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Backwater
Ivy doesn't want to be a lawyer. Who cares?—well, her father, for starters, who expects his daughter to take up the Breedlove family profession with dedication and enthusiasm. What Ivy wants to be is a historian, a vocation that's getting quite a workout as she prepares a family history in honor of her beloved great-aunt Tib's eightieth birthday. As in Bauer's Rules of the Road, the central story is of a journey: Ivy hikes into the wilds of the Adirondacks to find her reclusive aunt Jo—and to find her own destiny as well.
193 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 1999
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About the author
Joan Bauer
26 books886 followersFrom: http://www.joanbauer.com/jbbio.html
July 12, 1951 - I was born at eleven A.M., a most reasonable time, my mother often said, and when the nurse put me in my mother's arms for the first time I had both a nasty case of the hiccups and no discernible forehead (it's since grown in). I've always believed in comic entrances.
As I grew up in River Forest, Illinois, in the 1950's, I seem to remember an early fascination with things that were funny. I thought that people who could make other people laugh were terribly fortunate. While my friends made their career plans, declaring they would become doctors, nurses, and lawyers, inwardly I knew that I wanted to be involved somehow in comedy. This, however, was a difficult concept to get across in first grade. But I had a mother with a great comic sense (she was a high school English teacher) and a grandmother who had been a funny professional storyteller, so I figured the right genes were in there somewhere, although I didn't always laugh at what my friends laughed at and they rarely giggled at my jokes. That, and the fact that I was overweight and very tall, all made me feel quite different when I was growing up--a bit like a musk ox at a tea party.
My grandmother, who I called Nana, had the biggest influence on me creatively. She taught me the importance of stories and laughter. She never said, "Now I'm going to tell you a funny story," she'd just tell a story, and the humor would naturally flow from it because of who she was and how she and her characters saw the world. She showed me the difference between derisive laughter that hurts others and laughter that comes from the heart. She showed me, too, that stories help us understand ourselves at a deep level. She was a keen observer of people.
I kept a diary as a child, was always penning stories and poems. I played the flute heartily, taught myself the guitar, and wrote folk songs. For years I wanted to be a comedienne, then a comedy writer. I was a voracious reader, too, and can still remember the dark wood and the green leather chairs of the River Forest Public Library, can hear my shoes tapping on the stairs going down to the children's room, can feel my fingers sliding across rows and rows of books, looking through the card catalogs that seemed to house everything that anyone would ever need to know about in the entire world. My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and I was devastated at the loss of my father. I pull from that memory regularly as a writer. Every book I have written so far has dealt with complex father issues. My dad was an alcoholic and the pain of that was a shadow that followed me for years, but I've learned things from that experience that have made me resilient. I attempted to address those issues in Rules of the Road, and I took them even further in the companion book, Best Foot Forward. The theme that I try to carry into all of my writing is this: adversity, if we let it, will make us stronger.
In my twenties, I worked in sales and advertising for the Chicago Tribune, McGraw-Hill, WLS Radio, and Parade Magazine. I met my husband Evan, a computer engineer, while I was on vacation. Our courtship was simple. He asked me to dance; I said no. We got married five months later in August, 1981. But I was not happy in advertising sales, and I had a few ulcers to prove it. With Evan's loving support, I decided to try my hand at professional writing. I wish I could say that everything started falling into place, but it was a slow, slow build -- writing newspaper and magazine articles for not much money. My daughter Jean was born in July of '82. She had the soul of a writer even as a baby. I can remember sitting at my typewriter (I didn't have a computer back then) writing away with Jean on a blanket on the floor next to me. If my writing was bad that day, I'd tear that page out of the typewriter and hand it to her. "Bad paper," I'd say and Jean would r
July 12, 1951 - I was born at eleven A.M., a most reasonable time, my mother often said, and when the nurse put me in my mother's arms for the first time I had both a nasty case of the hiccups and no discernible forehead (it's since grown in). I've always believed in comic entrances.
As I grew up in River Forest, Illinois, in the 1950's, I seem to remember an early fascination with things that were funny. I thought that people who could make other people laugh were terribly fortunate. While my friends made their career plans, declaring they would become doctors, nurses, and lawyers, inwardly I knew that I wanted to be involved somehow in comedy. This, however, was a difficult concept to get across in first grade. But I had a mother with a great comic sense (she was a high school English teacher) and a grandmother who had been a funny professional storyteller, so I figured the right genes were in there somewhere, although I didn't always laugh at what my friends laughed at and they rarely giggled at my jokes. That, and the fact that I was overweight and very tall, all made me feel quite different when I was growing up--a bit like a musk ox at a tea party.
My grandmother, who I called Nana, had the biggest influence on me creatively. She taught me the importance of stories and laughter. She never said, "Now I'm going to tell you a funny story," she'd just tell a story, and the humor would naturally flow from it because of who she was and how she and her characters saw the world. She showed me the difference between derisive laughter that hurts others and laughter that comes from the heart. She showed me, too, that stories help us understand ourselves at a deep level. She was a keen observer of people.
I kept a diary as a child, was always penning stories and poems. I played the flute heartily, taught myself the guitar, and wrote folk songs. For years I wanted to be a comedienne, then a comedy writer. I was a voracious reader, too, and can still remember the dark wood and the green leather chairs of the River Forest Public Library, can hear my shoes tapping on the stairs going down to the children's room, can feel my fingers sliding across rows and rows of books, looking through the card catalogs that seemed to house everything that anyone would ever need to know about in the entire world. My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and I was devastated at the loss of my father. I pull from that memory regularly as a writer. Every book I have written so far has dealt with complex father issues. My dad was an alcoholic and the pain of that was a shadow that followed me for years, but I've learned things from that experience that have made me resilient. I attempted to address those issues in Rules of the Road, and I took them even further in the companion book, Best Foot Forward. The theme that I try to carry into all of my writing is this: adversity, if we let it, will make us stronger.
In my twenties, I worked in sales and advertising for the Chicago Tribune, McGraw-Hill, WLS Radio, and Parade Magazine. I met my husband Evan, a computer engineer, while I was on vacation. Our courtship was simple. He asked me to dance; I said no. We got married five months later in August, 1981. But I was not happy in advertising sales, and I had a few ulcers to prove it. With Evan's loving support, I decided to try my hand at professional writing. I wish I could say that everything started falling into place, but it was a slow, slow build -- writing newspaper and magazine articles for not much money. My daughter Jean was born in July of '82. She had the soul of a writer even as a baby. I can remember sitting at my typewriter (I didn't have a computer back then) writing away with Jean on a blanket on the floor next to me. If my writing was bad that day, I'd tear that page out of the typewriter and hand it to her. "Bad paper," I'd say and Jean would r
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
January 27, 2020
This is a wonderful book about a young woman trying to carve out a place for herself in an enduring family. Ivy loves history and has researched her ancestors, all of them characters who could have books written about them. Her aunt Jo is a highly introverted woman who forsook her family for peace in the mountains. There are so many great female characters in here. Ivy is flawed and believable and bookish. This is a story about embracing your family's past whilst remaining true to yourself and your future. This is really pro-introverts, too, which I loved. It has a good mix of adventure and a wintery setting and has become one of my favorite children's books!
2020: upon rereading I didn’t love this quite as much. I think my initial surprise of how good this was made me love it the first time. However, the characters, especially Ivy’s ancestors, are vivid and fully imagined. I also enjoyed the main plot being self-discovery and connecting to your family’s roots, rather than a romance. It also has a clear sense of place and season, that being the Adirondack mountains in the winter. Overall still very enjoyable, but I didn’t love it quite as much this time.
2020: upon rereading I didn’t love this quite as much. I think my initial surprise of how good this was made me love it the first time. However, the characters, especially Ivy’s ancestors, are vivid and fully imagined. I also enjoyed the main plot being self-discovery and connecting to your family’s roots, rather than a romance. It also has a clear sense of place and season, that being the Adirondack mountains in the winter. Overall still very enjoyable, but I didn’t love it quite as much this time.
July 20, 2011
I enjoyed this book; yes, yes, I did. I enjoyed reading about a character who wanted to be a historian and who felt connected to her ancestors because my family and religion is very into genealogy and learning about your ancestors. Also, this book has wilderness adventure in it for all of you explorers out there because the main character sets off (with a guide) into the frozen wilderness to find her long-lost aunt that no one has heard from in years.
Language: 0
Violence: 0
Sexual References: 0
Drugs: 0
General Uncomfortability: 1 (if you find religious references uncomfortable)
Language: 0
Violence: 0
Sexual References: 0
Drugs: 0
General Uncomfortability: 1 (if you find religious references uncomfortable)
August 23, 2016
I don't know, I can't say it was that good of a book, I just really, really liked it.
February 14, 2009
A gem of a book, short but meaningful. Goes in deep about family stuff and acceptance. Reccomended to teen girls, because it's not just some hotshot book about cheerleaders and true love.
December 29, 2018
Growing up in a family of lawyers like this, especially without your mom, sounds abjectly awful. Fortunately, this book is an antidote to that, incredibly soothing and peaceful, featuring my bookish hero: a girl obsessed with researching and recording her family's history.
I am also enchanted by this concept -- in my case, in no small part because just about the entirety of my dad's side only exists in photographs taken before I was born unless you start branching into great-aunts and second cousins -- so I practically breathed in everything she said about why she likes and does it, nodding my head rapidly at the familiarity. And the fact that she combines this passion with a late December hike up into the hills to meet a long-lost aunt just ticks all my boxes for "quality book ingredients." (Mountain Mama the guide: great side character, or greatest side character?)
This is a magical little book that reads with the innocence and optimism of middle grade but features a 16-year-old and a tiny hint of romance (with the most dashing young man studying to be a forest ranger -- he's barely there, but I did little finger curls every time he was, because he added to the story like a dusting of sugar crystals on top of apple pie).
And as someone currently very stressed about trying to meet work deadlines, who has recently been dreaming of taking a year to live in a mountain cabin with no internet, this was not only a timely read but the perfect way to take a 2-hour break and immerse myself in the mental imagery of how quiet and peaceful her aunt's isolated property is. Loved the theme of birds running through the book, both symbolically and in the form of wild ones her aunt loves and cares for. Oh! And I'll let this be a surprise like it was for me, but: .
I think I'll end up coming back to this one. I'm very glad I bought it for a buck at that book sale.
I am also enchanted by this concept -- in my case, in no small part because just about the entirety of my dad's side only exists in photographs taken before I was born unless you start branching into great-aunts and second cousins -- so I practically breathed in everything she said about why she likes and does it, nodding my head rapidly at the familiarity. And the fact that she combines this passion with a late December hike up into the hills to meet a long-lost aunt just ticks all my boxes for "quality book ingredients." (Mountain Mama the guide: great side character, or greatest side character?)
This is a magical little book that reads with the innocence and optimism of middle grade but features a 16-year-old and a tiny hint of romance (with the most dashing young man studying to be a forest ranger -- he's barely there, but I did little finger curls every time he was, because he added to the story like a dusting of sugar crystals on top of apple pie).
And as someone currently very stressed about trying to meet work deadlines, who has recently been dreaming of taking a year to live in a mountain cabin with no internet, this was not only a timely read but the perfect way to take a 2-hour break and immerse myself in the mental imagery of how quiet and peaceful her aunt's isolated property is. Loved the theme of birds running through the book, both symbolically and in the form of wild ones her aunt loves and cares for. Oh! And I'll let this be a surprise like it was for me, but: .
I think I'll end up coming back to this one. I'm very glad I bought it for a buck at that book sale.
December 26, 2018
Backwater is a middle-grade book with strong messages of being true to yourself, true to your family, accepting that not all personalities are the same, and never underestimating the strength you have even as a young person.
Ivy Breedlove loves history and is determined to document her family history. This is a challenge since her Aunt Josephine hasn't been in touch with the family for years. Ivy knows that Josephine's story is a key component to her family history and goes to great lengths to try and document it.
This novel expresses that sometimes being "stuck in the backwater" is just where some people want to be.
Ivy Breedlove loves history and is determined to document her family history. This is a challenge since her Aunt Josephine hasn't been in touch with the family for years. Ivy knows that Josephine's story is a key component to her family history and goes to great lengths to try and document it.
This novel expresses that sometimes being "stuck in the backwater" is just where some people want to be.
October 24, 2019
Once again, Bauer uses a strong teen who needs to surmount an obstacle, in this case, her overly-opinionated family. She faces her own insecurities when she sets off with a mountain guide to find her aunt. There's potential here, but it fell short. Maybe too many ideas addressed with too few words.
April 25, 2020
Another good Joan Bauer book.
April 29, 2021
I have read this book so many times that I couldn't even attempt a number. I started it last night wanting something sweet and familiar to read and once again it didn't disappoint. This and Hope are my favorite Joan Bauer books. I love this one because it is about the importance of family and accepting people for who they are while still being a part of a family group. I also love the main characters interviewing skills and passions.
January 10, 2024
Closer to 4 stars
September 22, 2018
Joan Bauer is so successful writing books that touch the hearts of readers, providing characters facing situations common to most, and generally offering encouragement to those dealing with similar things. In Backwater, Ivy has an overbearing family with very clear expectations for her future, but becoming a lawyer is a long way from the historian she yearns to be. Ivy tends to hang back and simply hope that conflicts both large and small will resolve themselves. But as she attempts to fulfill Aunt Tibs’ birthday request for a complete family history, Ivy branches out on her own in order to find a missing family member. That search sends her on a treacherous hike up a wintery mountain in an experience that proves to be emotionally and physically more than anything she has ever done. Readers in grades 6-8 will enjoy some family drama, the backpacking adventure, and a bit of romance. Neither caregivers or librarians will have reason to be concerned about any of this book’s content. Solid, early offering from Bauer, but not the powerful emotional hit that I generally experience when I read her works.
June 15, 2008
What I loved about this book is that I felt such a unique calmness while reading it. The story is about a high school student that is struggling to learn the true history of her family, particularly that of her dead mother and estranged aunt. She sets out on a quest to find her aunt and learns a lot about herself.
The story is interesting, the main character is extremely likable and well developed, and the story leaves you feeling good. I would describe the book as very "soothing."
My only complaints/concerns:
1) The romantic storyline with Jack should have been nixed. It was pointless and took away from the rest of the story.
2) I think this may seem "boring" to certain young adult readers because it's not super fast-paced and action-packed. I would probably recommend it to 8th grade and up.
The story is interesting, the main character is extremely likable and well developed, and the story leaves you feeling good. I would describe the book as very "soothing."
My only complaints/concerns:
1) The romantic storyline with Jack should have been nixed. It was pointless and took away from the rest of the story.
2) I think this may seem "boring" to certain young adult readers because it's not super fast-paced and action-packed. I would probably recommend it to 8th grade and up.
March 18, 2008
Great book. I felt so similar to the main character in many of the quirks. Loved her fight to do family history.
January 5, 2017
In the novel Backwater, by Joan Bauert The story tells of a teen girl named Ivy, who has always felt like the oddball in her home full of lawyers, as she has a yearning for history that she can’t explain. Soon, she learns of another oddball family member who ran away from home. Joan then goes on a crazy mountain climbing adventure to meet her long lost aunt, who’s quite different than the rest of her family…
Reading this book, I had mixed emotions. Because it’s not my style of reading, I didn’t enjoy the adventurous and hearty personality of the book as I could have, but I definitely enjoyed it. The book itself is a great adventure, as this quote suggests; “‘Now the problem we’ve got.’ Mountain Mama said, ‘is getting this old girl half way of to the trailhead.’” (59) As you can see, the book has a great deal of traveling, as Joan and her friend, Mountain Mama go on a quest to find her aunt high on the winter snow covered mountain.
The book also surprisingly is a great book for animal lovers. A quote from the early times we are introduced to Joan’s aunt, Joan describes the bizarre living conditions for her aunt Jo. “Several of the birds sitting on the mantel flew to her when I walked in.” (97) I was very surprised to find how much these very birds would have an effect on the story, and I now know for a fact my sister who is a big animal book lover, would love this book, In fact I intend to lend it to her.
Lastly, Backwater is very woodsy and lots of the book is set in the wilderness. “We’d been walking for two hours through a wooded forest” (63) The rustic historical feeling of the hard working Joan in the mountains brought a old fashioned feel to the modern book, and I found that intriguing. The book takes place in the wilderness for a large period of time, and even the city girl I am, I very much enjoyed the rustic feeling I got reading this.
All in all, I conclude Backwater to be a very great book, and definitely recommend it. Not my favorite, but a great quick and easy read.
Reading this book, I had mixed emotions. Because it’s not my style of reading, I didn’t enjoy the adventurous and hearty personality of the book as I could have, but I definitely enjoyed it. The book itself is a great adventure, as this quote suggests; “‘Now the problem we’ve got.’ Mountain Mama said, ‘is getting this old girl half way of to the trailhead.’” (59) As you can see, the book has a great deal of traveling, as Joan and her friend, Mountain Mama go on a quest to find her aunt high on the winter snow covered mountain.
The book also surprisingly is a great book for animal lovers. A quote from the early times we are introduced to Joan’s aunt, Joan describes the bizarre living conditions for her aunt Jo. “Several of the birds sitting on the mantel flew to her when I walked in.” (97) I was very surprised to find how much these very birds would have an effect on the story, and I now know for a fact my sister who is a big animal book lover, would love this book, In fact I intend to lend it to her.
Lastly, Backwater is very woodsy and lots of the book is set in the wilderness. “We’d been walking for two hours through a wooded forest” (63) The rustic historical feeling of the hard working Joan in the mountains brought a old fashioned feel to the modern book, and I found that intriguing. The book takes place in the wilderness for a large period of time, and even the city girl I am, I very much enjoyed the rustic feeling I got reading this.
All in all, I conclude Backwater to be a very great book, and definitely recommend it. Not my favorite, but a great quick and easy read.
February 2, 2018
I'll admit, I went into this book thinking, "Ehhh....it kind of sounds a bit boring. I mean, it's about lawyers and an amateur historian...." The only reason I read it, is because my daughter is doing a reading competition, this is one of the books she has to read, and I have to submit questions for the competition myself. I'm happy to say the book far exceeded my expectations. Not only was this book intriguing right from the get go, it was humorous, thoughtful, adventurous, and kept me curious from beginning to end.
The main character is nothing like her lawyer obsessed family. If anything, she's about as opposite as you can get, and this upsets her father to an extent, since "Breedloves were bred to love the law". As his only child, she was expected to follow in the footsteps of not only her father, but her uncles and cousins and aunts and grandfathers...etc..and go into law. However, she would much rather study history and learn about family lineage. This conflict leads her on an adventure to track down a missing aunt; an aunt she's been compared to a number of times, which a hint of dismay, and of whom she's never met. With much hesitation, her father agrees to allow her to hire a guide and hike into the mountains to find this mysterious aunt who has hidden herself away in the backwaters of the hills.
I really loved this book, and I'm still amazed that I did. As a h.s. librarian, the fact that I judged a book by it's cover is a bit shameful, but hopefully you, dear reader, will learn from my foolishness and give this book a try.
The main character is nothing like her lawyer obsessed family. If anything, she's about as opposite as you can get, and this upsets her father to an extent, since "Breedloves were bred to love the law". As his only child, she was expected to follow in the footsteps of not only her father, but her uncles and cousins and aunts and grandfathers...etc..and go into law. However, she would much rather study history and learn about family lineage. This conflict leads her on an adventure to track down a missing aunt; an aunt she's been compared to a number of times, which a hint of dismay, and of whom she's never met. With much hesitation, her father agrees to allow her to hire a guide and hike into the mountains to find this mysterious aunt who has hidden herself away in the backwaters of the hills.
I really loved this book, and I'm still amazed that I did. As a h.s. librarian, the fact that I judged a book by it's cover is a bit shameful, but hopefully you, dear reader, will learn from my foolishness and give this book a try.
January 26, 2022
Backwater tells the story of Ivy Breedlove: a history-obsessed 16 year-old on a mission to catalog her family’s untold story. In her way sits the stubborn lot of lawyers she calls family members, and her enigmatic, black sheep aunt who holds the missing pieces to Ivy’s research. Embarking on a quest up a frigid mountain during the thick of a New England winter, Ivy seeks to uncover the unknown and reach a greater understanding of her family, their history, and her place within it all. However, when a blizzard strikes at the worst time possible and without her accommodating mountain guide, Ivy must put everything on the line to save herself, her aunt, and her family’s unspoken story.
This young adult novel by Joan Bauer has something for everyone to enjoy—consisting of equal parts mystery, teen drama, adventure epic, and even romance. Additionally, I found the novel’s main character to be a relatable, admirable girl with an entertaining, spunky voice; the novel’s supporting cast consisting of the guide Mountain Mama, Ivy’s friend Octavia, and her Aunt Josephine provide the narrator with contrasting viewpoints throughout that push her to grow. By the end of the novel, the driving themes of finding inner peace, accepting one’s individuality, and honoring the past each come to fruition in fulfilling ways. That said, the novel aims to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time—perhaps even too much—fitting every element in just well enough.
This young adult novel by Joan Bauer has something for everyone to enjoy—consisting of equal parts mystery, teen drama, adventure epic, and even romance. Additionally, I found the novel’s main character to be a relatable, admirable girl with an entertaining, spunky voice; the novel’s supporting cast consisting of the guide Mountain Mama, Ivy’s friend Octavia, and her Aunt Josephine provide the narrator with contrasting viewpoints throughout that push her to grow. By the end of the novel, the driving themes of finding inner peace, accepting one’s individuality, and honoring the past each come to fruition in fulfilling ways. That said, the novel aims to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time—perhaps even too much—fitting every element in just well enough.
February 25, 2019
A thoughtful contemplation of family disguised in a brisk, humorous tale of a larger-than-life family of lawyers and the teenager who doesn’t meet their expectations.
16-year-old Ivy Breedlove is a historian who yearns for the space and peace to commune with the past, but her noisy family lives for arguing. Then she gets the opportunity to hike into the Adirondack Mountains in winter to search for the only other Breedlove who can understand her love of quiet—an aunt who has voluntarily exiled herself to the backwater.
Although few modern-day parents expect their children to go into the family business like Ivy’s do, many readers will sympathize with Ivy’s sense of disconnection from a family she doesn’t seem to fit in with.
This book assumes a White characters.
Read aloud section: Pg. 26, "I had ninety taped minutes of Uncle Archie" to pg. 30, "headed off behind the holly bush." Set-up: she's been trying to get oral histories from family, meanwhile her aunt Fiona is undermining her by trying to do a dashed-off video production. Her aunt Josephine disappeared from the family a decade ago.
16-year-old Ivy Breedlove is a historian who yearns for the space and peace to commune with the past, but her noisy family lives for arguing. Then she gets the opportunity to hike into the Adirondack Mountains in winter to search for the only other Breedlove who can understand her love of quiet—an aunt who has voluntarily exiled herself to the backwater.
Although few modern-day parents expect their children to go into the family business like Ivy’s do, many readers will sympathize with Ivy’s sense of disconnection from a family she doesn’t seem to fit in with.
This book assumes a White characters.
Read aloud section: Pg. 26, "I had ninety taped minutes of Uncle Archie" to pg. 30, "headed off behind the holly bush." Set-up: she's been trying to get oral histories from family, meanwhile her aunt Fiona is undermining her by trying to do a dashed-off video production. Her aunt Josephine disappeared from the family a decade ago.
January 13, 2020
Ivy's growing up in a family full of lawyers with pressure to become one as well. She isn't the first Breedlove to face this problem. Her Aunt Josephine became a recluse because of it years ago, no one knows where she disappeared to. Ivy is a history buff working diligently to document all the stories her family has to tell. The one story missing is Jo's. Finding Jo won't be easy but Ivy is determined. The adventure she partakes with her guide, Mountain Mama, will change her life forever.....and the lives of her family.
Joan Bauer, once again, creates a strong teenage character who's drive and determination make for an exciting book. Ivy learns more about herself, finding what is deep inside her, her resolve, as she learns about her estranged Aunt Jo. She forces her family to question their long standing attitudes and become more open minded as she struggles to bring out the truth in her family history.
Joan Bauer, once again, creates a strong teenage character who's drive and determination make for an exciting book. Ivy learns more about herself, finding what is deep inside her, her resolve, as she learns about her estranged Aunt Jo. She forces her family to question their long standing attitudes and become more open minded as she struggles to bring out the truth in her family history.
July 24, 2020
I didn't know what to expect from this book at first, but I found out quickly that the narrative was quite enthralling. Overall I really like the dynamic list of characters and I found it truly interesting to have a main character that is in her teenage years be so engrossed in history and genealogy. I also was able to connect with our protagonist on a level because she is not the super confident and outwardly "capable" heroine we are used to seeing in many young adult novels. Ivy is more reserved and doubtful of her great potential, but not in the dreadful "quirky girl" way! I also thoroughly enjoyed the side characters and I would do anything for Mountain Mama! If I had to point out one area of improvement it would be that I felt ceratin topics and pieces of the plot were rushed and not really explained. I would have liked those parts to have been longer, allowing for more in-depth detail to be developed and explored!
June 26, 2025
Ivy is real representation of teens because on one hand she has the perfect sarcastic humor of a teenage girl but on the other hand I wanted to punch her in the face because she was so annoying. This book was a sweet coming of age story about generational bonds/cycles and history and connection that I think is great short read for teens. However I think the themes of this book were a tad underbaked and I feel it could use a deeper exploration of those themes for the story to really shine. Also some of the things in Ivy’s life felt a little too “and everyone clapped.” Overall it was a fun read and I had a good time
April 10, 2019
It was a quick read, especially after some of the ARCs that I have been reading/unable to finish. It expressed deep thoughts but I didn't feel like they were truly explored in depth. The writing was a bit confusing at times. Example: Ivy was talking to her aunt and the next page she was talking to her dad (who wasn't there) because it was a flash back. I was sitting there flipping the pages back and forth rereading to see what I had missed. Overall, I liked it but I preferred "Hope Was Here" and expected more.
March 21, 2017
This is one of Joan's earlier books, and I can see that she already displays the talent to develop compelling protagonists that reveal courage of conviction. This young girl, Ivy Breedlove, is born into a family of fierce lawyers and she wants to be a historian - her father fights her every step of the way. In hopes of finding answers to this conflict, Ivy journeys into the hills to seek out her aunt who became a hermit early in life. And she does find answers but not in the way you would imagine! A great story that made me LOL and cry, I loved this story as much as I love her more current novels.
August 2, 2020
I don't think there's a Joan Bauer book that I've read in which I haven't walked away with smiles and good feels. This one was no different. Her books are palate cleansers, and while they are faster, lighter reads, I'm always impressed by the way that deeper issues are explored in her books. In Backwater, Ivy feels like the outsider in her family. The story follows her as she searches for her hermit aunt.
April 1, 2024
My daughter and I read this book together when she was about 12. She is now 30, married and lives 2000 miles away. She called me to say she got a copy of it since she remembered how much she liked it and wanted to read it again. I found 'our' copy in her bookcase here at my home and just re-read it myself and enjoyed it this time ALMOST as much as I did when she and I read it together. But in a sense we did indeed read it together again miles apart. Great book!
December 9, 2025
I can’t lie—I really enjoyed this book. I only put it down when time necessitated it. Something about a kid that doesn’t fit in with their family really resonated with me, and the fact that the plot basically took off from the very beginning was a plus as well. I am not one for world-building or exposition, and this jumped right into the deep end with exploring through nature, action sequences, and a fulfilling conclusion, all in a very quick read. Definitely one I will remember.
December 10, 2017
PECHA KUCHA
Ivy feels a lot of pressure from her family to become a lawyer but she has no desire to do so. In an effort to compile family history, she goes to find her aunt jo. Aunt Jo is a little crazy and loves birds. After a big storm, Aunt Jo almost dies and Ivy has to overcome many fears in order to save her. This book was okay, but not super interesting. It had some quotes that I liked.
Ivy feels a lot of pressure from her family to become a lawyer but she has no desire to do so. In an effort to compile family history, she goes to find her aunt jo. Aunt Jo is a little crazy and loves birds. After a big storm, Aunt Jo almost dies and Ivy has to overcome many fears in order to save her. This book was okay, but not super interesting. It had some quotes that I liked.
January 27, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book. Different than current YA. I loved the lesson it taught- it’s okay to be different. Ivy learned from her family history and her “backwater” aunt the importance of embracing her personality and speaking up for what she needed. I don’t know if I would read it again, but it was good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2021
This was an adorable coming-of-age story about a girl who just wants to be different. Ivy wants to be a historian in a family full of lawyers. Her journey to find her lost aunt taught her how 'cultivate peace' and live in the moment. I thought this book was just calm, laughable, and quotable. Very cute read.
July 18, 2022
I've never read a Joan Bauer book that wasn't good, and Backwater is as well written as her other books. It's just that I found the majority of the family to be so overbearing and opinionated (and loud and boring) that it was a trial (no pun intended--they are all lawyers) to wade through the sections where they appeared. Jo was the one saving grace of the book.
November 23, 2023
I would have loved this book in middle school. Ivy is researching her family history. Everyone in her family is a lawyer but she wants to be a historian. She treks into the mountains to connect with her reclusive Aunt Josephine and adventures ensue. History was my favorite school subject so this book would have been right up my alley.
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