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Ivy Takes Care (2013)

by Rosemary Wells(Favorite Author)

3.58 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1469274760 (ISBN13: 9781469274768)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Candlewick on Brilliance Audio

review 1: I listened to this book with my kids--the narrator wasn't *amazing,* but the story captivated all of us. A perfect story in many ways for the (many) young girls who dream of being a veterinarian, love horses, and/or love animals in general. We enjoyed how resourceful and competent Ivy was at her little summer business. There are some nice suspenseful parts in which an animal is lost or wounded, and Ivy participates in the rescue. Her character and that of the boy who lived on her ranch--Billy Joe--were nicely developed. Both matured quite a bit throughout the story.I felt that storyline revolving around Annie, Ivy's best friend, was incomplete. Wells spends a significant amount of time at the beginning of the book looking at their friendship, how lonely Ivy is when Annie l... moreeaves for camp, and the insecurities Ivy feels as a result of the economic gap between their two families. When Annie returns at the end of the summer, the two friends drift apart--but this is hardly discussed and I needed more resolution to that. It played such a big role at the beginning of the story. Ivy definitely matures through that experience, and I can appreciate that Wells shows us that rather than tells it. Still….The setting is 1949 in Nevada. It's amazing how much more freedom kids had then! A good historical fiction read with appropriate details (particularly the monetary amounts/payments), this still feels a lot like realistic fiction and won't turn off readers who don't like historical fiction. It's a sweet story that will appeal to precocious younger readers as much as to those 5th and 6th grade vet-wannabees.
review 2: This is such a sweet, old fashioned story! I really enjoyed it. Ivy's family doesn't have a lot of money, but she still dreams of going to college one day. In 1950's Nevada she lives on a guest ranch with her parents. Nevada is one of the few places that people can get a divorce, so many of the guests stay for the required six week period that they must live apart from their spouse before a divorce will be granted. Ivy's dad is the ranch hand and her mom is the cook. Ivy loves animals, and dreams of becoming a vet someday. To help save for college, she hires herself out as a pet sitter to the local ranchers. The town vet also takes Ivy under his wing, and lets her assist him with various procedures. Ivy's various jobs, and her dealings with the troublemaking Billy Joe (whose parents own the ranch) are fascinating and entertaining. This would be a great recommendation for kids who like animals, or those with conservative parents who want them to read "good" books. less

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