In 1859, Ruby Ledger stands out. She is an extraordinarily brilliant child who loves STEM, history, and learning about the world. She even taught her monkey companion, Coco, to communicate using signs and sounds. Much to the disappointment of her parents, Ruby isn’t like other girls. She’s got a quick mind, and she isn’t interested in a future of just being pretty. Since the day Ruby was born, she has wanted to be a detective and inventor. She invents the closed candle (the earliest light bulb), the moovo (moving pictures), and many other objects. On her first official mission, she tries to help her family catch a culprit accused of stealing hay. During the mission, however, she is knocked out. When she wakes up, her parents don’t even ask if she is okay! They are cross, and, in their anger, they deliver devastating news – she’s being sent to Miss Holmes’ Academy, a preparatory school for girls located in Washington, D.C. When Ruby first arrives, she tries to escape but soon realizes she may actually have more freedom at school because her family, ever watchful and, worse, judgmental, is not there. She fills her days with dodging teachers’ questions, skipping class, and – best of all – inventing. Her favorite teacher from home, Mr. Henry, has even accepted a position alongside the Miss Holmes’ Academy staff, making her feel like she’s got at least one adult on her side. In Ruby’s second semester, Miss Holmes takes Ruby’s year to the White House. While there, Ruby notices a locked metal door and is intrigued. She sneaks away from the group to pick the lock. While in the room, she hides when she hears James Buchanan and an anonymous accomplice attempting to enter. Once inside and oblivious to Ruby’s presence, they begin to discuss a plan written on a scroll to prevent Abraham Lincoln from being elected. Ruby is intrigued, so after they leave, she locates the scroll to investigate. When she finds the scroll, she discovers it contains only colors. She decides to take the scroll with her to break the code. After breaking the code, she learns that Buchanan wants to assassinate Lincoln as revenge for Lincoln’s uncovering of Buchanan’s own nefarious acts. Ruby decides it’s her mission to stop Lincoln, a man she admires for his ideas about equality, from being assassinated. Along the way, she must confront hard truths about her own history, talents, and intellectual abilities, namely that her mother and father are not her actual mother and father but her aunt and uncle who, upon her birth, made a promise to her biological parents to keep her safe and secluded from the group of worldwide secret operatives she can – if she chooses – count herself among. Young mystery lovers will have a blast with Ruby Ledger and the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Featuring secret agencies, a lovable protagonist, and an absorbing plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Ari Skolnick delivers a captivating tale of mystery, conspiracy, and mayhem. You don't know what to expect as the story is completely unpredictable. Skolnick keeps the plot moving briskly, with a few well-placed surprises at every turn. Ruby is an adorable character who is easy to root for. I liked her different relationship dynamics, be it with Lulu, Willie, Coco, Mr. Henry, or her parents. I found the reveals about the HIA to be very unexpected, and those were some of my favorite parts of the story. The ending hints at more of Ruby's adventures. I can't wait to read the sequels. Highly recommended! Reviewed by Pikasho Deka from Readers' Favorite Ruby Ledger and the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln by Ari Skolnick was unique and captivating. The plot was fast-paced, with Ruby's adventures and inventions delivering excitement from beginning to end. The writing style was charming, making it effortless to immerse myself in Ruby's journey. The characters were well-crafted and authentic. Although Ruby aimed to make a difference, being a girl limited her in some respects. but she never allowed that to discourage her, and there were moments when I forgot she was just nine years old. The story was beautifully crafted, and Ruby consistently came across as a young girl despite her evident maturity. I appreciated seeing historical events through Ruby's perspective. Ruby saying that she might be tiny but was mighty is the perfect representation of her character. - Alma Boucher from Readers' Favorite Ari Skolnick uses the language and history of the 1800s to immerse readers in a fantastic tale they won't be able to put down. Told from Ruby's perspective, readers will meet historical figures and discover scientific facts while they learn about the characters through a diary and personal stories. In her adventures with her new friends Lulu and Willie, and Coco, her capuchin monkey that goes everywhere with her, Ruby shows that her intelligence and capabilities are near genius levels. As she navigates her discovery of the Hartford Intelligence Agency and what membership en