Ivy + Bean Make the Rules

What it feels like

Reading this book feels like stepping into a sunlit backyard on a summer afternoon where the only limit is a seven-year-old's imagination. The pace is wonderfully brisk, driven by snappy dialogue and the breathless, slightly absurd logic that only kids truly understand. It radiates a joyful, chaotic energy, capturing the exact emotional texture of wanting to be older, getting mad at a sibling, and then channeling that frustration into a wild, creative scheme. The narrative voice is cheeky and spirited, never talking down to its audience but instead inviting them into the joke. It is a perfect fit for newly independent readers who crave funny, relatable stories about the messy, triumphant, and fiercely loyal nature of childhood friendship.

Mood

• sunny
• chaotic
• joyful
• inventive

Tone

• humorous
• cheeky
• spirited
• playful

Pace

brisk

Themes

unstructured play · childhood independence · sibling envy · creative problem-solving · loyalty

The writing

Snappy, accessible, and highly conversational, perfectly capturing the breathless, slightly absurd logic of seven-year-olds.

The arc

Moves from the sting of being left out to the chaotic, triumphant joy of building something entirely your own.

Who it's for

Young readers transitioning to chapter books who delight in mischievous protagonists and the hilarious realities of childhood friendship.