Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Lake Elmo Library | J FICTION HAN | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Stillwater Public Library | J FICTION HAN | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Valley Library (Lakeland) | J FICTION HAN | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
The New York Times bestselling debut novel from acclaimed children's author Katherine Hannigan is both very funny and extraordinarily moving.
Who is Ida B. Applewood? She is a fourth grader like no other, living a life like no other, with a voice like no other, and her story will resonate long after you have put this book down.
How does Ida B cope when outside forces--life, really--attempt to derail her and her family and her future? She enters her Black Period, and it is not pretty. But then, with the help of a patient teacher, a loyal cat and dog, her beloved apple trees, and parents who believe in the same things she does (even if they sometimes act as though they don't), the resilience that is the very essence of Ida B triumph...and Ida B. Applewood takes the hand that is extended and starts to grow up.
This modern classic is a great choice for independent reading.
Reviews (5)
Horn Book Review
(Intermediate) Ida B lives a bucolic life on her family's Wisconsin farm as a cherished, home-schooled girl, with plenty of time to talk to trees (which, by the way, talk back). But when her mother is diagnosed with cancer, her parents are worried and preoccupied; some of their beloved apple orchard must be sold to pay the bills; and, worst of all, Ida B must attend school. She remembers her regimented and unimaginative kindergarten well, and she is stunned that her parents would send her back. Her anger develops into a steely rage, and even when Ida B is tempted to respond to her kind teacher, to a classmate, or to her parents, she deliberately hardens her heart against them all. What first-time author Hannigan catches extraordinarily well is the realistic depth of Ida's fury. She shows the intention, the cost, and the work required in maintaining deep anger over an extended period, and she skillfully depicts the slow climb back to a point where Ida B can allow herself to express happiness again. Ida B's voice is a little unsettling, ranging from the unbridled whimsy of Anne of Green Gables to the folksy southern twang of DiCamillo's Opal, and her habit of referring to herself in the third person becomes obtrusive. But Hannigan, with her strong insight and her quirky way of putting things (""That cancer was like bugs in a tree: one day you don't see them at all and the next it seems like they're everywhere"") is clearly an author to watch. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-As an only child, Ida B has had plenty of time to indulge her creative bent. She makes miniature rafts, to which she attaches notes with questions such as, "What is life like in Canada?" Acres of apple trees are her friends, and she enjoys long conversations with Beulah, Pastel, Henry VIII, and other trees. She lives life to the fullest, firmly believing there is never enough time for fun. When her mother develops cancer, her parents sell part of the orchard and send Ida B to public school rather than homeschooling her. The changes leave her feeling fiercely angry and betrayed. With the help of a wise and caring fourth-grade teacher and the enduring love of Mama and Daddy, the girl slowly begins to heal. Ida B is a true character in every sense of the word. Through a masterful use of voice, Hannigan's first-person narration captures an unforgettable heroine with intelligence, spirit, and a unique imagination. The rural but otherwise undefined setting works well in taking a backseat to the characterization. With just the right amount of tension in the plot, a spot-on grasp of human emotions, and Ida B's delightful turns of phrase, this book begs to be read aloud. Regardless of how tight the budget, don't pass it up.-Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
"Hannigan shows a remarkable understanding of a stubborn child's perspective, in this honest portrayal of loss and rebirth," said PW in our Best Books citation. All ages. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-6. Ida B is happy with her life. She talks to the trees in her family's orchard, enjoys being homeschooled, and is trying to be a good steward of the earth. But after her mother gets cancer, part of their land must be sold, and Ida B is forced to start public school, something her parents promised she wouldn't have to do after a bad kindergarten experience. Once her world changes, Ida B changes, too; her sunny disposition turns steely gray. As Ida puts it, she hardens her heart, and the very resilience of her anger is something to behold. First-time novelist Hannigan avoids many of the pitfalls of new writers, bypassing obvious plotting; Ida's mother's cancer, for instance, is a reference point, not a story line. What this really concerns is the fury children can experience, the tenacity with which they can hold on to their anger, and their inability to back away once the emotion no longer serves them. Hannigan gets it down brilliantly. Sometimes Ida's fourth-grade, first-person voice sounds like Junie B. Jones with a linguistic bent gone wild, but it's definitely unique, and Ida's ability to articulate her feelings will warm children, who will understand just what she's talking about. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2004 Booklist
Kirkus Review
When Ida B's mother undergoes cancer treatment, the idyllically secure world that has informed her character crumbles. With her mother seemingly cut off from her by illness, with the family finances in ruin from medical costs, Ida B's beleaguered parents terminate her home schooling and sell off some of their orchard land for development. Ida B, believing she can no longer trust anyone, hardens her heart to even the kindest overtures and declares war: against her family, against her new teacher and classmates, and most determinedly against herself. Readers are intimate witnesses to her inner struggle. Hannigan has a rich way with metaphor, whether it is describing the natural world of trees, which are literally alive to Ida B, or the ever-deepening anger to which she clings. If the ending is a predictable reconciliation, this preternaturally sensitive and precocious child reaches it, not through the intervention of supportive adults, but through the puzzling out of her own difficulties--even after many false starts. A poignant, affirming, and often funny debut from a promising new author. (Fiction. 9-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World Chapter One "Ida B," Mama said to me on one of those days that start right and just keep heading toward perfect until you go to sleep, "when you're done with the dishes, you can go play. Daddy and I are going to be working till dinner." "Yes, ma'am," I said back, but I said it like this, "Yes, may-uhm!" because I couldn't wait to get on with my business. I could already hear the brook calling to me through the back door screen. "C'mon out and play, Ida B. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up." I had three places I wanted to visit, six things I wanted to make, and two conversations I hoped to have before dinnertime. Mama was washing, Daddy was drying, and I was putting away the dishes from lunch. And I knew that the moment I set the last pan in its place, I was free. But the way those two were chatting and laughing and acting like we had till next week to finish up, I could see it was going to be a while. My insides started itching and my feet started hopping, one then the other, because they were ten minutes past being ready to go. So I decided to speed things up a bit. Daddy'd hand me a dish, I'd sprint to the cupboard and put it away, race back again, and put my hand out for the next one, with my right foot tap, tap, tapping the seconds that were ticking by. "Hold your horses, Ida B," Daddy told me. "There's plenty of time to do whatever you're planning." And he passed me a plate, slow and easy. Well, that stopped me in my tracks. Because what Daddy said might have seemed all right to him, but it was sitting about two miles beyond wrong with me. I wasn't going to be able to put away another tiny teaspoon till I set things straight. "Daddy," I said, and I waited till he was looking at me before I went on. "Yes, Ida B," he answered, turning toward me. And staring right into his eyeballs I told him, "There is never enough time for fun." Daddy's eyes opened wide, and for a half second I wondered if I was in for something close to trouble. But then the two ends of his mouth turned up, just a little. "Ida B," he told the ceiling while he shook his head. "Hmmmmm," Mama said, like a smile would sound if it could. And as soon as Daddy handed me the big frying pan, I set it in the drawer next to the oven, and I was on my way. "Come on, Rufus," I called to Daddy's old floppy-eared dog, who was napping under the table. "You can come, too, so you'll have some company." Now, a school of goldfish could go swimming in the pool of drool that dog makes while he's sleeping. But as soon as he heard his name and saw me heading for outside he jumped up, cleaned up the extra slobber around his mouth, and in two and one-half seconds' time, he was waiting for me at the back door. Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World . Copyright © by Katherine Hannigan. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold. Excerpted from Ida B: And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
