Ivy Takes Care

Wells's quiet period piece is set in 1949 on a ranch near Reno, Nev., where almost-sixth-grader Ivy's parents work. Ivy's deep compassion for animals spurs her to offer herself as caretaker for pets and farm animals while their owners are away; her experiences inspire her aspirations to become a veterinarian. Effectively structured in three sections, each focusing on Ivy's relationship with a different animal, the story proceeds chronologically and developmentally as Ivy faces crises with her charges--often caused by "nothing but trouble" Billy Joe, her careless companion and the ranch owners' son--and grapples with middle-grade friendship problems. Secondary characters perform reliably: Dr. Rinaldi, the local vet, is always on hand for emergencies and career advice; Ivy's hardworking parents stand by her; and the strangers who hire her are kind and sympathetic. Animal lovers will feast on the details Wells (Following Grandfather) includes and envy Ivy's opportunities to lavish her care on dogs, horses, and even a new litter of fox kits; all will be quickly won over by her good nature, determination, confidence and loyalty. Art not seen by PW. Ages 8-11. (Feb.)

Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 3-6--Twelve-year-old Ivy Coleman's hardscrabble ranching family is just scraping by, while her friend Annie Evans's well-to-do parents can afford to send her to an expensive East Coast summer camp. Their differences never seemed that important before, but this year Ivy starts feeling inferior to Annie's camp friends. They part ways for the summer on bad terms, which inspires Ivy to buy Annie a conciliatory Tru-Friendship ring. To earn the money, she starts a pet-sitting business. Annie moves to the back of Ivy's mind as she focuses on interacting with her animal charges and her aspirations to become a veterinarian. While Ivy is unflappably responsible, her neighbor Billy Joe Butterworth often tags along and wreaks havoc at every job. Fortunately, the kindly local vet always sets things right. Ivy does, in fact, buy Annie the ring, yet they aren't able to reclaim the closeness they once had. But now Ivy has her business and the dream of becoming a vet, and she holds these things tight as Annie drifts away. Parts of the story are a touch didactic-they can read like a manual on how to care for animals. Ivy is perhaps too responsible to be believable, yet she is still immensely likable and will inspire children who are interested in veterinary care. There are quite a few highly suspenseful moments when animals are in peril, and these instances keep the pages turning. Give this one to animal lovers.--Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Animal lovers will feast on the details Wells (Following Grandfather) includes and envy Ivy's opportunities to lavish her care on dogs, horses, and even a new litter of fox kits; all will be quickly won over by her good nature, determination, confidence and loyalty.
—Publishers Weekly

This will be popular with animal lovers, especially those who enjoyed Jessie Haas' Beware the Mare series.
—Booklist

Ivy is...immensely likable and will inspire children who are interested in veterinary care...Give this one to animal lovers.
—School Library Journal

Wells' narrative voice is as thoughtful and dependable as Ivy herself, and she capably evokes the historical and geographical settings, giving just enough detail to make the surroundings intriguing without distracting readers from the main threads of Ivy's story. Animal-loving youngsters who dream of becoming vets will be in heaven here, and girls with their own friendship troubles may also relate to Ivy's difficulties with Annie.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

The moving story, told from a third-person limited perspective, brings the characters to life for young readers.
—The Horn Book

In this warm-hearted novel, Wells offers a sympathetic but realistic portrait of human nature and a convincing message about the value of compassion and a job well-done.
—BookPage

Wells' fine sense of plot and characterization make this tale of Ivy's summer and the people and animals she works with a sheer delight.
—Yellow Brick Road