This was a short, lighthearted book that I finished in one sitting. Not because I really loved it and was hooked, but because I just wanted to blow past this book so I could add another to my "read" pile. 
 Really, my shelf for 3-star books is called "middle of the line", and this book is the perfect definition of "middle of the line". On one hand, it's lighthearted, fun, and features an interesting main character. On the other hand, the story is something I've seen reiterated in too many contemporary novels -- young adult, middle grade, or the like -- to count, the plot isn't too intriguing, and the main character is a stuck-up snob who only worries about themselves and who also probably has some type of mental disorder. 
 Seriously. Who talks to apple trees and creeks like they're people??? I can understand the names, sure, but TALKING TO THEM? Yes, there's such a thing as an imaginary friend, but there is such a thing as going too far, also. 
 I will admit that the ending of the book is interesting. In stories such as these, where the main character is left out, he/she would usually make loads of friends by the end of the book, including those who they originally weren't too kind towards. But here, Ida B. never really does that. Sure, she makes a couple friends here and there, and she eventually learns to cope with everything. This is nice; the plot differs from the norm. 
 Ida B., though, ruins all of that. Her character is strongly defined throughout the story, and I think I got the wrong vibes from her character, nonetheless. Ida B. is a girl around the age of nine or ten who is enjoying her life of being homeschooled. She goes to the apple orchard near her house often, and also talks to the apple trees, the creek, and... er... other trees. She lives a sheltered life, she likes to make plans, she absolutely detests school and thinks it's practically a prison. I don't know about you, but isn't that giving you autism vibes, almost? Not saying that autism is a bad thing (the main character in Rain Reign, Rose, is autistic, and she is a spectacular character), but... well... 
 Speaking of Rain Reign, that book has a somewhat-similar plotline. It's one that I recognize in both, anyway: both main characters (Ida B. and Rose, respectively) are outcasts, who bond with non-human creatures (the trees in Ida B. and Rain in Rain Reign). Both main characters never really manage to make many friends, and both face crises in their respective books (although I don't know if I can count Ida B.'s situation as a crisis... yes, her mom has cancer and they have to sell some of the property, but what is that compared to a disastrous hurricane?) which end up tearing the non-human creatures away from them. 
 I also recognized the "message in a bottle" element from Three Times Lucky. Honestly, this book is a mash-up of elements from several contemporary middle-grade books. 
 So, um, about the book. The writing style was simple. I blew through this book in about two hours, perhaps even less. It was an easy read, that much can be said. 
 Ida B. annoys me to all ends, as I stated before. When her mom gets cancer, her dad is forced to sell some of the property so they can cope with the financial issues. He also has to enroll Ida B. in school, and she throws a huge fit over this. Seriously? I'm sorry, but your mom has cancer right now. You have to go to school because of your mom. Your parents didn't get up one day and decide, "Yeah, let's send our child to school, even though she thinks it's a horrible place of torture." It's not short-time, either. Ida B. stays angry at her parents (not just a simple anger, either; she literally holes herself up in her room and barely talks to them), just because of school, for a good few months. No. I'll admit it. When I was around the age of nine or ten, I got angry at my parents frequently. They tended to make a few choices that I despised. I always vowed that I would stay angry at them. That vow lasted about a night before things finally settled down. Keeping that up for a few months? That's not only stupid, but there's no point to it. Just stay angry at them for a couple nights. Go punch a wall or something, but don't take your anger out on your parents. 
 And Ida B.'s anger, no matter how dumb, can be slightly justified. She is angry because of her parents, even though they did the best they could in their situation (which she just can't understand!), and directs her anger toward her parents. Fine. Whatever. But why are you directing your anger toward your teacher? Your classmates? They did nothing! Why are you directing your anger toward the new neighbors? They also did nothing! As I was reading this book, I kept thinking to myself, This choice is unnecessary. That choice was stupid. And this choice is just plain out terrible. 
 The ending also felt incredibly plastered on. In a mere few pages, Ida B. makes a resolution and (I'll put spoiler tags around this, but this isn't really much of a spoiler) (view spoiler)[renews all relationships with everybody ever! Well, you know, except her parents. (hide spoiler)] Seriously? Just a sudden surge of character development? Character development must be gradual, not sudden. Again, a character can't just wake up and go, "I'm going to change completely and do this so I can start over again! Yeah, I didn't think this out much, but let's do this!" People in real life think things over. They debate. They argue. They constantly war with their thoughts, unable to choose what they should do. 
 I still think it's stupid that Ida B. apologized to trees, and not her parents, but alright...I guess this passes.