Ruby’s Web (Ellen van Neerven, Magabala)

In Ruby’s Web, Ellen van Neerven (Heat and Light, Comfort Food) situates a coming-of-age story against the backdrop of the 2023 Voice referendum, highlighting the severity of online abuse faced by First Nations people. Alongside navigating her school’s social hierarchies and the transition from primary to high school, Ruby, an Aboriginal girl in Year 7, grapples with her own insecurities after her cousin, Amber, unexpectedly distances herself. From the opening pages, Ruby is shown trying to understand her place in the world while confronting racism, bullying and the illness of a beloved family member. Writing becomes Ruby’s primary coping mechanism, and the novel uses this sweet yet strong protagonist to explore the many ways to protest and the diversity of what it means to be Indigenous. Ruby’s relationship with an encouraging teacher further underscores the importance of community in times of struggle, and van Neerven, who is of Mununjali and Dutch heritage, brings a clear-eyed empathy to these dynamics. The book’s central metaphor – Ruby’s web – symbolises the layered, interconnected nature of bullying, racism and discrimination. Addressing themes of identity, self-worth, perseverance and standing up for what is right, Ruby’s Web is a sobering reminder that cyberbullying persists, even amid increased regulation of young people’s online spaces. Ruby’s story is a must-read for ages 12 to 16. Ideal for fans of Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler’s Black Cockatoo, Dirrarn and Ngurra Home.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Nadia Heisler is a CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) writer with a background in journalism and a passion for YA and children’s books. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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