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Ivy in the Shadows
After Ivy's stepfather disappears, Ivy's mama begins waitressing at Dining Divinely to make ends meet. She also takes in a boarder ― twelve-year-old Caleb, who's the same age as Ivy and is the weirdest guy she's ever met. With Mama working full-time, Ivy has to babysit her little brother, JJ. She also has to fend off the nosy Pastor Harold; stop Caleb from filling JJ's head with lies; and keep her best friend, Ellen, from knowing anything about her embarrassing situation at home. Ivy has always found out all she needs to know by lurking in the shadows (some might call it "eavesdropping"). But as things at home become more complicated, she learns to step into the light and not only listen but speak up.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2013
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Chris Woodworth
13 books2 followersCHRIS WOODWORTH’s debut novel, When Ratboy Lived Next Door, was hailed by School Library Journal as “an outstanding offering from a first-time author.” Her novel, Double-Click for Trouble, was selected as finalist for Best Book of Indiana–Children’s Literature and her book, Georgie's Moon, won Best Book of Indiana-Children's Literature. Her newest novel, Ivy in the Shadows, will be released in 2013. (All published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.)
Chris has lived in Indiana most of her life, recently moving to North Carolina. She is the mother of two children.
Chris has lived in Indiana most of her life, recently moving to North Carolina. She is the mother of two children.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 19, 2013
As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!
Ivy in the Shadows is a cute middle grade story that is sure to entertain.
Ever since Ivy's stepfather, Jack Henry, walked out on her mama, things have been going downhill. First, mama starts making them go to church again so that she can connect with the congregation and practically beg for help. Then her little brother, JJ, meets Caleb, who Ivy is sure keeps making up stories to impress JJ and to make matters worse mama offered to take him in until his missionary parents get settled in in their new town! All the while, her best friend, Ellen starts acting weird and trying to fit in with the popular people.
I fell in love with this story. Ivy reminded me a lot of myself at that age. She felt pressure from everyone, but she didn't know how to tell people. She's in the verge of adolescence, and confused by all of these new developments, but I think that overall, she handles every situation she is put in well. Especially when you are reminded that she's only twelves-years-old. Ivy is a very strong character and I sincerely enjoyed reading from her perspective. I loved all of the characters in this book. While I got frustrated with Aunt Maureen towards the end, it's obvious that she's only trying to help. Caleb and JJ are sweethearts, even if JJ got too rowdy at times. My heart went out to Caleb, and by the end I wanted nothing by happiness for him. I wanted them all to be happy and for everything to work out for them.
Ivy in the Shadows is a really relatable story. I think kids of all ages will be able to identify with some part of it. I mean, I'm a college student and I understood everything that Ivy was going through and how hard it was on her. The author is vey skilled at portraying real issues. The things that occurred, and the characters that were introduced in this novel were believable and that's probably one reason that I was so charmed by it.
This is a pretty short novel. It moves at a slow, albeit it steady pace. I read it in two sittings, partially because of the length and partially because I was taken with Ivy's voice and the story she told. Ivy in the Shadows is a sweet novel that will be enjoyed by middle schoolers, but it isn't to them. As you can see, I enjoyed it immensely and I'm an adult. It was a great, heartfelt read.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review.
Ivy in the Shadows is a cute middle grade story that is sure to entertain.
Ever since Ivy's stepfather, Jack Henry, walked out on her mama, things have been going downhill. First, mama starts making them go to church again so that she can connect with the congregation and practically beg for help. Then her little brother, JJ, meets Caleb, who Ivy is sure keeps making up stories to impress JJ and to make matters worse mama offered to take him in until his missionary parents get settled in in their new town! All the while, her best friend, Ellen starts acting weird and trying to fit in with the popular people.
I fell in love with this story. Ivy reminded me a lot of myself at that age. She felt pressure from everyone, but she didn't know how to tell people. She's in the verge of adolescence, and confused by all of these new developments, but I think that overall, she handles every situation she is put in well. Especially when you are reminded that she's only twelves-years-old. Ivy is a very strong character and I sincerely enjoyed reading from her perspective. I loved all of the characters in this book. While I got frustrated with Aunt Maureen towards the end, it's obvious that she's only trying to help. Caleb and JJ are sweethearts, even if JJ got too rowdy at times. My heart went out to Caleb, and by the end I wanted nothing by happiness for him. I wanted them all to be happy and for everything to work out for them.
Ivy in the Shadows is a really relatable story. I think kids of all ages will be able to identify with some part of it. I mean, I'm a college student and I understood everything that Ivy was going through and how hard it was on her. The author is vey skilled at portraying real issues. The things that occurred, and the characters that were introduced in this novel were believable and that's probably one reason that I was so charmed by it.
This is a pretty short novel. It moves at a slow, albeit it steady pace. I read it in two sittings, partially because of the length and partially because I was taken with Ivy's voice and the story she told. Ivy in the Shadows is a sweet novel that will be enjoyed by middle schoolers, but it isn't to them. As you can see, I enjoyed it immensely and I'm an adult. It was a great, heartfelt read.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review.
January 30, 2013
It was okay- reminded me of Elizabeth Berg for Tweens. I don't know that I'd recommend it to any Tweens- I think of my own daughter especially. There is not a great deal of excitement, but there are believable characters.
September 28, 2023
I've never heard of Chris Woodworth, and I wasn't very intrigued by the blurb, but the story was surprisingly interesting. I really enjoyed reading about Ivy and living inside her head, and this book seemed to finish so quickly.
Book No. 403
Book No. 403
November 1, 2012
I give this story 3.75 stars to be exact.
Ivy lives a life of being ignored. Her stepfather leaves the family with nothing meaning her mother has to find a way to make ends meet. To do so, she takes in a boarder, twelve-year-old Caleb, someone Ivy thinks is the weirdest kid she's ever met. Also, Ivy's mother gets a job waitressing. With her mother at her job, Ivy's five-year-old brother JJ in love with Caleb, and her best friend Ellen trying to become a part of the popular group, Ivy feels more alone than ever.
Reading the story, I felt for Ivy. She seemed like a normal pre-teen girl just trying to get through the tough years of her young life. She didn't care to be anything special like her best friend. She didn't want major attention. She just didn't want to be lost in the shadows. Who can blame her?
The beginning threw me as it was unclear to the gender of Ivy. Her name hadn't been mentioned although I should've gotten a clue from the title (I feel like a dunce that I didn't!) and the writing made me think she was a boy, but slowly, especially with the introduction of her name, I got the hint. I read this book in ebook format so I didn't really have the cover to refer to like a hard copy.
The story is told through Ivy's narration and that made it easier to relate. We think Ivy. We feel Ivy. We understand Ivy. That's the point of first-person point-of-view, but in many cases it doesn't come across. I believe it did here. But, even so, it still felt a tad shallow. We didn't get too deep into Ivy or rather, we didn't get deep enough. I feel that's part of Ivy's characteristic. There's so much she doesn't let anyone, including the reader, know.
The story teaches a lot. To tell you what it teaches would be to spoil the story and I don't want to do to that. To find out, read it. I will say it does teach about friendship.
Ivy lives a life of being ignored. Her stepfather leaves the family with nothing meaning her mother has to find a way to make ends meet. To do so, she takes in a boarder, twelve-year-old Caleb, someone Ivy thinks is the weirdest kid she's ever met. Also, Ivy's mother gets a job waitressing. With her mother at her job, Ivy's five-year-old brother JJ in love with Caleb, and her best friend Ellen trying to become a part of the popular group, Ivy feels more alone than ever.
Reading the story, I felt for Ivy. She seemed like a normal pre-teen girl just trying to get through the tough years of her young life. She didn't care to be anything special like her best friend. She didn't want major attention. She just didn't want to be lost in the shadows. Who can blame her?
The beginning threw me as it was unclear to the gender of Ivy. Her name hadn't been mentioned although I should've gotten a clue from the title (I feel like a dunce that I didn't!) and the writing made me think she was a boy, but slowly, especially with the introduction of her name, I got the hint. I read this book in ebook format so I didn't really have the cover to refer to like a hard copy.
The story is told through Ivy's narration and that made it easier to relate. We think Ivy. We feel Ivy. We understand Ivy. That's the point of first-person point-of-view, but in many cases it doesn't come across. I believe it did here. But, even so, it still felt a tad shallow. We didn't get too deep into Ivy or rather, we didn't get deep enough. I feel that's part of Ivy's characteristic. There's so much she doesn't let anyone, including the reader, know.
The story teaches a lot. To tell you what it teaches would be to spoil the story and I don't want to do to that. To find out, read it. I will say it does teach about friendship.
May 29, 2013
Upper elementary and middle school girl readers will enjoy this true-to-life story of a 12-year-old girl. Ivy is learning how to deal with her mother's failed marriages, assuming more responsibility for her younger brother J.J, navigating the waters of changed school friendships, and figuring out Caleb, the boarder her mother takes in to help make ends meet.
Like many children in families, Ivy learns about life by eavesdropping. She listens to her mother's discussions with her best friend, "Aunt" Maureen and finds out about their love lives and about her step-father. But eavesdropping only works some of the time. When she incorrectly pieces together the information she hears Caleb telling J.J., her faulty conclusions lead her down the wrong path.
I appreciate how Chris Woodworth portrays a young girl trying to figure out who is telling the truth, who to trust, and how appearances aren't always what they seem to be. There are strong messages on the importance of honesty, facing the consequences of false assumptions, admitting when one is wrong, and the characteristics of a true friend.
I also loved Ivy's voice, which you get to hear right from the opening paragraph:
Some say you get your best education in school. Others say it's through life. I got my best education early on eavesdropping at Mama's feet while she talked to my aunt on the telephone. (p. 1)
Like many children in families, Ivy learns about life by eavesdropping. She listens to her mother's discussions with her best friend, "Aunt" Maureen and finds out about their love lives and about her step-father. But eavesdropping only works some of the time. When she incorrectly pieces together the information she hears Caleb telling J.J., her faulty conclusions lead her down the wrong path.
I appreciate how Chris Woodworth portrays a young girl trying to figure out who is telling the truth, who to trust, and how appearances aren't always what they seem to be. There are strong messages on the importance of honesty, facing the consequences of false assumptions, admitting when one is wrong, and the characteristics of a true friend.
I also loved Ivy's voice, which you get to hear right from the opening paragraph:
Some say you get your best education in school. Others say it's through life. I got my best education early on eavesdropping at Mama's feet while she talked to my aunt on the telephone. (p. 1)
January 9, 2014
Twelve-year-old Ivy Greer’s life is in a state of upheaval. Her stepfather has taken off, her mother is trying to find ways to make ends meet (including turning the family into churchgoers so they can ask the congregation for help), and her best friend is becoming a totally different person (and trying to change Ivy, too). The book’s title refers to Ivy’s habit of eavesdropping to find out what her mother and other grownups are planning, but it also reflects Ivy’s feelings of displacement and marginalization as her mother and her friend Ellen seem to ignore her opinions and concerns. Even Ivy’s place as favored older sibling to her half-brother, JJ, is usurped when the family takes Caleb Bennett as a boarder. Caleb’s stories of his parents’ Christian missionary work in Haiti are enthralling to JJ, but something about them doesn’t seem right to Ivy. What is Caleb’s secret? How can Ivy get Ellen to stay friends with her? When will life be normal again? This is contemporary realistic fiction suitable for grades 5-7.
February 4, 2013
Ivy in the Shadows is an inspiring story about family, friendship, trust, and growing up. The writing style is clear and the pacing is smooth. Ivy's (main character) voice is engaging and strong. I like that the story is narrated in the first person POV because readers can easily relate to Ivy. Plus, the author's choice of words are really appropriate for young readers. The story encapsulated the struggles of kids today like fitting in, being insecure about themselves, and feeling overshadowed.
Ivy in the Shadows will make readers realize that in order for them to get out of the dark, they should see the light from within themselves first. :)
Ivy in the Shadows will make readers realize that in order for them to get out of the dark, they should see the light from within themselves first. :)
February 28, 2014
Ivy in the shadows ended up to be a very confusing and emotional honesty book, esp due to her desire for Caleb . This book was quite interesting but started to bore me as she started to explain the unnecessary issues and conflicts not even having to do with the chapter.
January 10, 2013
A decent middle grade read about growing up and learning who you are … thought it was good but not fantastic, but definitely a good read for someone looking for a solid coming-of-age tale.
March 23, 2013
I received an ARC edition of this book.
I'd recommend this book for middle-grade girls who want a story with no adult content.
I'd recommend this book for middle-grade girls who want a story with no adult content.
July 27, 2013
This was an easy read but a good book for a sixth or seventh grade girl.
February 18, 2014
Lots of typical middle school girl problems. Easy to read
March 29, 2014
Very simplistic
July 1, 2014
i didn't love it. they didn't solve the problem completely.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews