While most students at Pico Canyon Elementary were showing off their campus to their families or enjoying the food trucks at open house last week, 11-year-old Ruby Jiang was hard at work.
The author of two books, Jiang, a fifth-grade student at the school, was selling and signing copies of her books, with all proceeds going back to the school.
“I thought there’d be a lot less people,” Jiang said after spending more than an hour signing books. “It was not expected.”
In total, Jiang raised $1,260 for her school.
“I feel like they’ve done a lot for me and I’m gonna pay them back,” Jiang said.
Her first book, “Spooky Flats,” was published when she was 8, followed by “Three Points of War” when she was 10. Jiang drew the artwork for both books along with coming up with each original story.
“I enjoy reading creative and adventurous stories,” Jiang said. “Sometimes, my reading teacher, he gives me a prompt, and then I write about it and I can’t stop writing about it because I get really engaged in the story and then I just continue writing and it becomes a really long story.”
“Spooky Flats” is the story of two kids who find a mountain and the adventures they have there. “Three Points of War” details two siblings who get separated from each other because of a war and the difficulties they have trying to find each other.
Jiang’s fifth-grade teacher, Molly Cop, said Jiang is not only a gifted writer, but also excels in most areas in the classroom and often helps her classmates.
“What I love about her is she’s quiet and successful,” Cop said. “She’s not boastful or braggy. She just really works hard.”
Also a lover of dancing and arts and crafts, Jiang said she has two dream jobs. One would be to own a dance studio, and the other is to be an animator for Disney films.
Jiang was surrounded by family and friends while signing her books for fellow Huskies.
“It means a lot to me because they’re supporting me and giving me everything I need,” Jiang said.
And while two books published by the age of 11 might seem impressive, Jiang has more books scheduled to come out in the near future. But she’s also hoping to save time for herself.
“I’d like to do it part-time because I also want to get social,” Jiang said.
“Spooky Flats” and “Three Points of War” are available for purchase on Amazon.
