Ivy and Annie are best friends in the ranch country of Nevada. But every summer Annie heads to a summer camp in New Hampshire carrying on the family tradition. This year Annie's bunk mate is visiting her on the last day before she leaves and Ivy finds herself odd-girl out in the threesome. Her scrubby fingernails and shirt covered in turtle blood are embarrassing to Annie as her new friend waves her nail polish and giggles about the camp counselors caught kissing in the woods.
This will be a summer of many changes for Ivy. Her parents watch their money carefully, putting just the right amount of bills in the individual envelopes set aside for all their bills. There isn't much left over for extravagances and fancy clothes for Ivy. When Ivy sees an advertisement for a friendship ring, she decides to earn the money to buy one for Annie. Maybe that will bring her friend back to her.
To earn money Ivy starts her own animal care business and as the summer days come and go, Ivy finds herself facing challenges and responsibilities that reveal her true character and offer her a beautiful future.
This is an old-fashioned story set in 1949. Stamps cost three cents and the mailman stops on the road to take Ivy home at the end of his long day. Old-fashioned values of thriftiness and personal responsibility waft through the pages along with the smell of horse, dog and fox.
An informative, respectful read crafted for children who cherish animals, honor their chores, and are opening their eyes to their own value against a media generated culture that screams buy me now.
199 pages Ages 7-10 9780763653521
Recommended by: Barb
