Ida B: . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World [Paperback]

Katherine Hannigan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 26, 2006 | Age Range: 8 and up

Ida B. Applewood believes there is never enough time for fun.

That's why she's so happy to be homeschooled and to spend every free second outside with the trees and the brook.

Then some not-so-great things happen in her world. Ida B has to go back to that Place of Slow but Sure Body-Cramping, Mind-Numbing, Fun-Killing Torture—school. She feels her heart getting smaller and smaller and hardening into a sharp, black stone.

How can things go from righter than right to a million miles beyond wrong? Can Ida B put together a plan to get things back to just-about perfect again?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 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
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred 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 © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books; Reprint edition (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060730269
• ISBN-13: 978-0439837156
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Where We Live > Farm Life

More About the Author

Katherine Hannigan's first novel, Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World was a New York Times bestseller, a Book Sense bestseller, and a Parents' Choice Gold Award winner, and it appeared on more than twenty-five state award lists. She is also the author of a picture book called Emmaline and the Bunny and the novel True (. . . Sort Of).

She (and several wild rabbits) live at the edge of a meadow in northeastern Iowa.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids love this book, and I do too January 28, 2005

By Reader

Format:Hardcover

I have recommended this book to half a dozen elementary school age kids, and all of them have loved it. And in contrast to the views spotlighted above, several of them have also read Kate DiCamillo's "Because of Winn-Dixie" and think that "Ida B." is a much better read, and I agree. This is the rare book that creates a direct connection between the reader and the protagonist's emotions and motivations; the children I know who have read the book all have remarked about how the author allowed them to "get inside" the protagonist's head in ways they hadn't experienced before. Ida B. has all the runaway emotions and issues of self-control that elementary school children struggle with -- anger at her parents for not fulfilling all of their promises, anger at her schoolmates and teachers for not allowing her to fit in, anger at the very environment around her for not staying perpetually the same. She has moments of elation and moments of deep depression. She comes up with creative ways to "punish" her parents for breaking their promises. In other words, she's a real child and not the usual paragon that we typically find in children's fiction. Eventually Ida B. manages to reconcile herself to her surroundings in different ways -- by the end of the book she is able to make peace with herself and those around her in ways that rang true to me and to the children I know who have read the book. Ultimately, the book's message for children is an optimistic one -- don't despair, because no matter how hard things seem, you will find ways of coping, and this too shall pass.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book October 21, 2004

By Gae Polisner

Format:Hardcover

I read this book aloud to my two boys, ages 6 and 9 and it made quite an impression on all of us. Beautifully and skillfully addresses issues of love and fear and loss in a simple and accessible way. Ida B. is a memorable, imperfect little girl, full of spunk and hope, and we often refer to her in our home as if she were a personal friend. I highly recommend this book. We are looking forward to Ms. Hannigan's next novel.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!!!! January 16, 2005

A Kid's Review

Format:Hardcover

I have loved many books...but this one beats them all. I am in 4th grade and I read a lot. As soon as I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. I like Ida because she was creative and things happen to her that kids or people can relate to. Sometimes, I refer to it as an apple book because of all the orchards. In the future, I would definately love to read more books by this author. If you like books like Molly Moon, Chasing Vermeer, Series of Unfortunate Events or Harry Potter, you will love this book too.