RaveThe Washington Post... a much-needed shift in the adoption narrative, long dominated by the experiences of adoptive parents ... While the birth parents of adopted children are often little more than names on a birth certificate or family registry, Probably Ruby provides the perspectives and struggles of Ruby’s biological parents, Grace and Leon. Their flaws and small triumphs in a system that shames illegitimacy remind us that original parents lead full lives, marked by the trauma of adoption ... Ruby is a most believable and authentic protagonist, which is no surprise as Bird-Wilson is transracially adopted and is of Cree-Métis descent ... Bird-Wilson uses Cree without italics, forcing the reader to put their own ignorance into perspective. The context gently makes it evident that kohkum means grandmother and moshom is grandfather, and that reclaiming original language is foundational to understanding one’s ancestry ... In a time when truth is coveted, Probably Ruby is a refreshing reminder of the realities of forced Indigenous adoption and family separation. Bird-Wilson’s writing is at times poetic and ever compelling. We are fortunate to have her and Ruby among us.
