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ruby's diary by fiona campbell
 
don't you just love it when a book you have chosen for purely whimsical reasons actually teaches you something as well? ruby's diary is one such book.
writer fiona campbell has had a fascination with chickens and the respite which contemplating chicken behaviour and characteristics can bring ever since she was eight years old. she also believes that some of these behaviour patterns and characteristics closely mirror those of human beings.
campbell sites bridget jones's diary as one influence that helped her to create an account of 365 days in the life of the endearing "ruby chicken".
yes this may sound too quirky to believe. however truth is stranger than fiction and you will very likely find yourself laughing out loud at some of ruby's observations, to say nothing of the naivete and boasting of some of the other chicken characters. licorice, betty, steve and brian all remind us of someone we know well, or ourselves.
delightfully illustrated (also by campbell) I found ruby's diary to be a treat visually as well as being a relaxing and escapist read. strangely, everything I had been fussing about at days end soon took on some perspective, or better still, went away entirely after I had read a few entries in ruby's diary.
in this book you can reflect on common foibles, insecurities, hope and courage in the refreshingly unchallenging guise of "ruby chicken".
as I read ruby's diary I found myself imagining who else would appreciate this highly original book and how many hearts it might gladden?
this may sound trite, but ruby is a cunning and wise little hen, and I did indeed find she made me take certain things in life less seriously.
jumping tangents is celebrating the book launch of ruby's diary at 6pm, november 4, at little brown house and you can pre-order a signed copy now from the jt book shop. available at the attractive christmas price point of $25.00. (nz)
review written by cathie davis (Dip A & C, Hons)
photo credit: Thierry Huet www.picturesque.co.nz
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