This sweet little book about growing up and finding your passion would be ideal for the curious elementary and younger middle grade readers. Ruby, our heroine, is charged with finding her "thing" and spends the summer doing so. She is bright, spunky, and likeable and this would be an ideal start to a series.

One of the things I really appreciate about this book is Ruby's positive and healthy relationships with adults outside of her family. I feel like this is underrepresented and it's important for children to see this modeled if they don't have it for themselves.

Downside: lots of crickets. Upside: the crickets are anthropomorphic.

Thank you to NetGalley and LevelBest for the ARC!

Ruby would have been happy spending her summer holidays swimming in her backyard pool and watching cartoons but her mother insists that Ruby find a "thing" to devote her time to. Ruby's brother enjoys learning about animals as a volunteer at the aquarium, and Ruby's sister is a talented music-maker, always practicing her violin. Ruby scrambles to pick something that at least interests her a little bit, before her mother chooses for her.

She finds an old dresser that has been tossed to the curb, and convinces a friend to help her drag it home on roller skates. Ruby's plan: to make refurbishing furniture her "thing". Part of her instinctually knows that this sort of a venture might not fly with her mom (or her snarky sister) but Ruby's dad has a more sensitive ear. He swoops in and builds her a simple workshop in the backyard (a relief to both Ruby and reader)!

It was fun reading about Ruby's vision for the dresser (hot pink!) and I enjoyed reading about the friendship that Ruby develops with her elderly neighbour (who happens to be something of an expert in furniture restoration).

The book's "slice of life" tone shifts key into the fantastical about halfway through, when it turns out that the dresser is tethered to an ancient magic. I liked the "slice of life" writing SO well that I felt the book didn't need the magical element. Still, I quite enjoyed the book, and several times considered buying the paperback for myself, just so that I could hold it in my hands.

This was a fun middle grade read, full of magical realism mixed with meaningful life lessons and a bit of comedy. Although it seems Ruby’s older siblings can seemingly do no wrong, she is constantly getting in trouble despite good intentions, starting off the book on a super relatable note. Add in subtle encouragement of creativity and finding yourself and what truly makes you happy and unique, and this is a great book for lower middle grade readers.

love how the story unfolds, especially Ruby’s journey of discovery and self-reflection. Her process really inspired me to reconnect with my childhood and start doing the things I love again. The book feels truly special in that sense.

It’s a great read for all ages—light, engaging, and very enjoyable. That said, the language was a bit challenging for me at first, especially since I’m not very familiar with insects or the related terminology. I initially felt a little lost, but as I kept reading, I learned a lot of new words and gradually got the hang of it.

Overall, it’s a wonderful, easy-going book that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a chill and heartwarming read. Absolutely worth it!

This book was actually pretty decent, I think that plenty of kids would actually enjoy this but it was not a middle grade that most readers above the age of 12 are going to enjoy however. It was decently simple writing and doesn't have a lot of depth however which is why I'm saying that anyone over the recommended age is not going to enjoy it as much as a middle grade reader would enjoy it

Due to the cover and the blurb, I went into Ruby and the Boss Cricket thinking it was a modern-day mystery modeled on Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden or the Hardy Brothers. And, indeed, it starts that way. But it soon veers off into magical territory in the vein of Bruce Coville or Zetta Elliot. While Julie Sampson isn’t quite in their league, I would definitely recommend this book (hopefully the first of a series).

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Level Best Books and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in exchange for an honest review.

What an original and fun story! I loved that it was different from what I typically see in this genre and honestly just really enjoyed the whole ride.

Ruby, a young girl, discovers a hidden world within an antique dresser she finds on the side of the road. This magical dresser leads her to unexpected friendships and exciting adventures involving a mischievous cricket named "The Boss Cricket." It is an enjoyable book geared towards middle-grade readers, with imaginative world-building and engaging storyline.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for and was hooked from the first page. It was a strong start to the Inspire Island series, and was everything that I was looking for in this series. Julie Sampson has a strong writing style and am excited to read more from this world.

Five stores for this creative and upbeat novel, with its thoroughly original story combining the best elements of traditional and contemporary children's literature. Author Julie Sampson introduces appealing and interesting characters of various ages and smoothly weaves art, culture and entomology. Did I mention woodworking and jam-making? Ruby and the Boss Cricket should be a must read on any Middle Grade shelf! I'm giving nothing away by warning you'll be fluttertanked if you don't read it!