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Quick answer: If you loved Ida B., try Because of Winn-Dixie, Walk Two Moons, Bridge to Terabithia, The Penderwicks, Love That Dog and Sarah, Plain and Tall. Each one is a heartfelt middle grade story about a spirited kid facing family change, nature and big feelings.
Katherine Hannigan's 2004 novel follows Ida B. Applewood, a lively nine-year-old who is homeschooled on her family's Wisconsin orchard, where she talks to the trees and the brook. When her mother gets cancer and her parents must sell part of the land, Ida B. is sent to school and turns her heart hard. With help from her teacher, she slowly opens up again. Readers love her voice and its tenderness. These books share its heart.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | readers who like lonely girls finding friends |
| Walk Two Moons | Sharon Creech | 10-13 | readers who like grief and journeys |
| Bridge to Terabithia | Katherine Paterson | 9-12 | readers who like imagination |
| The Penderwicks | Jeanne Birdsall | 8-12 | readers who like family |
| Love That Dog | Sharon Creech | 8-12 | readers who like poetry |
| Sarah, Plain and Tall | Patricia MacLachlan | 7-10 | readers who like prairie families |
| The Thing About Jellyfish | Ali Benjamin | 10-13 | readers who like grief |
| Hello, Universe | Erin Entrada Kelly | 9-12 | readers who like friendship |
| Wishtree | Katherine Applegate | 8-12 | readers who like trees |
| Anne of Green Gables | L.M. Montgomery | 9-13 | readers who love talkative girls |
| Rules | Cynthia Lord | 8-12 | readers who like honest narrators |
| Fish in a Tree | Lynda Mullaly Hunt | 9-12 | readers who like great teachers |
| Pippi Longstocking | Astrid Lindgren | 7-10 | readers who like free spirits |
| Each Little Bird That Sings | Deborah Wiles | 9-12 | readers who like grief and humor |
| Ramona Quimby, Age 8 | Beverly Cleary | 7-10 | readers who like spirited girls |
1. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
A girl and her dog make friends.
Best for: readers who like lonely girls finding friends.
2. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
A girl travels to find her mother.
Best for: readers who like grief and journeys.
3. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Two friends create a kingdom.
Best for: readers who like imagination.
4. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Four sisters spend a summer.
Best for: readers who like family.
5. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
A boy learns to love poetry.
Best for: readers who like poetry.
6. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
A woman comes to a family.
Best for: readers who like prairie families.
7. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
A girl grieves her friend.
Best for: readers who like grief.
8. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
Kids' lives connect.
Best for: readers who like friendship.
9. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
A tree narrates.
Best for: readers who like trees.
10. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
A chatty orphan is adopted.
Best for: readers who love talkative girls.
11. Rules by Cynthia Lord
A girl makes a friend.
Best for: readers who like honest narrators.
12. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
A girl with dyslexia finds help.
Best for: readers who like great teachers.
13. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
The strongest girl in the world.
Best for: readers who like free spirits.
14. Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
A girl grows up in a funeral home.
Best for: readers who like grief and humor.
15. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
Ramona starts third grade.
Best for: readers who like spirited girls.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Ida B.: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Ida B.. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For similar spirited girls, Because of Winn-Dixie, Anne of Green Gables and Pippi Longstocking are perfect. If you loved the family's struggle, Walk Two Moons and Each Little Bird That Sings handle hard times with warmth. Wishtree is great for readers who love talking trees.
Related: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech: Summary and Key Takeaways · Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ida B. about?
A spirited girl struggles when her mother gets sick and she must leave homeschooling.
What age is it for?
It suits readers about 8 to 12.
Did it win awards?
It won the Josette Frank Award and was a popular state award nominee.
Is it sad?
It deals with illness and change, but it is hopeful.
Where is it set?
On a family orchard in Wisconsin.
Who wrote Ida B.?
Katherine Hannigan.
What should I read next?
Because of Winn-Dixie.
Is Ida B. good for a class read-aloud?
Yes. Its funny voice and big feelings spark good discussion.