Ivy in the Shadows

Gr 5–7—A character-driven novel situated in a small Indiana town. After her stepfather leaves, 12-year-old Ivy feels like she's bickering all the time with her Mama, who is trying to keep the family afloat. First her mother makes them join a church to ask for help, and then she lets weird kid Caleb board with them when his guardians move to a town three hours away. Meanwhile, Ivy can't fathom her best friend's sudden desperation to befriend a popular girl and wear new clothes and makeup. Ivy comes across as a strong but genuine seventh grader voicing her legitimate worries without devolving into angst. The characters feel true and the story line never lags. Woodworth anchors the mystery surrounding Caleb's obsession with telling stories about missionaries in Haiti between the adults' ongoing drama and Ivy's friendship ups-and-downs so that questions about the strange boy's background persist, nagging Ivy (and readers) until the conclusion. This is a book with a memorable cast that can be recommended to readers who don't mind adults holding prominent roles in their fiction, e.g., fans of Hilary McKay or Wendy Mass.—Rhona Campbell, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC