Ivy & Bean (Book 1)

The book came in a small envelope, well protected but without being wasteful, and in perfect condition. My daughter already owned the full series. However, she loaned book #1 to a friend whose dog and toddler sibling chewed it up. She is now 9, an amazing reader, and a bit nostalgic so she wanted to re-read the series, which led me to repurchase the missing book 1. She read it again in 1 day. The great thing about this book also is that while it is about 2 girls, it really appeals to multiple personalities of any gender. My 7yo boy is a reluctant reader at 1st grade level with a short attention span. He much prefers sports and running around and finding any way to expend his endless energy. However, he got curious about Ivy and Bean, so we started reading. He sat and read the entire first chapter to me and then even said "Reading isn't boring with a book like this!!!!" (I have tried every type of book imaginable with him .... who knew the trick was under my nose the whole time?!) It is great that he is reading a book with strong, smart, adventurous female leads also because it continues to counteract any gender stereotypes that society might try to sneak into his impressionable mind without being a work of activism. :) Overall, this book and series is a favorite in our household. I read books ~1-3 outloud with my daughter as her first series and then she couldn't wait for our reading time in the evenings, so she took off finishing the series by herself at school, aftercare, in the morning, any chance she could get. I look forward to reading them out loud again with my son although I already caught him tonight reading ahead in his room with his flashlight. I've dreamed of this day for a long time! That's definitely a testament to the quality of writing in this series.

Great book 📖 characters were fun and relatable- fun series for girls to read we will Definitely read more of this series

This is the first book in a series about two seven-year-old girls who develop an unlikely friendship. Ivy and Bean are totally different: Ivy is quiet , and Bean is her loud neighbor. One day, Bean tries to play a trick on her older sister Nancy and it backfires. Bean knows she must escape, and she ends up in Ivy's backyard. They quickly become accomplices against Nancy and her continued efforts to get Bean into trouble. The rest of the book follows their adventures around Pancake Court. In the end, they realize they have more in common than either of them had thought. Besides, sometimes don’t opposite personalities make best of friends? This book is full of silly antics as Ivy and Bean remind us what a child's imagination can create out of normal neighborhood characters. I won’t spoil the surprise but this book will surely make you will laugh out loud! My daughter had fun. I think this series would be a great fit for students who are hesitant about transitioning into chapter books. It's full of friendship and humor, two things that my daughter can relate to. Many reviewers have said that Ivy and Bean do not make good role models because they are always getting into mischief, but I would argue that their mischievous nature is what makes them interesting. Moreover, the type of "mischief" they get into is not that bad (playing tricks on their siblings and neighbors, etc.) as long as you are willing to have a conversation with your child about what is and isn't acceptable. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed it and would be buying more of it.

A great read for elementary readers... Bean has real spunk, and her best friend Ivy is hilarious. I Highly recommend for the young readers in your life.

Great book for children

A long time ago a member of the Trotsdale community requested me to read and review the first book of Ivy & Bean. I recently finally was able to get my hands on a copy, and would certainly like to read this in the library. This story starts out with Bean, your typical tomboy who is very satisfied to have fun. Her mother tries to get her to be friends with Ivy, who to Bean seems to be your typical Goodie-Two-Shoes and thus dismisses her. One day however while attempting to play a prank on her older sister Bean finds out that perhaps Ivy is far more mischief-filled than she had first thought. The reader is then taken on a wild neighborhood adventure with a humorous conclusion. Regarding the danger that some might find in the play, such as walking fences, causing people to fall in the mud… I have to say that these are normal things for children to get up to. Children inherently desire to take risks. Climbing trees and hiding in bushes is low key. I have noted that more and more people try to tame and insulate children. Is it any wonder now that the current young generation looks for escape and outlet via their electronics? This book hearkens back to an earlier time, the sort that can still be found in some rural communities even if the suburbs and cities try to snuff out explorative play. I highly recommend this book and series, especially for those that are looking for a light hearted and swift read. Children’s books don’t have to only be enjoyed by children.

My five your old daughter loves this book and we have two more in the series on order. Having only read the first book at the moment I can only suspect the result of the series, but Ivy and Bean meet and have a great time getting into trouble in this book, in what I'm sure is the beginning of a long series about their close friendship. Do they do things you wouldn't want your kids doing? Sure. Is there talk about how they can sneakily manipulate sympathy from their parents? Sure. Are they a couple of little stinkers for a good part of the book? You bet. I say all of this because I've seen some reviews here that make the book sound like it's a manual for a misbehaving child or something. Kids are going to like stories like this about kids getting away with all kinds of trouble, but that doesn't mean that this book is going to turn a kid from say "normal kid" (whatever THAT means) into some hellian that's out of control. There are consequences to their actions at the end anyway, so there you go. As a Dad of a five year old girl who's trying to get my daughter interested in longer chapter books I think this book is great because she loved it and theres like ten more in the series I think, so she get a lot more entertainment from Ivy and Bean.

It is a good book about how to make friends. It is a funny book. It has a lot of drama in a good way.

Realistic stories and characters that should be entertaining for kids. I recommend these books.

I liked when they got back at the big sister. Ivy and Bean have great ideas and they are fun. (M age 7)

Es la historia de dos amigas de aproximadamente 9 años. Como cada una tiene una personalidad diferente y marcada, las niñas y niños pueden identificarse con ellas y disfrutar de sus aventuras. Capítulos cortos que facilitan la lectura en inglés, una vez pasada la etapa de meras historias cortas.

Wonderful book

My granddaughters from 5 , 6 , 8 , 10 years old , love reading these books. Great value for money too.