"Ida B... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World," by Katherine Hannigan

age group: 9 and up

rating:9

Ida B has never gone to school, well, besides the two weeks and three days when she was five. Her world revolves around happy hours with Mama and Daddy, Rufus, the ever-salivating-though-loyal dog; Lulu, her cat; the chatty apple orchard, the high-energy brook, and especially, the wise old tree. Everyday is filled with new adventures and peanut butter sandwiches. But Ida B's happy days are numbered; there is something wrong with Mama and Daddy says she has to go back to that hateful school.

I love Hannigan's writing style. Everything is felt, rather than seen. Ida B reaches into the depths of your soul and gently reminds you what it is like to be free, to be excited to be alive, to be so in touch with the world around you that you're certain the brook has just asked you to play. Ida B is real to me, and though her world may be imagined, it is charming and beautiful. It gives off a mood that is difficult to put into words.

Throughout the story (SPOILER ALERT!) Ida B has to overcome a feeling of blackness inside of her. She spends weeks acting on her "new heart," slowly transforming into "Ida," someone who prefers to be alone, who won't smile for anything, who hates the world and everyone knows it. Though I thoroughly understood and felt her anger, I missed the old Ida B. A majority of the book was spent in the hardness of her heart. It was a bit overdone and could have been resolved a lot sooner. Despite my small dislike for the length of her spite, I recommend this book to readers young and old.