Ruby Lu is back in this sparkling follow-up to Ruby Lu, Brave and True. The arrival of her cousin, Flying Duck, from China means big changes for Ruby Lu, almost all of them good. She gets to be Flying Duck’s Smile Buddy at school, she’s learning both Chinese and American sign language (Flying Duck is deaf), and she even gets to go to summer school (although it takes awhile for the good things about summer school to sink in). Of course there are challenges too. Her best friend, Emma, claims Flying Duck is a real alien from outer space; there are endless craft projects (Ruby Lu hates crafts) after school; and an incident involving two small magnets and her little brother Oscar’s nose is more drama than anyone needs. Perhaps most frightening of all, there are the letters her teacher sends home from school one day—mysterious letters that Ruby Lu is certain don’t say anything good. Lenore Look’s humor is over the top but never out of control in this wholly entertaining short novel. (Ages 6–9)

When Ruby's cousin Flying Duck emigrates from China to live with her, Ruby decides the best thing about Flying Duck is that she is a great new friend. BUT the worst thing about Flying Duck is that now, no one speaks English at home. Plus, there's strange food on the table every night and only chopsticks to eat it with. And Flying Duck is deaf, and Ruby doesn't know any Chinese Sign Language.

As if that weren't enough, this summer proves to be even more perilous as Ruby faces the dangers of swimming lessons, the joys of summer school, the difficulty of staying with a twelve-step program, the miracle needed to keep a beautiful stray dog that wanders into her life, and much more. Is it all too much for anyone -- even the Empress of Everything -- to handle?