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and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Katherine Hannigan'This insightful, seemingly intuitive first novel digs deep inside the soul of 9-year-old narrator Ida B Applewood....Hannigan shows a remarkable understanding of a stubborn child's perspective in her honest, poignant portrayal of loss and rebirth. Ages 9-up.'
What do you do when your life goes from righter than right to a million miles
beyond wrong?
Chapter 1
"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 ...
The story did not resonate with the adults or children (aged 10 & 12) in our family...continued
Full Review
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(Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).
Katherine Hannigan was raised in western New York State and earned degrees in
education, mathematics, and art. She has worked as the education coordinator for
a Head Start program and, most recently, as an assistant professor of art and
design. She lives in northeast Iowa.
Ida B is her first novel; she says, "Ida B came
to be, in large part, because of my move to the Midwest. Hers is the life I
would have chosen, if I could have. And I think I try to live up to her example
-- brave and true, full of fun, and fiercely loving."
She was inspired to write a children's book after hearing Kate DiCamillo speak
in St Paul. She had never read anything by DiCamillo, but thought it would
be interesting to hear what an ...
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