You want to raise kids who are curious, confident learners.
Home is where it starts, and we're here to help! With Ruby's Read-Aloud Posters and Book Boxes, learning at home is FUN for them and EASY for you!
Welcome!
Featured product
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street makes the perfect December Read-Aloud! Our Read-Aloud Poster is the perfect do-along activity for your whole family. We've packed this poster with activities that will help them engage with the story and added colorful stickers for decorating the neighborhood for Christmas!
Make Learning Meaningful
Take Time
Slow down and spend time together, as a family or one-on-one.
Go Deep
Discover the deeper meaning and artistry in a favorite book.
Make Connections
Make connections between concepts, but more importantly, with each other.
What’s a Read-Aloud Poster?
Ruby’s Read-Aloud Posters are black and white posters with areas to color and be creative as well as dedicated spaces for activities that allow kids to connect with elements of the story as they listen to a favorite read-aloud book.
What’s in a Book Box?
Ruby’s Book Boxes are created by experienced educators who are also parents of young readers. Each box is designed around a high-quality children's book that will be a treasured addition to your home library and includes an activity guide and supplies you need to extend the story experience together.
Parents say...
"I have been reading aloud to my kids for years and I wasn't sure there'd be much else to add to the experience but goodness, I'm so pleased to be proved wrong! This adds so much to their reading comprehension and is keeping them engaged and literally asking for just one more chapter."
– Natalie, @livingbythepagewithnatalie
“I loved how the activities brought us back to the book multiple times for inspiration. It involves writing, drawing, collage, painting, observing outside - all activities my son loves.”
– Whitney, @theunreadshelf
“The poster is beautifully and thoughtfully designed with plenty of details to help my kids engage with the book.”
– Stephanie, @because.my.mother.read
“Such a fun way to enjoy the characters and the book in an active and creative way.”
– Janey, @darlingreaders
Blog posts
Minibook: Me, Incognito!
October 22, 2021
Do you have a kid who LOVES to dress up? Some kids have fun dreaming up a Halloween costume each October, others seem to live their lives in one costume or another, but ALL kids love to peruse pictures of themselves in costume. Why not harness that enthusiasm to get them writing? Our newest mini-book, Me, Incognito!, gives your dress-up enthusiast the tools and inspiration to create a record of their best costumes in mini-book form. Whether it's a retrospective of their Halloweens from toddlerhood to now, or a record of the costumes they've loved on a random Tuesday, they'll love to create and share a book about themselves... in disguise!
Read-Aloud Poster Spotlight: The Hundred Dresses
August 10, 2021
Our newest Read-Aloud Poster is for The Hundred Dresses, written by Eleanor Estes and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin. This classic was originally published in 1944 and won a Newbery Honor medal. Although it has been around a while, its timeless themes of friendship, kindness, and forgiveness make it a compelling read even today. Publisher age estimates of grades 1-4 and its short length (just 7 chapters, less than 100 pages) may make you think it’s a book for your little ones, we test read it with kids up to 12 years old, and every one of them was engaged in the story. Poster highlights Reader Signatures and Ratings We start and end every poster with our Reader Signature block. Start here by having everyone sign their name (yes, you too!) as a co-book reader and poster-completer; come back at the end to give your star rating and talk about what you liked (and didn’t like) about the book. Book evaluation discussions are great opportunities to give evidence to support your opinions, as well as practice being kind and respectful to other readers whose opinions might differ from yours. Bonus for grown-ups: listen for clues to help you be an even better book-matchmaker for your kids! Character Portraits Use the picture frames to draw portraits of Wanda, Maddie, and Peggy, and use the spaces underneath the frames to write about each girl’s character traits. Timeline Listen for time clues in the story to construct a timeline of important events. Use words, pictures, or a combination of both to show main events! Hint for grown-ups: The book actually has a bit of a flashback structure, so you might want to provide a bit of guidance to make sure that this is reflected in the timeline. Coloring and Designing Dresses It wouldn’t be a Read-Aloud Poster if we didn’t give you some fun coloring opportunities! Have fun coloring some forties-style dresses, then put on your creative hats and draw your own! New Words Here’s a space to collect some of the wonderful words the author uses. Askew? Precarious? Incredulous? Which ones are new to you? Write them down, and then use context clues or a dictionary to find out what they mean. Discussion Questions There are some pretty big ideas in this book! One of the best things about reading together is being able to talk about the book. Look for a few discussion starters in the smoke from the houses on Boggins Heights, or talk about other ideas that are important to you. Letter to Wanda When we finished the book, we thought Maddie still had thoughts and feelings she’d like to share with Wanda. If you feel the same, use this space to write a letter to Wanda from Maddie. Grown-ups: If you’re reading with younger kids, feel free to let them dictate all or part of the letter to you. What's your favorite part of our Read-Aloud Poster for The Hundred Dresses? We'd love to hear from you! plan itplan it
