Module 7 : Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackwell (SLIS 5420 review)

Summary: Bean’s mom wants her to start playing with Ivy, the new girl across the street, but Bean doesn’t want to because she thinks Ivy seems boring. When Ivy helps Bean hide after she plays a trick on her older sister Nancy, the two girls find that they have more in common than they thought. Bean helps Ivy dress up as a witch, Ivy agrees to help Bean put a “dancing spell” on Nancy, and they become fast friends.

Citation: Barrows, A., & Blackall, S. (2006). Ivy + Bean. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books.

Impression: This is the first book in the Ivy + Bean series, and it is clearly the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Ivy and Bean are both fun, precocious characters that will appeal to young readers, especially young girls. They will relate to Ivy and Bean’s adventures doing things playing pranks on siblings, dressing up, and getting in trouble for running across a neighbor’s backyard. Blackall's black and white illustrations are whimsical and capture some of the most amusing moments in the text, like when Ivy and Bean throw handfuls of worms at Nancy. The book also teaches an important lesson that first impressions aren’t always accurate, and that you shouldn’t be afraid to get to know new people.

Review:
School Library Journal:
Seven-year-old Bean likes stomping in puddles, climbing fences into neighbors' backyards, and playing tricks on her older sister, Nancy. She wears dresses as seldom as possible and avoids big books. Her new neighbor appears to be a quiet, orderly girl who sits on her front step day after day reading tomes. The two seem to have nothing in common, and Bean is not interested in getting to know Ivy, despite her mother's prodding to make friends with the nice girl next door. Then Bean gets into trouble, and Ivy helps her out. She discovers that Ivy is practicing to be a witch, and when they decide to cast a spell on Nancy, their friendship is sealed. With echoes of Beverly Cleary's "Ramona" series, this easy chapter book will appeal to children who are graduating from beginning readers. The occasional black-and-white illustrations highlight the text and provide visual clues. The characters are appealing, the friendship is well portrayed, and the pranks and adventures are very much on grade level.

Stone, E. (2006). [Review of the book Ivy and Bean, by A. Barrows and S. Blackall]. School Library Journal, 52(7), 68. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Use in library: A library could use this as part of a program called “Best Friend Day.” They could read an excerpt from the book and have other books about friendships on display, play games, and have the children make a craft to give to their best friend.