	TODAY AT THE BLUEBIRD CAFÉ a branchful of birds Simon & Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books Spring 2007 Illustrated by the brilliant South African artist, Joan Rankin Click here to see some illustrated excerpts from the book.
Today at the Bluebird Cafe is my first book -- a collection of 22 poems about birds. When you read it, you can stand beside a sober puffin as she guards her icy cliff, or help in the search for a greedy hummingbird, or learn about a toucan's unfortunate mishap in Peru.
Reviews for Today at the Bluebird Cafe! "This collection of 22 fun poems and charming illustrations about the lives of birds will send your child's imagination soaring." -- Newsweek (March 5, 2007; page 73) "This collection of poems, with its lyrical text and highly detailed illustrations, is an ode to our fine-feathered friends. Newcomer Ruddell demonstrates a passion for winged creatures that readers may well find both palpable and infectious. While Ruddell has clearly done her homework ... her voice never assumes an authoritative pitch. Rather, her tone remains playful and often humorous throughout ... " -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "Ruddell's debut features 22 delightfully diverse poems taking a new view of various feathered friends ... variety reigns in the verse and approach to each subject. Lyrical imagery fills the paeans to the swan and the eagle; 'Hoopoe Voodoo' is a model of wordplay drollery, and 'Toucan Tour Guide' depicts an adventure in Peru (in a canoe) ... A refreshing step up from nursery rhyme and a terrific introduction to poetry, with a smile attached." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review "... All of the poems contain clever imagery and scan well. Rankin's watercolors have soft, muted tones and add charm, humor, and elegance to the offerings. The lighthearted paintings, sometimes realistic and sometimes more fanciful, depict delightful scenes of animals and children interacting." -- School Library Journal, starred review

NEWS! My second book,
A WHIFF OF PINE, A HINT OF SKUNK, will be published by Margaret K. McElderry Books in 2009! It, too, will be illustrated by Joan Rankin.