Kids into Books: Ruby Red

Author:Henrietta Branford

Illustrator: John Lupton

Publisher: HarperCollins, $12.95

Age Group: 8+ years

" You should do something," Ruby told him. " Something important."

So she made him a wooden arm, hinged at the elbow, and a hand that could grip. She found him a mallet and a bell and she made a wind-up arrangement between his elbow and the clock's insides. After that the Gargoyle struck the hour, on the hour, every hour. And he never felt pointless again.

I go like clockwork, he thought, proudly. Well, I am clockwork.

Six was his favourite number. One and two seemed hardly worth bothering with. Nine and ten made his hinge ache. Six was just right. He smiled at Ruby in the apple tree and struck six.

" Thank you, Gargoyle," said Ruby, " I do like six o'clock - and now I always know exactly when it is." She climbed down and went indoors to cook her supper.