''Ida B: ...and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World '' is a 2004 children's novel written by Katherine Hannigan. The audiobook version is narrated by Lili Taylor.

Plot

Ida B. Applewood is a

homeschool Homeschooling or home schooling (American English), also known as home education or elective home education (EHE) (British English), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted ...

ed nine-year-old Wisconsin farm girl who enjoys talking to trees in her family's orchard and playing in the brook with her dog Rufus. After hearing a chilling omen from a withered tree, her mother is diagnosed with an aggressive form of

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

. The diagnosis forces her father to sell a part of the orchard and enroll Ida in public school. Distressed by the change, Ida dresses in all black clothing and refuses to connect with her new classmates. As she grows more estranged from her family and the world around her, Ida learns that the family of one of her new classmates has purchased a piece of the orchard that her father sold. Ida eventually learns to adjust to the changes as her mother recovers from the cancer.

Awards

* 2004 Josette Frank Award winner * 2004 ''Publishers Weekly'' Best Children's Book selection * 2004 Borders Original Voices, Young Adult category * 2005 Quill Award NomineeRBI/NBC Announce First Crop of Quill Award Nominees
. ''School Library Journal''.

References

External links

published in ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...

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Author Interview: Katherine Hannigan on ''Ida B.''
2004 American novels American children's novels 2004 children's books Children's books set in Wisconsin Novels set in Wisconsin {{2000s-child-novel-stub