Backwater, by Joan Bauer

Backwater by Joan Bauer (Grade 8)
185p., New York: Putnam’s, 1999. 0399231412

Ivy Breedlove has grown up in a family full of aggressive arguing bullheaded lawyers. She never has any peace and they all expect her to take up the family profession, as well. Ivy wants nothing to do with being a lawyer. She is fascinated with history and learning from the past. In fact, Ivy has been working on writing the Breedlove family history. She has information on everyone but her Aunt Josephine who disappeared years ago. Whenever her father or uncle talks about Aunt Josephine they use words like crazy and eccentric. People say that Ivy is a lot like Josephine too. Ivy decides to set out to meet this aunt she has never seen. Josephine lives the life of a hermit on the side of a mountain. Ivy hires a guide named Mountain Mama and starts out on the adventure of her life. What will happen on the way? What will Ivy find out about Aunt Josephine and more importantly what will she find out about herself in the Backwater? --Carrie Falk, Shenandoah Public Library