Ruby’s Hope
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Ruby's Hope: Dust storms and dismal farming conditions force young Ruby’s family to leave their home in Oklahoma and travel to California to find work and Ruby finds it hard to hold on to hope.
Ruby’s Hope: A Story of How the Famous “Migrant Mother” Photograph Became the Face of the Great Depression
Dorothea Lange’s Depression-era “Migrant Mother” photograph is an icon of American history. Behind this renowned portrait is the story of a family struggling against all odds to survive.
Dust storms and dismal farming conditions force young Ruby’s family to leave their home in Oklahoma and travel to California to find work. As they move from camp to camp, Ruby sometimes finds it hard to hold on to hope.
But on one fateful day, Dorothea Lange arrives with her camera and takes six photographs of the young family. When one of the photographs appears in the newspaper, it opens the country’s eyes to the reality of the migrant workers’ plight and inspires an outpouring of much needed support.
Bleak yet beautiful illustrations depict this fictionalized story of a key piece of history, about hope in the face of hardship and the family that became a symbol of the Great Depression.
About the Author & Illustrator
Monica Kulling is the author of over fifty books for children. She received a BA in creative writing from the University of Victoria. Her books have been selected for many honors, including Simon Wiesenthal Center’s “Once Upon a World Children’s Book Award” and the Norma Fleck Award for Children’s Non-Fiction. She lives in Toronto, Canada.
Sarah Dvojack grew up in Washington and has a passion for circus history, Irish dance, and 20th century history. She graduated from Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts with a degree in Graphic Design and went on to study in the School of Visual Arts’ MFA Illustration as Visual Essay program. She currently lives in New York.
A Few Reviews
“[A] compassionate lens for this moving story.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A great introduction to the photography of Dorothea Lange; a must-have for your Dust Bowl units.” – School Library Journal
“[Ruby’s Hope] offers an introduction to the era from a child’s perspective…An unusual historical picture book.” –Booklist
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