Ruby

Once again Thompson (The Paper Bag Prince; Looking for Atlantis) breaks barriers of narrative time and space with an ornately crafted, multilevel picture book. Simultaneously told (and cleverly intertwined) stories revolve around a ruby-red Austin 7 manufactured in 1934. As panels at the top of each spread illustrate the around-the-world adventures, decline and restoration of one of these cars, the spreads below tell a far more fanciful tale about a family of tiny people who live in the roots of a tree. Young Kevin leaves the safety of the tree to explore a gorgeous motor car (the Ruby of the title), and ends up imprisoned in a combination-lock briefcase within. Searching for Kevin, the whole family forages through a carload of quirky items (e.g., an announcement that the Wholefood Players is presenting ``La Belle Dame Sans Muesli''). The correct numbers for opening the lock are hidden in the welter of illustrative clues crammed into every spread-readers who discover the solution can enter a sweepstakes to win Ruby itself. Just looking at these fabulous pictures, however, will be reward enough for most. All ages. (Oct.)