Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways

Written by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Narrated by Jenny Selig

This fun-filled tale by acclaimed children's author Laura McGee Kvasnosky was named an ALA Notable Children's Book and received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Beginning Reader Award. Fox sisters Zelda and Ivy refuse to eat cucumber sandwiches for lunch ever again. To avoid this nasty meal, they pack their bags and run away (even if they only make it to the backyard). The young foxes' adventures are separated into three chapters-perfect for young listeners. ". kids will look forward to more from the fox sisters ."-Booklist

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 17, 2009
• ISBN: 9781436169639

Reviews for Zelda and Ivy

[jenj5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A gentle story about the daily adventures of two fox sisters, Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways has three chapters that work as stand alone stories, but are also interconnected. In the first story, outraged by the prospect of cucumber sandwiches for lunch again, the sisters run away to their backyard, but are ultimately pulled back home by the sound of music which promises salsa dancing. The second story involves a time capsule in which the girls place their dearest items, only to replace them with a book they wrote during their previous time running away. The final story involves two storylines that come together at the end: Ivy is making a liquid secret concoction while Zelda tries to write a haiku for their grandmother. When their friend Eugene suggests that what Zelda needs is creative juice, Ivy knows exactly what to do.

Zelda and Ivy are your typical every day little kids - while nothing terribly exciting happens in these stories, readers will easily recognize the same types of activities that they and their friends participate in. This is not for the earliest readers as some tougher words like haiku are included in the text, but newly confident readers will find the level to be just right. The illustrations, done by the author in gouache resist, are nicely varied with spot art, full-page illustrations and partial boxed illustrations alternating. The boxed illustrations are often unable to contain the fox girls with limbs or tails escaping the confined areas. In a nice detail, Zelda and Ivy have slightly different color fur which will help perceptive readers keep track of which girl is which. Zelda and Ivy would pair well with the Amanda Pig easy readers for fans of gentle adventures with animal characters, and will appeal particularly to girls.

[rjmoir · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fox sisters Zelda and Ivy don't want to eat cucumber sandwiches yet again, so they run away to the backyard. But backyard living is awfully bereft of snacks. In two more tales, time capsules and creative cures for writers block follow. Each story depicts the subtle sibling dynamic of the more assertive Zelda and more compliant Ivy without favoring one over the other. Bright gouche illustrations, with gritty black linework, complement accessible writing for the early reader, though perhaps the illustrations might not provide enough clues to the reader as to the connection between picture and text. Still, this expressive, easily digestible set of stories hold all the whimsy of childhood.

[laurendoubleu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5Q, 5PAs a Geisel Award winner, this is an excellent example of a book that young readers can read independently. There are challenging words, such as cucumber, but they are repeated and surrounded by simpler words to encourage perseverance. The illustrations are simple but cute and do a good job of portraying what is happening in the story. As part of a well-known and well-regarded series, this book is bound to be popular. The young titular sisters are creative, energetic, and adventurous, the layout is easy on the eyes, the text is manageable, and the plotlines of the three short "chapters" are not the same old tropes of children's books past.

[shungate_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Zelda and Ivy are books about two sisters who have fun adventures. In this book, the runaways, Zelda and Ivy decide to run away since their dad is making cucumber sandwiches again. They stay outside playing cards and writing until they realize that their parents are not coming to get them. They go back inside and have their fathers remaining cucumber sandwiches. Another story in the book is called the time capsule. Zelda and Ivy put their favorite things inside the time capsule. Zelda puts in her lucky jewel and Ivy puts in her doll. At the end they both realize they do not want to live without these things for all time so they dig them back out. The last story is called the secret concoction. In this story Ivy makes a secret concoction that she decides is creative juice because Zelda needs some creative help on her poem. Ivy sprinkles the creative juice all over Zelda and her poem. At first, Zelda thinks it is ruined but then realizes the running lines look like a sunset so she creates a lovely picture for her grandma.This is a beginning reader book.This book is really creative and funny and something that I could have imagined myself really enjoying as a child. The characters are fun and have unique personalities.I think this book is great for children to read and just have fun. This book is one to help students learn how fun reading can be.

[danusia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

what i don't get is why the book is divided into chapters? each short story is totally unrelated to the others. how does that teach a child about chapter books? otherwise, the stories are cute-ish and the pictures are colorful, running in-between the text, carrying the eye down the page. good for the end of first grade to second grade.

[isaacfellows · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Here's another fine Zelda and Ivy story. The tone is right and the pictures vibrant; it would make a good library storytime book for older preschoolers.

[katrinafroelich · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The contrasting colors and detailed illustrations give this book energy and vibrance. The three chapters are self contained and provide a nice point to stop and ask questions. The language is clear and concise, and effectively uses language to describe the action.