Ruby the fox is nervous about her first day at a new school, but she knows she can rely on her handy tools to get through any rough spots: her tape measure helps her count her breaths, her pliers remind her to be flexible, and her safety glasses allow her to see situations in different ways. Her tools do indeed help her stay calm, but they don’t do much in the way of making friends. So, when the teacher announces their first project will be an egg drop, Ruby’s certain if she can build the best egg holder, everyone will want to be her pal. Unfortunately, she finds it hard to tell her ideas to her peers, and her solo attempt is just a mess. Some advice from her mom gets Ruby thinking, and she’s able to speak up the next day and work with her classmates to complete a shared project. There’s a slew of kids’ books out there helping youngsters deal with big feelings, but this one feels particularly fresh in that Ruby already knows calming techniques and uses them quite well, but sometimes things still feel bad—you can’t always breathe your way into a better situation, and some coping skills have to be learned on the fly. Similarly, Ruby and her group work hard to build their egg holder, but it stills fails the drop, reminding readers that doing all the work well doesn’t ensure success, but there’s still something valuable in the building and competing. Both humans and a variety of animals populate Stott’s Richard Scarry-like world, and full, expansive spreads bring readers right into Ruby’s busy classroom. The watercolor and ink illustrations are beautifully detailed, with visual easter eggs throughout giving insight to Ruby’s new experiences as well as developing a few side characters’ stories. This might make a more modern The Kissing Hand for kids nervous about their first day at school. KQG -- BCCB ― 5/1/24

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