Wild Mountain Ivy

Gr 4 Up–A unique look into the life of an adolescent with long COVID-19 in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. Ivy, a young white violinist, has an illness that saps her strength and keeps her missing her father while he travels with his band. When she retreats to Asheville to heal and stay with her uncle, she discovers a paranormal connection to Jessie, a woman who once lived in her room at the B&B. Ivy’s perspective gives readers insight into the world of chronic ­illness, while her dreams of Jessie open a window into the tuberculosis scare of the 20th century. Ivy navigates the ache of one absent parent and another who is unhappy and overwhelmed, all while feeling helpless in the face of long COVID-19 and the pressure of performing like her father. The localized Appalachian setting, Ivy’s mysterious link to Jessie, and the shifting family dynamics add intrigue and depth, though at times certain elements feel slightly two-dimensional.