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Ida B : -- and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster, and (possibly) save the world

Fourth-grader Ida B spends happy hours being home-schooled and playing in her family's apple orchard, until circumstances force her parents to sell part of the orchard and send her to public school.

Book  - 2011
J FIC Hanni
1 copy / 0 on hold

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  • ISBN: 9780060730260
  • Physical Description 246 pages ; 19 cm
  • Edition Revised paperback edition.
  • Publisher [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2011.

Additional Information

Syndetic Solutions - Kirkus Review for ISBN Number 9780060730260
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Hannigan, Katherine
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Kirkus Review

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

Kirkus Reviews


Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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.

Syndetic Solutions - The Horn Book Review for ISBN Number 9780060730260
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Hannigan, Katherine
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The Horn Book Review

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

The Horn Book


(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(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.

Syndetic Solutions - Publishers Weekly Review for ISBN Number 9780060730260
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Hannigan, Katherine
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Publishers Weekly Review

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

Publishers Weekly


(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

"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

Syndetic Solutions - School Library Journal Review for ISBN Number 9780060730260
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Hannigan, Katherine
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School Library Journal Review

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

School Library Journal


(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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.

Syndetic Solutions - BookList Review for ISBN Number 9780060730260
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Ida B : ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Hannigan, Katherine
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BookList Review

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

Booklist


From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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