Ivy

February 27, 2017
In a story infused with gentle magic, Ivy and her grandmother Meg, a healer, live in a cluttered cottage in the otherwise pristine village of Broomsweep. Having learned of Meg’s abilities, sick and injured woodland animals frequently arrive at the cottage seeking help, as do occasional magical creatures—a three-legged griffin and a dragon with the sniffles, most recently. When the queen announces a contest to select the best town in the kingdom, the mayor’s cantankerous wife and other neighbors fear that Ivy and Meg will mar the town’s image, but when trolls invade, the animals protect the community. Coville creates a cozy fairy-tale-like atmosphere in a story that celebrates nonconformity and kindness. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary.

December 15, 2016
Round little Ivy learns from her kindhearted (if a bit disorganized) grandmother that caring for the sick and injured brings great rewards. In the fairyland town of Broomsweep, every garden is tidy and every front porch is spotless, except at Grandmother Meg's cottage. But Grandmother is famous for taking care of injured and sick animals. Ivy helps her nurse a sneezing chipmunk, a sad fox, and a three-legged griffin. When the new queen announces a contest to select the best town in the land, the villagers (especially the mayor's wife, Mistress Peevish) become alarmed. How could they be selected the best town with all these sick and dirty creatures destroying the neighborhood? Matters become worse when a dragon seeks Meg's care. But the villain is not a fire-breathing dragon--it is the mayor's wife, whose dog wriggles away from her grasp, to be rescued, of course, by one of Grandmother's patients. With steady pacing, Coville gives readers a pixie's view of the action, fluttering close enough to hear the characters' conversations; Kaspar's occasional pencil sketches bring warmth and compassion to the characters. White Ivy is a gentle heroine, converting a young bully into an ally. There is value in escaping to a fairyland with magical creatures and a happy ending, and readers will relish this story in which the bullies are beaten by kindness and compassion, even if it gets a little messy. (Fantasy. 6-9)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 3-6-Ivy and Grandmother live in a not-so-tidy cottage on the edge of a very neat town. They are happily different from the townsfolk and nurse sick animals back to health. But when the newly crowned queen announces a contest for best town, the citizens are convinced that they can't win if their town isn't perfect, and they want the animals to leave. Now Ivy, Grandmother, and their menagerie may be forced to change who they are or leave town. In this story full of sweet, likable characters, readers will find a timeless lesson about appreciating people for their kindness and values rather than for their outward appearances. A smattering of animals, both real and mythical, make for a nice bit of whimsy. However, the characters are fairly one-dimensional and as such are very predictable. The plot is simple and linear, with no surprises. The book is written in a similar way as old fables, and the moral lesson is well presented but not overbearing. VERDICT A fine supplemental purchase for large collections.-Elizabeth Speer, Weatherford College, TX

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2017
Grades 2-4 Ivy lives in the clean, orderly town of Broomsweep with her grandmother, a healer with a special affinity for magical creatures. Hearing that the new queen is touring the countryside to choose the best town, troublemaker Mistress Peevish leads her neighbors in pressuring Ivy and Grandmother to tidy their cottage and rid their yard of overgrown herbs and magical creatures. Little do the townsfolk realize that her community's very survival will soon depend upon the healer's friends: a recuperating griffin, a small dragon, and a swarm of pixies. The fact that the story takes place over the course of a few days in a relatively small setting adds to the cozy atmosphere of this appealing early chapter book. The large type, wide-spaced lines, and many illustrations make it a good choice for younger readers. Full of innocent charm, this simply written, unpretentious fantasy will have particular appeal for children who love animals, including those celebrated in medieval heraldry.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)