Bailey Finch takes a stand by Ingrid Laguna

Bailey has a special friend - her dog Sheba. She takes Sheba for a run down at the creek near their home nearly every day. Bailey loves to climb trees and this bush retreat is her happy place but one day Sheba is badly hurt when she swallows some glass. Sheba is rushed to the vet but this incident means Bailey now looks more carefully at the creek. She sees all the dreadful litter and degradation of the natural environment. 

"Bailey found chocolate wrappers, old tennis balls, bits of foam, coffee cups, beer cans, a Coke bottle, rubber bands, string, plastic packaging and tinfoil."

A few days later when she visits the creek Bailey means a boy called Israel. He is a natural history walking encyclopedia. He talks about the birds and the frogs and even shows Bailey a photo of a platypus - but we do learn is a very long time since any platypus were seen in this area.

Bailey is a girl of action. Things are hard at home because her mum has died and her father has retreated into his grief. Bailey wants to reconnect with her dad and she hopes if she can inspire the community to assist with cleaning up the creek then he might notice her and move on from his deep sadness. Meanwhile she is also desperately worried about her precious dog because he seems to be getting worse not better. Every visit to the vet is so upsetting. 

Bailey and Israel visit the council office but they won't help them because they are too young so she and Israel decide to clean up the creek anyway. They make some posters and flyers and they invite the community to come on Saturday. It is a wonderful affirming scene when lots of people turn up and heaps of hessian bags are filled with debris and even better every one is keen to make this a regular Saturday event. 

I picked up this 2021 book because it was a Environment Award for Children's Literature, Fiction, 2022 winner.

Bailey’s desire for change stems from sentiment: the creek where she’d spend time with her parents, and her dog’s sickness from that same creek. If we all started to initiate the change needed in the places we regularly interact with, we can collectively make a difference – and Israel and Bailey’s friendship is a testament to this. Better Reading

This book is an easy read with that all important happy ending. I had one tiny quibble. Early in the story Bailey mentions giving her dog Sheba some chocolate cake - this is very dangerous. Dogs should not be fed any chocolate. I wonder why how the book editor missed this? I do like the cover. If you are studying local government with your class you could use Chapter 17 as a way to discuss the role of councils and local community activism. Here is an interview with Ingrid Laguna where she talks about this book. 

Ida B and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster and (possibly) save the world by Katherine Hannigan

There were times when I almost could not keep reading Ida B.  Having said that I will also say this is a very powerful book and I am keen to put it into the hands of a sensitive reader.  I wonder if the little girl who donated this book to our school library last year, read it.

I loved the voice of Ida B :
 "Daddy'd hand me a dish, I'd sprint to the cupboard and put it away, race back again and put my hand out for the next one, with my right foot tap, tap, tapping the seconds that were ticking by. 'Hold your horses, Ida B,'  Daddy told me.  'There's plenty of time to do whatever you're planning,' And he passed me a plate, slow and easy.  Well that stopped me in my tracks.  Because what Daddy said might have seemed all right to him, but it was sitting about two miles beyond wrong with me.  I wasn't going to be able to put away another tiny teaspoon till I set things straight. 'Daddy,' I said, and I waited till he was looking at me before I went on.  'Yes Ida B,' he answered..... And staring right into his eyeballs I told him, 'There is never enough time for fun."

Ida B lives with her mother and father on a farm somewhere in America.  She has an idyllic life and a special relationship with her caring parents and also importantly with the trees and environment on the farm.

The trees are very wise.  The trees do give Ida B some advice but it is confusing and then disaster overtakes the family and Ida B's world is turned upside down and worst of all Ida is forced to betray her beloved trees.  She is also forced to go to school and this is a horrible experience.  Her resentment towards her parents is such an awful thing to behold but as a reader I had to trust Katherine Hannigan to help me (and Ida B) through the turmoil.

Here is the web site for the author.  By coincidence I have another book by this author on my current reading pile so watch this blog for my thoughts about True (... sort of).  Here are some teaching ideas for Ida B.

Here are two more covers.  It is so interesting to see the way different editors and publishers interpret this book.  The one on the right is in German.

Ida B, believing she can no longer trust anyone, hardens her heart to even the kindest overtures and declares war: against her family, against her new teacher and classmates, and most determinedly against herself. Readers are intimate witnesses to her inner struggle.