Books › Ivy + Bean

Ivy + Bean
120 pages
A joyful, high-energy romp about the magic of finding a friend who is exactly the right kind of weird.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping out your front door on a Saturday morning with no plans other than causing a little harmless chaos. It captures the specific, breathless energy of childhood neighborhood adventures, where front yards become magical territories and older siblings are the ultimate villains. The prose is snappy and accessible, perfectly tuned to the dramatic, fast-paced logic of a seven-year-old mind. It is a deeply cheerful and conspiratorial reading experience, celebrating the absolute thrill of realizing the kid next door isn't boring at all, but rather the perfect partner in crime. Young readers transitioning to chapter books will devour its playful irreverence, finding a comforting, hilarious reflection of their own messy, imaginative lives.
- Mood
- cheerful
- chaotic
- sunny
- conspiratorial
- Tone
- playful
- mischievous
- humorous
- energetic
- irreverent
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- unlikely friendships · imaginative play · sibling rivalry · neighborhood adventures · first impressions
- The writing
- Snappy, accessible, and highly conversational, perfectly capturing the dramatic, breathless logic of a seven-year-old.
- The arc
- Moves from mutual suspicion and boredom to the thrilling, conspiratorial joy of finding a true partner in crime.
- Who it's for
- Young readers transitioning to chapter books who love funny, realistic stories about kids getting into mild trouble.
Content notes
- mild sibling rivalry
- pranks
About the book
When seven-year-old Bean plays a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected.
Description from Open Library.
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