The Beat on Ruby’s Street by Jenna Zark
The Beat Street Series #1
Middle Grade Historical Fiction


The last thing eleven-year-old Ruby Tabeata expected to happen on her way to a Jack Kerouac reading was to be hauled to the police station.

It’s 1958 and Ruby is the opposite of a 1950s stereotype: fierce, funny and strong willed, she is only just starting to chart her course in a family of Beat Generation artists in Greenwich Village. Ruby dreams of meeting famous poets while becoming one herself; instead, she’s accused of trying to steal fruit from a local vendor and is forced to live in a children’s home. As Ruby struggles to return to family and friends, she learns her only choice is to follow her heart.

Join Ruby’s journey as she finds unexpected friendships, the courage to rebel against unjust authority and the healing power of art in this inspiring middle-grade novel by Jenna Zark.

Suitable for ages 10+

5 out of 5 fairies
The Beat on Ruby’s Street is for the lack of a better word, powerful. I know what the synopsis said, but I was not prepared for the depth and breadth of experiences and emotions that washed over me in waves as I read this. I’m 32 years old as I write this, and I know this book is accessible to middle grade readers, but also enjoyable for readers of all ages. I never lived in the 50s, but I felt like I was walking those streets with Ruby, hearing, seeing, smelling everything she did. Absolutely brilliant.


Where to buy: Amazon
Add to your TBR list: Goodreads

About the Author: Jenna Zark is a columnist, lyricist, playwright, and novelist. Her first novel The Beat on Ruby’s Street won the Gold Award in 2016 from the Wishing Shelf Awards. It is now joined by Fool’s Errand, part two in what has become the Beat Street Series. Both books are for ages 10 and up. Jenna’s play A Body of Water was published by Dramatists Play Service and produced at Circle Repertory Company in New York. Other plays were produced in the Twin Cities, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and elsewhere. As a former staff writer at Scholastic Choices magazine, Zark wrote extensively for middle school and junior high students. Zark is also a member of a lyricist’s collective in the Twin Cities. She’s still trying to figure out if it’s harder to write a play, a novel, or a song. To share your thoughts on that or learn more, please visit jennazark.com.