Every so often Cheerios includes a free book in the box of cereal. We got our copy of Tea for Ruby by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York that way. As it's illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, the illustrator of the Fancy Nancy books, the author's name didn't register when I first started reading it to Harriet.Ruby, who appears to be a normal suburban child who one day receives a invitation to have tea with the Queen. Her family reminds her of her manners and she practices so she'll be ready. Tea with the Queen ends up being tea with her grandmother. Now the grandmother in the book is drawn like any generic grandmother but it was on this page that things clicked into place.See Harriet asked how it was the grandmother could possibly be a queen. And I blurted out something like, "the pictures are wrong!" I gleefully explained (or tried) who the author was and how her two daughters are in fact princess and have a queen for a grandmother. I showed her a picture of Queen Elizabeth II. The funny thing, she didn't believe me. My princess obsessed daughter doesn't believe they actually exist. This is sooo darling! I love tea-time, and I love Robin's illustrations, so I figured I would like this one and didn't want the "celebrity author" to put me off. The story is nothing THAT spectacular, but the whole package is just so cute! Ruby is so excited about her invitation to "Tea with the Queen" but in her enthusiasm, she forgets some of her manners! She gets little reminders along the way. ***SPOILERS***The ending is sweet with "the Queen" being, as you may have guessed, Ruby's grandma. Nice to see grandmas featured as stars! ;-> Kudos to RPG for the charming illustrations--they really add a lot to the story! For example, Grandma has some lovely English decorations in her home and books on "English Gardens" on the table... Ruby's ballet class features girls AND boys! It's cute the way the real-life people and events are transformed in Ruby's imagination into something royal! ;-> Definitely recommended for little princesses!
Do You like book Tea For Ruby - Te Para Ruby (2008)?
Same illustrator as Fancy Nancy. She's more of a tomboy.... we really like this book.
—Sydney
This a very cute book! I think any little girl would love it.
—aleena
So cute! Ruby gets an invitation to tea from "the Queen."
—drthowe
