I wanted to read this book for a couple of reasons. First because I love dogs, secondly because I wanted to find out more about the walk Jimmy Wayne did to bring awareness to Foster Children Aging Out ans lastly because I saw him at the Grand Ole Opry a few years ago talking about being a Foster Child. The story was a good one. You have to suspend belief because Ruby talks to humans as she narrates this story. Many of them understand her and talk back. I loved the relationship Mr. James and Ruby develop. They had to learn to trust one another and Ruby had to rely on him as well. This book has several messages. When the book opens, Ruby is in a shelter that is more of an animal warehouse. They talk about euthanizing animals that have been there more than 18 days. There is also some discussion about puppy mills. There is a plug about adoping a dog from the local shelter, that they should not be thrown away. The main plotline of course is about the walk. In 2010, Jimmy Wayne walked halfway across the US to bring awareness to Foster Children who aged out and had nowhere to go. They often end up in jail, homeless or on drugs. There were a couple of plugs for companies that supported him on this walk, but it was not too bad. Jimmy also talks about his faith and belief in God. He discusses forgiveness and how holding onto grudges makes you feel bad and fills you up with those negative feelings. He also discusses being generous, giving to others, loving and caring for others and the world and knowing what is really important in life. There are some scriptures quoted throughout the book. I really liked the messages that were given, but the story itself was a bit jerky and parts were repetitive. Perhaps writing with someone else might have improved that part of the process. Overall, I would not recommend this to young children, perhaps 10 and over. This would make a good addition to a Church library or Christian School Library.

Ths is a heart-warming, compelling read of a children’s book full of character education, strong messages of faith and strong values, a dash of history, and thoughts and concerns that many children in the foster care system might face told through the voice of a dog named Ruby.

Enjoyed by my daughter, aged 10 years old, especially as she loves dogs!!

Ruby the Foster Dog

by Jimmy Wayne

Broadstreet Publishing Group LLC

Broadstreet Publishing Group, LLC



Children's Fiction

Pub Date 01 Nov 2017

I am reviewing Ruby the Foster Dog through Broadstreet Publishing Group, LLC and Netgalley:

Ruby is an adorable mixed breed puppy with an underbite who was abandoned in an animal shelter. Just a couple of days before she is to be put down a scruffy man comes to adopt her Mr James was not the family she was expecting but could this man be the answer to Ruby’s prayers?

Mr James, or Jimmy Wayne to his country music fans is walking halfway across the country to raise funds and awareness to the thousands of Foster children who desperately need help. Ruby soon realizes she was not much different from these kids, she had been scared and alone before Mr James had rescued her.

On their journey halfway across the country Mr James teaches Ruby about loyalty, integrity, selflessness and love. By the time they make it tomPhoenix both of their lives are changed forever, and for the better.

I found Ruby the Foster Dog to be beautifully written and illustrated, with a good message for kids from third to sixth grades.

I give Ruby the Foster Dog five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

I rarely write negative book reviews, and it is particularly difficult to write a bad review for an ARC (or Advance Review Copy) that was so graciously extended to me by the author and/or publisher. However, I think feedback is always important, and potential readers should have information from a variety of viewpoints.

Jimmy Wayne, author of “Ruby the Foster Dog”, has a good heart and an interesting story to tell. A former foster child, he is also a country music artist, and has written (or co-written) two other books. In an effort to raise awareness about the struggles faced by kids who age-out of the foster care system, he embarked on a walk halfway across America in 2010. “Ruby” is his semi-autobiographical account of this event, written specifically for children.

The illustrations in the galley copy that I received were detailed and beautiful, full of action and emotion. With a few more pictures, you might not even need the words to tell the story (and in this case, it would be an improvement).

I was interested in the story for many reasons: I am a foster parent for my local Humane Society, several of my family members have cared for (and even adopted) foster children, and the connection between children and animals has been proven to be very healing. Unfortunately, none of these points were included or addressed in the book.

“Ruby” is written as a first-person narrative, from Ruby’s point of view. Ruby begins her story at a shelter in Texas, which is described more as an abusive warehouse than a safe refuge for animals. Eventually, just before her approaching euthanasia date, Ruby is adopted by a man she calls “Mr. James” (also known as Jimmy Wayne). He is (of course) walking halfway across America to raise awareness about the plight of foster children, and she joins him (mainly tucked inside his coat) as he reaches his goal. By the time they reach Mr. James’ home, they are both popular stars, and continue to use their notoriety to support their cause.

The writing, sadly, seems a little herky-jerky, and consistency was a big problem throughout the book. For example, early in the story, as Mr. James is finishing the paperwork to adopt Ruby, he speaks with a shelter employee:
“The employee’s face fell, as if he had a bad memory of being hopeless too. I wondered if everyone knew what that word felt like. Lots of people knew what it meant, but not everyone know what it feels like.”
Nit-picky? Maybe. But this kind of issue, of conflicting thoughts and inconsistent ideas, runs rampant throughout “Ruby”.

With a dog for a narrator, I should maybe not have been surprised when Mr. James begins to not only understand what Ruby is saying, but also converse with her. Very literally. They go on and on -- talking about the mundane (food, friends, the road), having deep philosophical exchanges, and discussing various Bible verses and stories. Sometimes it seems that Ruby has a good grasp on everything they are talking about, and other times she “speaks” and reacts as if each detail was completely foreign. Eventually, Ruby even begins conversing with people they meet on the road, like it happens every day.

As I read, I kept waiting to find out what the title meant, because Mr. James adopted Ruby, and she was not a foster dog. Again, there was a passage that seemed to spell it out, but again with the contradictions: Mr. James tells Ruby that when he adopted her, she also (in a way) adopted him. Ruby goes on to tell Mr. James,
“’Although you don’t look like a normal foster parent, you are the perfect foster parent for me.’”
And other than Mr. James, who is an adult by this point, there are no foster children represented in the story, unfortunately. When the title so blatantly does not fit the book, it’s a big problem for me.

There is also a lot of what appears to be product placement throughout the book – the sporting goods company (who sponsored part of his walk) Marmot, and Southwest Airlines (who evidently donated a flight for Mr. James), to name a couple. Example passage:
“’Well, Ruby, Southwest Airlines is the most loveable airline and you are the most loveable dog on the planet.’”
It is a little annoying, and not really appropriate for a book geared towards kids.

I think it is important to specifically note that this is a Christian-centered story. Beyond the fact that there are many references to biblical passages and Christian morals, there are passages like this one:
“’Stella’s mom is single, isn’t she?’ I wiggled my eyebrows. The new guy looked back and forth between me and Mr. James. I would have to fill him in later. ‘Yes. She’s also beautiful. And most important, she’s a Christian.’”
This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is important to know, as it sometimes feels slightly exclusionary.

“Ruby” is supposed to be geared toward kids who are between 4- and 10-years old, but that is a very wide range for a fairly wordy book. Kids who range from 4- to 6- or 7-years old are still often learning the difference between reality and fiction, and the real message of the book may be lost on many of them. For a story with such a true and very real issue at its center (the foster care system), introducing this strange talking-dog element as its delivery system kind of undermines its importance.

“Ruby the Foster Dog” has great heart, but it is buried underneath so many problems that I really could not recommend it to anyone.

This was a wonderful ride.
It is a work of art for real. Whenever you want to teach a kid the importance of a friend, the love for animals, and the importance of adopting a pet instead of buying one, this is the book you should go for.
It contains EVERYTHING: love, friendship, trying times, kind-hearted people, and a plot that moves you.
There is not one single bad thing I could possibly say about it.

Thank you so much Jimmy Wayne for writing this and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it. I will be following Wayne's work closely.
For me, this book is a gigantic "YOU MUST READ IT".
I am getting it for my nephew as soon as it is released.

Ruby is a small mixed breed dog and her human is country singer Jimmy Wayne. Mr. James, as Ruby thinks of him, rescued her from a shelter while he was walking from Nashville to Phoenix to raise awareness about the plight of foster children, especially children ageing out of the system. Along the way they form a strong bond and heal old wounds, learning from each other.

Using a gentle conversational style, Jimmy writes about their journey through rural and historical America. His humor and spirituality make for engaging dialogue between the two. The initial setting of the shelter was so heartbreaking. (Yes, I am a rescue dog owner and I would adopt all the homeless dogs in the world of I could!) Just take that dialogue and transfer to a child's voice. Breaks your heart all over again.

Jimmy Wayne is a former foster child and this is a true story. Thank you Jimmy for writing a book that will teach children compassion and understanding. Like the change collected along the road, each tiny bit of awareness adds up to something helpful.

This book was a sweetly moving experience, I laughed, I cried I regret not one moment spent reading this book!!!