Love, Ruby Lavender -- Deborah Wiles

Finally.  I finally recovered enough from the sob fest that was each little bird that sings to read Deborah Wiles' first book, Love, Ruby Lavender.  Everyone and their mom had said to me: "Leila.  Stop being such a weenie.  We promise that Ruby won't make you cry.  Just read it.  C'mon.  Read it.  JUST READ IT, YOU HUGE WIMP!"

So I did.  And it didn't make me cry.  So yes, you all win:

Well, Good Garden of Peas, Miss Happiness,

Your letter was exciting.  I was sure you would hate Hawaii.  Maybe by now you do.

For your information, Melba Jane is curling her hair so loopy it looks like a heap of catfish guts.  It's very attractive.  I told her so.

The whole book is pretty darn adorable.  Fans of Winn-Dixie will especially like it -- it's got the small-town southern setting, the quirky characters and a similar storyline about loss.  It's much funnier, though. 

This is going to ruffle some feathers (HAH!  Get it?  Feathers?), but as much as I like this book, I still liked each little bird more.  Sorry.