Ruby's Slippers

Title: RUBY’S SLIPPERS
Author: Leanna Ellis
Publisher: Broadman & Holman Books
April 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8054-4698-2
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary/women’s fiction

Dottie Meyers is happy with her life in Kansas. All she ever wanted was the family farm, a family to love, and her dad to return home. Her sister, Abby, on the other hand, always wanted more—more money and more fame. Now, Abby is a famous movie star, but she is always out of money—she sold what things she had, and went home to Kansas to try to talk Dottie into selling her farm—and to see if there was anything in the basement she could steal, and sell.

When a tornado blows through Kansas, Dottie, and her little dog Otto, are blown away. Dottie wakes up in Kansas where she finds that Abby has sold the farm from under her (and pocketed the money), and her dad has left her a mystery gift—a pair of Ruby slippers.

Now everyone wants those slippers, including Dottie’s own sister. So Dottie and some friends travel to Seattle in search of answers. What is the story behind those slippers? And is it possibly that they will solve Dottie’s problems?

RUBY’S SLIPPERS is a really cute play off of The Wizard of Oz and Cinderella in a more contemporary tale. I enjoyed reading this story—but I didn’t really care for the ending so much. Dottie is a sweetheart of a character, and I just couldn’t believe the selfishness of Abby, but sadly she reminds me strongly of someone I know.

RUBY’S SLIPPERS is humorous and entertaining, and yet teaches an important lesson about family, material goods, and love. Highly recommended. $14.99. 312 pages.