The Ruby of Kishmoor (1908) is a deceptively simple story by renowned author and illustrator Howard Pyle. From the very beginning, it concerns itself with the mystery behind appearances, with all that lies hidden beneath the veil of a first glance. “You may never know what romantic aspirations may lie hidden beneath the most sedate and sober demeanor.” This is how the reader is introduced to Jonathan Rugg, a young Quaker from Philadelphia who unwittingly stumbles onto the adventure of a lifetime. In Kingston, Jamaica to work as a merchant, Rugg is an average, unassuming man. When Jonathan meets a woman veiled in silver fabric—and shrouded in mystery—she gives him a ball of ivory that carries with it a dreadful curse. Meanwhile, the fabled Ruby of Kishmoor has disappeared. The pirate Captain Robertson Keitt, a former merchant whose escapades in Africa and the Middle East have passed into legend, has been murdered by his crew, who suspected their captain of conspiring against them to steal the ruby. As Rugg is plunged into peril, a mystery unravels unlike any other. Howard Pyle’s The Ruby of Kishmoor is the tale of a man whose “serious” appearance conceals an abundant “appetite for romantic adventure.” For the reader looking to satisfy a craving for adventure, this is a work which rivals the better-known classic of swashbuckling terror, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1882). Curiously enough, Pyle’s student N.C. Wyeth would go on to illustrate a classic edition of Stevenson’s work in 1911, and was certainly influenced by his teacher’s well-documented skill for painting pirates and scenes on the high seas. The Ruby of Kishmoor, written and illustrated entirely by Pyle, is a book for children and adults alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this new edition of Howard Pyle’s The Ruby of Kishmoor is a thrilling work of adventure reimagined for modern readers.
The Ruby Necklace is the continuing saga of the Perez Family, which has followed the lives of three generations, and begins and ends with the pampered daughter of Jade and Raul. Ruby, tomboy and horse lover, spends most of her time on the ranch her grandparents Rodolfo and Lydia own, guiding tourists through nearby plantations and on the beaches of Playa Larga. But her idyllic life is about to change when her parents inform her she is to continue her education at a college in Canada, in the hopes she will grow up and become more ladylike. When it becomes apparent that no amount of tears, threats or tantrums will sway them, Ruby strikes a bargain to include her best friend Charo, and the pair set off to experience what life has to offer. On their return four years later, Ruby, definitely matured and somewhat less naive than when she left, has big plans for her future and can't wait to share them with her family. The only thing that seems to be standing in her way is former childhood friend, Gregorio Sanchez, whose ranch borders that of her grandparents. A chance meeting tells her he has yet to forgive her for a thoughtless remark she made years ago. Miffed, Ruby turns to handsome and exciting stranger, Juli n lvarez, to prove if nothing else that she is not the same immature little girl Gregorio seems to think she is. Love and betrayal, friendships threatened and renewed, The Ruby Necklace, is the third and final book of the trilogy, which includes The Jade Pendant and The Obsidian Stone.
The Ruby Ring is a story of overcoming great odds and hardships. A little boy of seven finds a ruby ring with a strange inscription on it beside a country road. Many years later, he discovers what the inscription means Later still, the inscription seems to have been a "sign" of what was in store for his life and that was to be a writer.This is a true story. No names have been changed and the author was the child that found the ruby ring those many years ago. Today, he is a writer and has over 75 books.
