Ruby grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the Chicago area.^[5]

She is a faculty member at Hamline University in the low-residency MFA program in writing for children and young adults.^[6][7]

She teaches fantasy writing workshops for children's authors at Highlights.^[8]

Seven of Ruby's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Bone Gap (audiobook and book) (2015),^[9][10] The Shadow Cipher (2017),^[11] The Clockwork Ghost (2019),^[12] Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All (audiobook and book) (2020),^[13][14] and The Map of Stars (2020).^[15]

In 2015, Bone Gap was named one of the best books of the year by Bank Street College of Education,^[16] Chicago Public Library,^[17] Locus,^[18] the New York Public Library,^[9] Publishers Weekly,^[19] and School Library Journal.^[20]

In 2017, The Shadow Cipher was named one of the best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library,^[21] New York Public Library,^[22] and Los Angeles Public Library.^[11]

In 2019, Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All was named one of the best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library,^[13]Locus,^[23] NPR,^[24] School Library Journal,^[13] Shelf Awareness,^[25] and Tor.com.^[26]

Standalone books edit

• Lily’s Ghosts (2003)
• Everything I Wanted to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume (2006)
• I'm Not Julia Roberts (2007)
• Good Girls (2006)
• Play Me (2008)
• Bad Apple (2009)
• Bone Gap (2015)
• York: The Shadow Cipher (2017)
• York: The Clockwork Ghost (2019)
• Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All (2019)
• York: The Map of Stars (2020)

The Wall and the Wing series edit

• The Wall and the Wing (2006)
• The Chaos King (2007)

• Official website
• One Thing Leads to Another: An Interview with Laura Ruby