Summary
of Ida B
This book is about a nine year old girl in fourth grade named Ida B Applewood, who is full of spunk and adventures. Her and her parents live on in apple orchard, that they own in Northern Wisconsin, excluded from the city. She is homeschooled by her parents and loves it that way. Ida believes that she can overcome any obstacle that is thrown her way and she takes pride in that. She considers the trees and brook to be her friends so she goes and talks to them all the time. She believes that the land takes care of her family just like the family takes care of the land. When her mother was diagnosed with cancer, everything changed. She realizes that she can not overcome everything when she finds out about her mother. Since Ida B's mothers health is declining, the family decides to sell part of their orchard and enroll Ida B into public school. Ida's trees which are the friends are cut down to build a house for the new neighbors. All of these new changes make Ida B extremely upset and angry. She decides to be a pain to her parents, be mean and rude to her neighbors, and hates school. Ida B tries to scare away the new neighbors by hanging signs that warn of dangers from typhoons to water rats. Ida B realizes that the new neighbors turn out to be one of her new classmates and she scares her away. Ida B's teacher, Miss Washington notices that Ida B is acting weird and that something is bothering her. Her teacher shares her favorite books with Ida B and encourages her to talk in class and to open up to others. Miss Washington asks for her to read out loud to the class and Ida B ends up loving it. Ida B slowly comes to enjoy school and realizes it is actually a fun place to be. She then beings to realize all her past behaviors were very unnecessary and she starts to regret them. Ida B decides to apologize to everyone she has hurt or treated badly, such as her parents and new neighbors.