A very fun story with a good moral. The art is cute and I love all the Yiddish words! A good story to help kids remember why we do some of the daily things we do.

This is a great little story about a spunky little girl named Ruby who learns about the compounding effects of doing the right things. I was a little worried early on that it was perhaps just a book for Jewish families considering all the Yiddish terms used, but there is a lovely explanation and glossary at the end for all us gentiles who are unfamiliar with the language. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is engaging. I think this would be a great story for young children to learn an important life lesson and a little bit about Jewish culture.

Thank you to Mike King, The Collective Book Studio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a lovely insight into Jewish culture with a story about how our small decisions can have an impact on the wider community.

Ruby Finkelman is a little girl living in a harmonious little town - until one day, she decides that she doesn’t want to brush her teeth anymore. This small act influences those around her, and soon nobody is taking care of themselves, which leads to nobody taking care of their environment, and the deterioration of the community as a whole.

I loved the glossary with an introduction into simple Jewish terms! The illustrations are soft with a whimsical colour palette and the story had my children giggling… needless to say, they all went and brushed their teeth without argument afterwards!

It started small... first Ruby decided to not bother brushing her teeth, then the other kids followed suit, and next thing you know the whole town is falling apart! The kids smell terrible and trash is piling up and even the birds and fish are avoiding the town.
This is a terrific lesson where this small Jewish town learns the importance of being a mensch, and being a good, responsible person. The pictures are particularly charming

3.5 stars: My favorite part of this book is the lesson behind it. It gets extreme but I think it has to, to show kids repercussions of their actions. Also, learning about a different culture was very interesting. I gave it 3.5 stars because it was too long. I think it could have been cut down a decent amount. There are also quite a few hard words but I appreciated the glossary at the end of the book.

A simple and charming parable, of a girl who decides to save herself a minute here and a few seconds there, and not brush her teeth. Unfortunately, perhaps, this escalates, until she's not doing anything – no tidying, bathing, or so on. Even more unfortunately, she kind of goes viral with her friends, and soon none of the town's children are bothering being a mensch and cleaning their teeth. Yup, the whole place has turned into a town of stinking schmutz-mouths. When the adults join in it's with no pleasantry towards anyone else, and soon the whole place is looking and smelling like Birmingham, UK, which as I write has barely had a rubbish collection for three and a half weeks.

The obvious lack there is Jewish people, it would appear, for the Jewishness of this is to the fore, and it really is all about "being a mensch". There is a ripe, droll feel to things, names and characters here that is distinctly Jewish, and it all adds a great flavour to the wonderfully simple moral of it all. That moral is definitely a universal one, however, and while this is not just about teeth care it's aimed at anyone who has or has ever had them. And with this levity I can't see many of those numerous people kvetching, for this is a jolly little read that deserves to be a grand success. Four and a half stars.

I originally chose Ruby Finkelman Finds the Real Magic to read with my niece, but the cover didn’t appeal to her, so I ended up reading it on my own. Overall, it’s a cute story with a great message.

I’m not very familiar with Jewish culture, but this book offered a charming glimpse into the daily life of a Jewish community. The lesson is relatable, and I appreciated how it highlights that even one child can make a difference—whether for good or bad. My only critique is that I would have preferred the glossary at the beginning rather than the end, as there were several unfamiliar terms that left me a bit lost while reading.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a meaningful message.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this!

I really loved this story about Ruby and her decision making. Every child is or wants to be rebellious at some point. This story illustrates what might happen if a child follows through with that. I especially enjoyed the Yiddish words and the illustrations.

Ruby Finkelman Finds the Real Magic is a charming and beautifully illustrated story about a girl who doesn’t want to brush her teeth, but it offers so much more than just that! The colorful illustrations bring Ruby’s world to life, making it an engaging read for kids. One unique aspect of the book is its use of Yiddish words and Jewish names, introducing young readers to new vocabulary from different cultures. I even came across a few words I didn’t know, so the glossary at the back was a great addition. It’s a fun and educational story that blends everyday childhood struggles with a touch of cultural learning. Thank you to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightful children’s book! This book includes Jewish culture that celebrates what it means to be a to be a proper person in the world. This book will show children the importance of doing the right thing and how one act can lead to another. The illustrations and words together created a perfect book. There’s a glossary in the back of the book of all the words not everyone would know. 5 out of 5 stars!

A cute children's book about cause and effect and how one choice can lead to lots of other decisions being made. Excited to share this with my niece and teach her the values of being a mensch.

Thank you so much to The Collective Book Studio and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Ruby lives in a community called Kvellville everyone lives there in harmony, doing what is right. One day Ruby decides she doesn’t want to brush her teeth anymore, no one can get her to comply. Soon all the children follow her example, then the adults too removing the harmony from Kvellville.

This was a really great book, it teaches the importance of how one small act can make such a huge difference. Sharing with children that though things may not always be fun things to do, they are important and must be done to be a good human.

I really enjoyed seeing how her one act of defiance ended up making everyone in the town start defying doing anything as it all piled up and became so much more difficult. I also liked that it showed in doing a kind act, everyone will follow your lead and put everything right again.

So many important messages within this book, it’s a really beautiful read, it was funny in places, it had heart, it had good lessons and it also had really wonderful illustrations to look at throughout. It’s a great example for children to read on how to be a good and kind human, even when you don’t always want to be.

The book was very cute and entertaining to share with my toddler. There were lots of opportunities to elaborate on the story and they loved the pictures.

Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a huge thank you to Mike King, The Collective Book Studio, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

I loved how this book tied in with Jewish culture. From my experience, Jewish Communities tend to keep to themselves. This was a lovely simple welcome to some of their words and thoughts.

I liked that it delivered the message about how self care and hygiene can be linked to other signs of respect and thoughtfulness. I also liked that it explained why teeth brushing was required and the problems that could be incurred if the routine is dropped.

Well illustrated, well written, and overall, very well thought out. This is a fun read for young children.

Ruby Finkelman Finds the Real Magic by Mike King is a charming and engaging book for elementary-age children that explores themes of responsibility and integrity in a way that’s both accessible and entertaining. When Ruby Finkelman decides to stop brushing her teeth, a seemingly small choice spirals into unexpectedly big consequences for her community. I loved watching Ruby’s journey unfold and the thoughtful lessons woven into her story. While this book beautifully celebrates Jewish values—complete with wonderful Yiddish terminology—it’s a meaningful and delightful read for all families looking to teach their children about accountability and doing what’s right.

I loved this book! And so did my 3yo daughter.

Ruby Finkelman decides to stop doing one thing that is right, brushing her teeth! She didn’t know her decisions would affect everyone in their small village. This is a great story of how one change can lead to one more and then one more and so on. I loved the message and I love the actual Jewish glossary in the back of the book. I can’t promise I pronounced every word correctly, but I really enjoyed learning their meanings. I highly recommend to families. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy

I loved this charming story and the darling illustrations that accompany it. This book shares a very powerful message that all children should learn from an early age. If you have a child in your life, I highly recommend that you read them this special book!

Loved it. Don't be afraid to break from your normal and try something different even if you later realize the why behind it, it probably makes doing said task more understandable. Good book and illustrations!

This book follows a strong willed girl named Ruby and it starts with one small task of her not brushing her teeth and doing what is right. This one small task spirals into more and more things and others who choose to not do the right things. Once Ruby realizes her wrong doings and starts doing what it right, others follow and they make life better for all of us. This book has a great message, but there are Yiddish words sprinkled throughout that I had to look up (glossary in the back of the book).

Thank you to NetGalley and The Collective Book Studio for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book will be published on May 6, 2025!

This was a cute book but we are not Jewish and I did not realize how much this was interlaced with the story. There were words that we did not understand, know if we were pronouncing correctly.

That being said, there was a lesson to be learned and that is always a plus. The illustrations were bright, colorful, and my children enjoyed them.

This was just not one for us.

Thank you NetGalley, Mike King, and The Collective Book Studio.