Ruby's Repair Café
What’s inside...
Ruby loves to fix things, rather than throwing them away. When a shiny new department store opens next door to Ruby's Repair Café, everyone in town soon forgets about fixing things. Ruby becomes sadder and sadder, and the dump behind the town grows bigger and bigger. One night, a storm whips wildly through the town, tossing the trash everywhere and even blowing the roof off Mr. Bigg's department store! But will Ruby be able to fix things and make the town a happy place? This book celebrates sustainability, community, and making small changes with a big impact.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
4-7
Length
28 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
Why do you think Ruby wanted to start a repair cafe?
What are some ways Ruby and her friends work together to fix things?
How do you feel when you fix something that was broken?
Can you think of something at home that you could help fix or make better?
What did you learn about recycling and reusing from Ruby's story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to think about teamwork and problem solving by discussing Ruby's interactions in the cafe. Highlight the importance of taking care of our belongings and the environment. Relate the story to your child's experiences by asking them about times they have fixed or created something. Share personal stories about repairing objects at home to make the theme more relatable.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of recycling and reusing
Explanation: Ruby's Repair Café introduces children to the concept of repairing old toys and objects instead of throwing them away, demonstrating how Ruby and her friends creatively fix their broken belongings.
Real-World Application: Children learn to value sustainability and can apply this by upcycling or fixing their own toys and items at home, promoting environmental consciousness from a young age.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving skills
Explanation: Through the various challenges that Ruby and her friends face while fixing items, the story showcases different problem-solving techniques.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to think critically and develop solutions to everyday problems, enhancing their cognitive and decision-making skills.
Example Lesson: Teamwork and collaboration
Explanation: The book highlights how Ruby and her friends work together to repair broken items, emphasizing the power of collaboration.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of working with others to achieve common goals, a skill vital in school projects and other group activities.
Example Lesson: Creativity and innovation
Explanation: Ruby's Repair Café is filled with imaginative ways to fix things, showing that there are multiple solutions to a problem.
Real-World Application: This inspires children to use their creativity to think outside the box, which can be applied in artistic, academic, and even social scenarios.
Example Lesson: Resilience and perseverance
Explanation: The characters in the book encounter setbacks during their repair efforts but keep trying until they succeed, teaching resilience.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children understand the value of persistence in overcoming obstacles, which is applicable in learning new skills or improving in different aspects of life.