I loved this heartfelt and engaging story! Readers will relate to Ivy, who wants so badly to be liked that she tends to push down her wants, needs, and emotions. Laurie Morrison is a master of the middle grade voice, and I was immediately drawn into Ivy’s life and her relationships with friends and family. It’s so rewarding to see how much Ivy grows in the span of the book. Highly recommended!

What a fun novel by Laurie Morrison! Just like in the author's UP FOR AIR, SAINT IVY tackles real-world issues in a heartfelt way. SAINT IVY is filled with wonderful characters that are so real and relatable. Children will especially relate to Ivy, who's trying to figure out who she is while trying to always do the right thing in a world where it's not always easy to know what the right thing is. I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. All views are honest and my own.

I think this book was an appropriate exploration of the complexities of dealing with multiple emotions at a formative age. The main character has several things going on which impact her self-esteem, as well as external events which influence her thoughts and feelings about others. Uniquely, she has a known character trait of being kindhearted. I think that throughout childhood, and even young adulthood, we are beginning to be tested when dealing with bigger issues outside of our control. Sometimes “be kind” can be challenging, more nuanced. There are things that make it difficult. This book talks about these things, such as friendships or your parents divorcing, which brings realistic examples to the forefront for young readers

Ivy is all about kindness. It's her thing. So, when Ivy receives an anonymous email she's determined to help the sender. Using clues she does her best to figure out who the sender is and helps however she can. But it isn't always easy to be kind. Ivy feels distant from her two best friends and her mom is acting as surrogate for her best friend. All of this change makes Ivy feel uncertain and guilty when she finds herself thinking unkind thoughts. As Ivy puts others before herself, she finds it harder and harder to continue being Saint Ivy.

Ivy is thirteen but the reading level for this book feels lower to me. I think a younger audience is more likely for this book rather than thirteen-year-olds. But with the structure of the story and the way Ivy's character grows, I think this is an appropriate story for younger kids and could be a helpful transition for kids who are moving into or just starting middle school or junior high.

“Drama. Nana didn’t like that word. Ivy had used it once in front of her— she couldn’t remember why— and Nana had said it “minimizes legitimate feelings and conflicts, and people only use it when they’re talking about girls.””

I remember so vividly the way it felt to be the “third wheel” with friends. Ivy trying to find her way back in to her best friend group was cringey, but in a way that I could relate and I’m 31 years old. I know students are still experiencing this on a daily basis. It’s tough.

Ivy’s empathy is so similar to how I feel I have always been. Always wanting to “fix” everyone and their problems. I had to learn the hard way that people’s problems are just that, theirs. No matter how much I gave advice, or was present for them - they ultimately had to make the decision to change.

A story all about using your voice in moments that your voice needs to be heard. Understanding that you can’t save, or fix, everyone - sometimes you need the advice and the support just as much as you want to constantly give the support to others.

Purchased this YA/middle grade novel for my middle school library. Superb character development, elegant world building, and compelling plotting. Lots of heart.

A great upper middle grade novel about trying to find your place in the ever-changing world of middle school and how "just be nice" isn't always the solution people would like it to be. Laurie Morrison gives Ivy realistic problems and pressures - ranging from shifts in friendships and sibling relationships, questions about a seemingly settled divorce, and worries about her mom's health as a gestational surrogate. Morrison also shows how a solution like "be grateful and kind" stops working if you never allow yourself to feel how you are really feeling. A good book for kids who like a character-focused story.

Another stellar upper middle grade book from Laurie Morrison! As a 7th grade teacher, I appreciate how easily Morrison makes it for kids to connect to the characters. This book is for anyone who has ever felt the need to please others. Ivy is 13 years old and her thing is being kind. So much so, that she's earned the nickname Saint Ivy. During her 8th grade year, however, Ivy has to balance a lot of emotions related to friends and family and being kind at all costs is causing a strain on many of her relationships. I loved how easily plot points where woven together to gain a full picture of Ivy's world. I highly recommend this book to readers, especially now with so many pressures students may be feeling. They will find comfort in getting to know Ivy. Thank you to NetGalley, Abram Kids and Amulet Books for providing an eArc.

I was so excited to see that Laurie Morrison had another book coming and Saint Ivy definitely lived up to my expecations. I read almost the entire book in one sitting and didn't want it to end! Ivy is struggling with finding out what is the 'thing' she is good at and will be know for among her friends and family. In the past, it has always been being kind to others--which is where the nickname SAINT Ivy came from. Lately though, she doesn't feel very kind and is struggling with a lot of friend and family issues. When her mom becomes a surrogate for a family friend, Ivy tries very hard to be happy about it, but that proves to be easier said than done. Saint Ivy is a heart-warming story and gave me all the feels! Readers who love Jess Redman, lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Dusti Bowling books will fall in love with Ivy! And if you haven't read Laurie's other MG novel, Up For Air, what are you waiting for??

I think this is a great addition to any middle grade library collection. It felt believable and easy to connect o while ensuring the plot is well paced and engaging.

I truly love this book. It is filled with so much heart. Ivy’s story is one that kids need to hear right now as they navigate not only a pandemic but finding their unique place in this world — who they are and who they want to be.

Saint Ivy was a great book. I really enjoyed how she was dealing with surrogacy. This is the first time I have seen this topic tackled in a children's book. I liked how Saint Ivy was trying to support her mom's decision in being a surrogate. However, she struggled to explain the decision to others and confronting her own fears and worries.

This middle grade novel was very sweet and charming, and a fairly realistic look at the difficulties of growing up and understanding how complex friendship and family relationships can be. Ivy just wants to be kind to people and she is frustrated that her friends call her Saint Ivy. She is also surprised to discover that her mother is pregnant and acting as a surrogate for family friends. The book follows Ivy’s journey through self-discovery, navigating this new family drama along with the crumbling of one set of friendships and the budding of anew one, all while trying to solve the mystery of who is sending her anonymous emails. Very clever and sweet!

I really enjoyed Saint Ivy and I think so many middle schoolers will be able to connect with the things she thinks and is going through.
Ivy is thoughtful and always looking to help those around her, especially if they seem like they are going through tough times. One day she receives an email from an anonymous person reaching out for her support. Ivy isn’t quite sure who it is, but wants to continue to be there for them. Meanwhile her mom has decided to be a surrogate for her friends and is not communicating everything to Ivy, and she’s starting to feel left out. Ivy is constantly trying to help those around her whom she thinks need it the most, and may end up pushing away the ones who really need her.
I loved all of the Philly references, and there’s a lot of baking (yum!). Some great character development and life lessons woven throughout. Check it out!!

This review is based on an E-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Everybody's got their thing, and Ivy's thing is being kind. That's what Ivy thinks, anyway. She goes out of her way to be a listening ear to her friends, to bake surprises for her neighbors, and to be sure she doesn't say anything that might upset someone else, even when her own feelings are hurt. But when her year starts to overflow with stress - her mom has volunteered to be a gestational surrogate, her best friend is starting to exclude her, and school seems to be going all wrong - Ivy has to learn how to share her feelings and find more to herself than just being "Saint Ivy."

The main thread of the plot - a series of anonymous emails Ivy gets, from someone who thanks her for being so kind - runs thin, but the B, C, and D plots paint a realistic picture of various pitfalls of being 13. Ivy deals with realistically complicated friendship issues, lingering bad feelings over her parents divorce, and has trouble feeling connected to the people around her. Good for readers who like slow-paced stories based mainly on character, without a driving action.

Saint Ivy reminded me of myself as a middle schooler. Ivy, like so many eighth grade girls, is looking for her place in the world. The many layers of this book, family, friends, school, will all be relatable for middle school students. I love the way Laurie Morrison writes for middle school students and includes older teens in the story to satisfy that middle school curiosity about what is to come. Additionally, I have never read a book in which a parent is a surrogate! The information about Ivy’s mom’s pregnancy would also be useful for kids who know any pregnant grownups! I can’t wait to put this book into students’ hands.

This was an excellent book that talks about a topic I haven't seen in middle grade all that much: how being nice, of course, is great, but never be too nice that you give too much of yourself away in the process. A wonderful message for middle grade readers .

This was a very sweet middle grade novel.

Ivy just wants to be nice to everyone!! There has been a lot of upheaval in her life, with her parents' divorce and her mother deciding to be a surrogate for a friend's baby. She's determined to be cheerful and pleasant to everyone, going out of her way to help others who are struggling. But her new nickname, "Saint Ivy," isn't always a positive. Ivy's friends feel like they can't really talk to her anymore, Ivy is receiving anonymous emails from someone asking for help, and she isn't able to fully communicate how she's REALLY feeling.

I think it's a pretty common trap for girls to feel they need to be nice, helpful, and pleasant at all times. Even as an adult, I can relate to Ivy. Great novel, great message for middle graders.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I never read a middle grade book before with a girl coping with her mom acting as a surrogate. I like how this book explores how this affected her daughter and the implications it had on her life. I think it’s good for kids to be exposed to different families. I do wish Ivy’s mom involved her more in this huge decision beforehand and considered her own kids before agreeing to help her friend. There were several instances where it was clear that Ivy was too nice for her own good, helping people that didn’t deserve it and ignoring her own feelings at the expense of others. Ivy would get pressured into doing things just to be nice, but in the end, she only ended up hurting herself. Books like Wonder really push the virtue of kindness, but this book is unique in that it reveals the problems with being too kind and how sometimes it’s necessary to worry about doing things for yourself.