descriptive narration make it a suitable choice for reading aloud. Readers will immediately love Ellis and his family as they learn to reconnect in this novel that is full of heart and humor. Ellis learns not only the value of clear communication, but the importance of community as well. One surprise is the existence of a mysterious paternal uncle that neither of his parents ever told him about, a discovery that sets Ellis on a course to reunite his family. Through Ellis’ first-person account, readers encounter several interesting characters on Sunset Boulevard as he explores his new neighborhood.

The next six weeks are all about perfecting their recipe, fixing up the shop, and attracting customers-when all he really wants is to play his harmonica and hang out with his best friend. It only gets worse when they arrive at a run-down storefront. With his parents recently divorced and his mother visiting her best friend out of town, Ellis dreads spending the summer of 1976 with his father. A boy improves his relationship with his father as they prepare to open a cookie store over summer break.ĭad has had a lot of ridiculous ideas, but to 11-year-old Ellis, opening a store that only sells chocolate chip cookies-even if they are delicious-seems to be the worst.

Cookies and milk by shawn amos