"Child provides something rare and wonderful in middle-school fiction: the refusal to dumb down content. . . . Long live Ruby Redfort " -- Booklist

Ruby Redfort: You can count on her if you're between a rock and a hard place. A bite from a deadly snake? Pass the antivenin But snakes aren't half as poisonous as the rumors floating around Twinford. It's a lot to chew over. When trouble's out to get you and being smart isn't enough, do you run like crazy, or is it time to brush up on your martial arts?