What do you think?
Rate this book
Ivy & Bean #4
Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter
The adventures of Ivy and Bean continue in the latest installment from series creators Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall. In Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter, the two girls hatch a plan to prove that Bean's big sister is the world's worst babysitter. Of course plans go awry, but fun ensues!
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
397 people are currently reading
1649 people want to read
About the author
Annie Barrows
78 books986 followersAnnie grew up in Northern California, and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, with a degree in Medieval History. Unable to find a job in the middle ages, she decided upon a career as an editor, eventually landing at Chronicle Books in San Francisco, where she was in charge of "all the books that nobody in their right mind would publish." After earning an M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Mills College, Annie wrote (as Ann Fiery) a number of books for grown-ups about such diverse subjects as fortune-telling (she can read palms!), urban legends (there are no alligators in the sewer!), and opera (she knows what they're singing about!). In 2003, Annie grew weary of grown-ups, and began to write for kids, which she found to be way more fun.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
December 16, 2020
The kids are too naughty in this one, too mean to Nancy, who is too mean back. And I'm not thrilled that the whole neighborhood is white, not even one token person of color. And the property damage - turning the mountain of dirt into a hill of dirt and a lot of mud is not cool. I liked the first book, but I'll have to read the others to see if I recommend the series.
October 15, 2020
*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***
In this installment, the girls do not engage in any mean or disrespectful behavior (as they do in Books 1 and 2), but they do ignore safety, which is troubling.
I was pleased to see that in this book, Bean's behavior is more measured, and sometimes is even chastised. Bean decides not to throw a rock at her sister because "she knew better than that." Before playing with the mound of dirt in her friend's yard, she first seeks permission from the babysitter. When she's rude to her mother, her mother admonishes her; when she says "God" in front of Nancy, Nancy tells her not to say it. I like the tone set by this book much better than the first 2, in which misbehavior goes mostly unpunished.
Unfortunately, there is still some of the inappropriateness that is found in the earlier books. Ivy talks about making a "sacrifice to the gods", and I can just imagine that there might be some parents out there who aren't ready to explain that phrase to their first-graders. Also, Bean makes a plan to climb out of her second-story bedroom window with a rope ladder. Thankfully, she is unable to procure a rope, but it's never pointed out that it was a dangerous idea to begin with. She does manage to succeed in throwing a long, hooked metal pole out her window (!??!), which lands right at Ivy's feet - and nothing is said of the potential for serious harm that could have been done to Ivy if the pole or hook had hit her.
As for the babysitting story itself - I have to admit, I think Nancy and Bean's parents set the girls up for failure. They must have known Bean would resent Nancy being put in charge. I completely understood Bean's frustration, especially because she was missing out on great fun at the neighbor's house, and even more especially when Nancy started behaving badly herself (though Nancy did put in a good effort in the beginning). Honestly, knowing Bean and Nancy, I think the parents should have paid Bean $4 from the start, just to be good for Nancy.
Of course, having said that, there was no excuse for Bean going into the crawl space, which was explicitly off-limits for safety reasons. And just when I think Bean was going to learn a lesson about obeying rules, the lesson eludes her - she does the right thing by calling for Nancy's help, but once she realizes that Nancy is genuinely frightened, instead of just sitting tight, she plays a trick on her! It's just that kind of behavior that exhausts someone's good will - it's hard to have sympathy for someone who needs help but is not cooperating with being helped. In the end, Bean and Ivy basically applaud themselves for getting away with their mischief.
And while some people will surely have a problem with Bean and Ivy getting paid to keep quiet, I actually liked that the girls talked it over among themselves, reasonably, and found a win-win-win solution for everybody. And I like that Nancy showed some maturity by reporting to her parents that she isn't really ready to babysit Bean.
In this installment, the girls do not engage in any mean or disrespectful behavior (as they do in Books 1 and 2), but they do ignore safety, which is troubling.
I was pleased to see that in this book, Bean's behavior is more measured, and sometimes is even chastised. Bean decides not to throw a rock at her sister because "she knew better than that." Before playing with the mound of dirt in her friend's yard, she first seeks permission from the babysitter. When she's rude to her mother, her mother admonishes her; when she says "God" in front of Nancy, Nancy tells her not to say it. I like the tone set by this book much better than the first 2, in which misbehavior goes mostly unpunished.
Unfortunately, there is still some of the inappropriateness that is found in the earlier books. Ivy talks about making a "sacrifice to the gods", and I can just imagine that there might be some parents out there who aren't ready to explain that phrase to their first-graders. Also, Bean makes a plan to climb out of her second-story bedroom window with a rope ladder. Thankfully, she is unable to procure a rope, but it's never pointed out that it was a dangerous idea to begin with. She does manage to succeed in throwing a long, hooked metal pole out her window (!??!), which lands right at Ivy's feet - and nothing is said of the potential for serious harm that could have been done to Ivy if the pole or hook had hit her.
As for the babysitting story itself - I have to admit, I think Nancy and Bean's parents set the girls up for failure. They must have known Bean would resent Nancy being put in charge. I completely understood Bean's frustration, especially because she was missing out on great fun at the neighbor's house, and even more especially when Nancy started behaving badly herself (though Nancy did put in a good effort in the beginning). Honestly, knowing Bean and Nancy, I think the parents should have paid Bean $4 from the start, just to be good for Nancy.
Of course, having said that, there was no excuse for Bean going into the crawl space, which was explicitly off-limits for safety reasons. And just when I think Bean was going to learn a lesson about obeying rules, the lesson eludes her - she does the right thing by calling for Nancy's help, but once she realizes that Nancy is genuinely frightened, instead of just sitting tight, she plays a trick on her! It's just that kind of behavior that exhausts someone's good will - it's hard to have sympathy for someone who needs help but is not cooperating with being helped. In the end, Bean and Ivy basically applaud themselves for getting away with their mischief.
And while some people will surely have a problem with Bean and Ivy getting paid to keep quiet, I actually liked that the girls talked it over among themselves, reasonably, and found a win-win-win solution for everybody. And I like that Nancy showed some maturity by reporting to her parents that she isn't really ready to babysit Bean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2008
This title lacked the charm of the others in the series as Ivy and Bean crossed a line. They moved from inquisitive and spirited to disobedient and manipulative and almost made their way to snot-nosed brats.
What am I never supposed to do? Let's do it!
Where am I never supposed to go? Let's go there!
I don't know... it just didn't work for me this time.
What am I never supposed to do? Let's do it!
Where am I never supposed to go? Let's go there!
I don't know... it just didn't work for me this time.
September 16, 2016
This book is another really good one. Bean is sneaky. Her sister Nancy was a babysitter for her. Bean snuck Ivy into the house, and they hid in the attic even though they weren't supposed to because it was dangerous. Bean's mom came home eventually and gave them dessert and paid Nancy for keeping the kids. I liked it because the girls were sneaky, and I didn't know what would happen. It was good.
March 4, 2019
Called away from an exciting game of volcano, involving a gargantuan mound of dirt in Sophie W.'s front yard, and all the neighborhood children, Bean in aghast to learn that her parents have put her in the care of her older sister Nancy for the afternoon, and that she is not allowed to leave the house. To add insult to injury, Nancy is getting paid for being her babysitter! Determined to escape from this 'captivity,' Bean summons Ivy to her aid, by means of a distress flag (which she ends up having to toss out her window at her oblivious friend), and the two are soon plotting away. With Nancy in the bathroom trying on their mother's (forbidden) makeup, the two friends decide to explore the crawl space/attic that Bean has always been told she must not enter. Will Nancy be able to rescue them, when they accidentally lock themselves in...?
Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter is my least favorite entry, thus far, in Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall's chapter-book series about two second-grade friends. All the mean-spirited brattiness that my online friend Marian decried, in her review of the first book, is very much in evidence here. Somehow, despite some rather dubious incidents (like throwing worms into her sister's face!), the first book just didn't bother me that much. But here, as I watched Ivy and Bean create a mess, which Nancy cleaned up for them, before blackmailing Nancy into sharing some of her baby-sitting money (by threatening to expose her makeup adventures), I began to be significantly less charmed. I kept expecting some of the balance seen in the previous installment of the series, Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record , to surface here - for there to be some moment when Bean realizes she is in the wrong - but it doesn't happen. It's clear from the story that Nancy, whatever her snotty eleven-year-old failings, genuinely cares for Bean. Her panic, when she can't find her screaming younger sister, is genuine. So Bean and Ivy's behavior just seemed obnoxious to me. I realize that sisterly relationships can sometimes be rather fraught - I fought like cats and dogs with my closest older sister, when a girl - but still felt that, building on the previous book, in which Bean was able to admit that someone else was right, and that she was wrong, that there should have been something a little more balanced here. A twinge of conscience, if you will. Of the books I have read in this series, this is the weakest by far.
Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter is my least favorite entry, thus far, in Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall's chapter-book series about two second-grade friends. All the mean-spirited brattiness that my online friend Marian decried, in her review of the first book, is very much in evidence here. Somehow, despite some rather dubious incidents (like throwing worms into her sister's face!), the first book just didn't bother me that much. But here, as I watched Ivy and Bean create a mess, which Nancy cleaned up for them, before blackmailing Nancy into sharing some of her baby-sitting money (by threatening to expose her makeup adventures), I began to be significantly less charmed. I kept expecting some of the balance seen in the previous installment of the series, Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record , to surface here - for there to be some moment when Bean realizes she is in the wrong - but it doesn't happen. It's clear from the story that Nancy, whatever her snotty eleven-year-old failings, genuinely cares for Bean. Her panic, when she can't find her screaming younger sister, is genuine. So Bean and Ivy's behavior just seemed obnoxious to me. I realize that sisterly relationships can sometimes be rather fraught - I fought like cats and dogs with my closest older sister, when a girl - but still felt that, building on the previous book, in which Bean was able to admit that someone else was right, and that she was wrong, that there should have been something a little more balanced here. A twinge of conscience, if you will. Of the books I have read in this series, this is the weakest by far.
August 10, 2017
Ivy and Bean are two cute 7-year old girls who are best friends and neighbors. They demonstrate great imagination in their play and are very comfortable trying out new experiences. Unfortunately they also constantly act like brats, not just once or twice, but in every chapter! They do bad things, they continually make unwise choices throughout the entire book, they know it is wrong, they extort money from the babysitter, and at the end of the book they get away with all of it and never get caught! They lie about everything to the mother and she believes them and rewards them with dessert.
It is a cute and clever book, and well-written, but unfortunately I cannot recommend it. If, however, I were to see someone (of any age) reading it, I would not discourage them.
Apparently there are several series of books for young readers in which the main characters consistently act like brats. The authors of these books (rightly) defend their right to writing in the way they think is best. In doing so, they capture the interest of young readers through an imaginative, but also realistic view of domestic life. I find it disturbing, however, to read books like this one because of the CONSISTANCY of brattiness and because the children unrealistically rule over the adults.
A much better book for young readers would show children sometimes acting foolishly and sometimes acting bratty, but also sometimes showing flashes of brilliance, humility and malleability. Good examples of this are the Wimpy Kid books. They are great for showing characters who are mischievous, but teachable, without trying to always teach a lesson. This kind of book, however, is difficult to write without being sentimental, old-fashioned, stereotypical, or agenda-driven.
It is a cute and clever book, and well-written, but unfortunately I cannot recommend it. If, however, I were to see someone (of any age) reading it, I would not discourage them.
Apparently there are several series of books for young readers in which the main characters consistently act like brats. The authors of these books (rightly) defend their right to writing in the way they think is best. In doing so, they capture the interest of young readers through an imaginative, but also realistic view of domestic life. I find it disturbing, however, to read books like this one because of the CONSISTANCY of brattiness and because the children unrealistically rule over the adults.
A much better book for young readers would show children sometimes acting foolishly and sometimes acting bratty, but also sometimes showing flashes of brilliance, humility and malleability. Good examples of this are the Wimpy Kid books. They are great for showing characters who are mischievous, but teachable, without trying to always teach a lesson. This kind of book, however, is difficult to write without being sentimental, old-fashioned, stereotypical, or agenda-driven.
May 3, 2013
We've never read any of the Ivy & Bean stories before, but I'd always wanted to. I discovered this audio CD at our local library and decided to borrow it so we could listen to the story in the car during a family road trip.
The narrative is entertaining, but I was very alarmed at the hijinx that Ivy and Bean get themselves into. I am not at all familiar with these characters, so I think if we read any more of the stories in this series, we should start at the beginning.
I did caution our girls severely about pulling stunts like what they did in the story; nevertheless, our girls did decide to have an adventure out on the roof outside our oldest daughter's bedroom window, and they were sure to point out this story as their inspiration.
So I would warn parents to consider carefully before reading this book with highly impressionable young girls!
The narrative is entertaining, but I was very alarmed at the hijinx that Ivy and Bean get themselves into. I am not at all familiar with these characters, so I think if we read any more of the stories in this series, we should start at the beginning.
I did caution our girls severely about pulling stunts like what they did in the story; nevertheless, our girls did decide to have an adventure out on the roof outside our oldest daughter's bedroom window, and they were sure to point out this story as their inspiration.
So I would warn parents to consider carefully before reading this book with highly impressionable young girls!
September 4, 2012
The characters were wonderfully creative, but their behavior was intolerable. I really found myself appalled by the way the girls (and the big sister) were acting. Maybe I should read a different one in this series, because based only on this one, I won't be recommending.
July 30, 2016
HILARIOUS! Getting stuck in the attic is something i would totally do.
October 15, 2018
We have so much fun reading these books together. This one definitely caused some laugh out loud moments.
April 29, 2015
The title is a pun: not only will Ivy and Bean "take care" of the babysitter in the mafia sense, but also care for her as if they were the babysitters, and she was the child. :)
Ivy and Bean are best friends. At first glance they seem like opposites: Bean is wild, foul-mouthed (in a 7-year-old way), plays practical jokes on people, loves the outdoors, and disobeys authority figures. Ivy is soft-spoken, reads a lot, and wears dresses. However, they soon find out they have a lot in common and their friendship basically carves a path of destruction through the neighborhood. :)
In this volume, Bean is smashing corn into dust on the sidewalk when Sophie informs her that there is a big mound of dirt at her house. Cool! Bean and all the neighborhood kids, including Ivy, head over to Sophie's house. They play in the dirt and end up turning it into a volcano by burying a kid inside with a garden hose so that he can squirt water from the top of the mound. Everyone is having a great time!
Until Bean's parents call her home. Since Bean's normal, beloved babysitter Leona has poison oak, Bean's parents are letting her 11-year-old sister, Nancy, babysit Bean. Bean thinks this is an awful idea! And worse of all, she can't leave the house. Nancy is getting $20 to babysit. Bean thinks that's ridiculous. She must plan an "escape" from her "prison" immediately! Maybe Ivy can help her!
Quick as lightning, Bean writes SOS in big letters on old undershirt and waves it at Ivy to get her attention. When that doesn't work, she drops/throws it right at Ivy! At first Ivy thinks she's being attacked by aliens, but Bean quickly apprises her of the situation. Ivy is sympathetic and agrees to help Bean escape.
Soon they remember the crawl space that Bean's parents never let her go into. What's up there? Is another child up there? Or a monster? They MUST find out...
I liked this book a lot for the fact that it progresses. We start out thinking that this book will be about the dirt mound at Sophie's. Sophie is being taken care of by a babysitter, and we think that this babysitter is the titular babysitter. Not so! Barrows takes us in an unexpected direction, bringing Bean home and showing us the first time Nancy (the older sister) gets to babysit Bean (age 7) and earn some money.
I felt sorry for Nancy. Yes, Barrows has her do some "bad" stuff like not keeping good track of Bean, and trying on make-up that's forbidden. But Bean was deliberately sabotaging Nancy's chance at babysitting. Nancy makes a noticeable effort to be nice to Bean and play with her, but Bean is having none of it. I kind of wanted Bean and Nancy to bond a little as sisters - they violently hate each other in this series, and to me that seems a little far-fetched. Most 7-year-olds I know would jump at the chance to spend a few hours playing with an older sibling who usually ignores them. Also, Bean blackmailing Nancy for money at the end of the book was a bit distasteful. Perhaps I empathize with Nancy because I've been looking after children (siblings, cousins, neighbors) since I was 9, and I know how hard it is and how the kids can make it difficult for you if they want to. Of course I never ignored a child to put on make-up in the bathroom like Nancy did! But I still didn't think Nancy deserved the treatment she got (from Bean, Ivy, AND her parents) in this book.
Here's one of my favorite parts. It's early in the book. The neighborhood children are trying to figure out a way to turn Sophie's giant dirt mound into a volcano:
"I know," said Prairie, her eyes shining. "Let's stick him inside." She pointed to Isaiah. "We dig a hole at the top, and then we bury him with the hose."
Isaiah looked worried.
"If we bury him," said Bean, "he won't be able to breathe."
Isaiah nodded.
"We'll just dig a hole," said Leo. "We won't bury him."
"It'll be like a sacrifice to the gods," said Ivy in a dreamy voice.
"I'm going home," said Isaiah. He ran.
Prairie caught him. She promised to give him her stuffed seal plus three glow-in-the-dark stickers. Also a lollipop the next time she got two. That was a lot, just for being lava. Isaiah said okay.
Again, I want to say that this big, mischievous, mixed-sex group of kids reminds me of my own childhood. This is before girls think boys have cooties and vice versa. No one says, "You can't play because you're a girl/boy." Instead, having maximum fun, staying out as long as possible, and having adventures are the goals. This is exactly how I grew up. We played outside and wandered around in packs. The only thing required of us was to be home by dinner (and not get hurt or hurt others, I guess, but that goes without saying). This only lasted until we were about 9, but it was super-fun. Also, Barrows doesn't sexualize/romanticize the kids' relationships. Just because Leo (or whatever boy) plays with Ivy and Bean doesn't mean he has a crush on them, or anything. They're all just kids, having fun and getting into trouble.
Barrows has gotten a 7-year-olds thoughts and voice exactly right. The illustrations are wonderful, too.
Ivy and Bean are best friends. At first glance they seem like opposites: Bean is wild, foul-mouthed (in a 7-year-old way), plays practical jokes on people, loves the outdoors, and disobeys authority figures. Ivy is soft-spoken, reads a lot, and wears dresses. However, they soon find out they have a lot in common and their friendship basically carves a path of destruction through the neighborhood. :)
In this volume, Bean is smashing corn into dust on the sidewalk when Sophie informs her that there is a big mound of dirt at her house. Cool! Bean and all the neighborhood kids, including Ivy, head over to Sophie's house. They play in the dirt and end up turning it into a volcano by burying a kid inside with a garden hose so that he can squirt water from the top of the mound. Everyone is having a great time!
Until Bean's parents call her home. Since Bean's normal, beloved babysitter Leona has poison oak, Bean's parents are letting her 11-year-old sister, Nancy, babysit Bean. Bean thinks this is an awful idea! And worse of all, she can't leave the house. Nancy is getting $20 to babysit. Bean thinks that's ridiculous. She must plan an "escape" from her "prison" immediately! Maybe Ivy can help her!
Quick as lightning, Bean writes SOS in big letters on old undershirt and waves it at Ivy to get her attention. When that doesn't work, she drops/throws it right at Ivy! At first Ivy thinks she's being attacked by aliens, but Bean quickly apprises her of the situation. Ivy is sympathetic and agrees to help Bean escape.
Soon they remember the crawl space that Bean's parents never let her go into. What's up there? Is another child up there? Or a monster? They MUST find out...
I liked this book a lot for the fact that it progresses. We start out thinking that this book will be about the dirt mound at Sophie's. Sophie is being taken care of by a babysitter, and we think that this babysitter is the titular babysitter. Not so! Barrows takes us in an unexpected direction, bringing Bean home and showing us the first time Nancy (the older sister) gets to babysit Bean (age 7) and earn some money.
I felt sorry for Nancy. Yes, Barrows has her do some "bad" stuff like not keeping good track of Bean, and trying on make-up that's forbidden. But Bean was deliberately sabotaging Nancy's chance at babysitting. Nancy makes a noticeable effort to be nice to Bean and play with her, but Bean is having none of it. I kind of wanted Bean and Nancy to bond a little as sisters - they violently hate each other in this series, and to me that seems a little far-fetched. Most 7-year-olds I know would jump at the chance to spend a few hours playing with an older sibling who usually ignores them. Also, Bean blackmailing Nancy for money at the end of the book was a bit distasteful. Perhaps I empathize with Nancy because I've been looking after children (siblings, cousins, neighbors) since I was 9, and I know how hard it is and how the kids can make it difficult for you if they want to. Of course I never ignored a child to put on make-up in the bathroom like Nancy did! But I still didn't think Nancy deserved the treatment she got (from Bean, Ivy, AND her parents) in this book.
Here's one of my favorite parts. It's early in the book. The neighborhood children are trying to figure out a way to turn Sophie's giant dirt mound into a volcano:
"I know," said Prairie, her eyes shining. "Let's stick him inside." She pointed to Isaiah. "We dig a hole at the top, and then we bury him with the hose."
Isaiah looked worried.
"If we bury him," said Bean, "he won't be able to breathe."
Isaiah nodded.
"We'll just dig a hole," said Leo. "We won't bury him."
"It'll be like a sacrifice to the gods," said Ivy in a dreamy voice.
"I'm going home," said Isaiah. He ran.
Prairie caught him. She promised to give him her stuffed seal plus three glow-in-the-dark stickers. Also a lollipop the next time she got two. That was a lot, just for being lava. Isaiah said okay.
Again, I want to say that this big, mischievous, mixed-sex group of kids reminds me of my own childhood. This is before girls think boys have cooties and vice versa. No one says, "You can't play because you're a girl/boy." Instead, having maximum fun, staying out as long as possible, and having adventures are the goals. This is exactly how I grew up. We played outside and wandered around in packs. The only thing required of us was to be home by dinner (and not get hurt or hurt others, I guess, but that goes without saying). This only lasted until we were about 9, but it was super-fun. Also, Barrows doesn't sexualize/romanticize the kids' relationships. Just because Leo (or whatever boy) plays with Ivy and Bean doesn't mean he has a crush on them, or anything. They're all just kids, having fun and getting into trouble.
Barrows has gotten a 7-year-olds thoughts and voice exactly right. The illustrations are wonderful, too.
February 5, 2021
Hey guys, it's Vivian. This Ivy & Bean book was soooooo amazing!! It was so much fun reading it. At the end, I cracked up laughing. It is incredible. Seriously! 5 stars!
- Vivian
- Vivian
February 18, 2012
Bean's sister Nancy is her babysitter for the afternoon. Bean is not happy. She invites Ivy over so they can plan an escape (Bean is not allowed to leave the house).
I think this was my favorite of the first four books. I love Bean and her sister Nancy. Yes they are mean to each other. But I think it's funny. And even though I found Bean's actions predictable. I really thought they were funny. And my 6 year old niece did too.
My only complaint is that there was a big fiasco at the beginning of the book. The whole street made a volcano out of a huge mound of dirt (that was designated for Ivy and Bean's friend's backyard). But they never addressed what happened when the parents found out.
But overall this was cute and funny.
January 16, 2013
The punny title and cute cover of this little treasure are just the beginning. Inside the reader finds an amusing, rambling tale that comes together beautifully in the end, witty chapter titles, and the usual array of charming and/or humorous illustrations found in Ivy + Bean books. Our heroines shine, of course, their mischievous personalities continually getting them into and out of trouble. Barrows’ writing is flawless: nothing is wasted in the telling of the story, nothing is overdone or missing. The back-to-back illustrations on pages 61 and 62 are wonderful and so perfectly bring the text to life that I refuse to believe Ivy and Bean aren’t real girls. And that is the triumph of this series!
August 11, 2016
The story by Annie Barrows is mischievous and witty. Sophie Blackall's illustrations are the perfect companion to the story. The drawings of Ivy + Bean are so much fun with Bean's hilarious expressions. The story made me feel naughty yet excited at the same time. How being young is so fun! Although, my, when you put Ivy and Bean together, you don't stand a chance against them as they are thick as thieves. The plot is on how Bean and Nancy's parents go out and let Nancy, Bean's older sister, babysit Bean for the first time. The theme is Ivy + Bean's friendship and how they support each other through good and bad ideas. As they say, make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold. Popular series for girls 9 - 12 years old.
January 7, 2011
...I kinda felt bad for Nancy in this one.
Loved the (especially Bean's) crazed expressions throughout. You know a book's gonna be good when you open it to page one and find an illustration of a mad (as in hatter) little girl holding a rock high over her head, preparing to smash down on something you can't quite identify. And then you read that it's corn. And that's even weirder.
Loved the (especially Bean's) crazed expressions throughout. You know a book's gonna be good when you open it to page one and find an illustration of a mad (as in hatter) little girl holding a rock high over her head, preparing to smash down on something you can't quite identify. And then you read that it's corn. And that's even weirder.
October 4, 2017
Ivy and Bean have to be babysat by Beans older sister. Beans older sister locks herself in her room and plays with her mother’s makeup. While she is doing that Ivy and Bean find the attic. They go upstairs and the trap door shuts. They are locked inside. What will Jvy and Bean do?
June 7, 2018
Ivy and Bean truly know how to have an adventure. These two know how to have fun even at there age. I enjoyed the imaginative ideas they had for playing. They are great friends who know how to keep a secret and let the adventure unravel. Never a dull moment for Ivy and beans imagination.
October 26, 2013
I think this is my Fav so far. Bean thinking about eating bugs is funny, but gross! But, she did mention she could do it for survivel. At first I thought Ivy and Bean were going to break apart!
April 16, 2014
It was a cute little book. My 5 year old liked it. I found the first one much better. My 7 year old finds them boring.
April 24, 2015
Spoiler alert - her sister is her baby sitter and beans not aloud out side . Ivy comes to beans house and they play in the attic but end up getting stuck in it .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2018
i like it they were escaping from beans baby sitter who is beans sister
August 7, 2025
Very fun volume. This had Bean having to be babysitted for the first time by her big sister Nancy. Both of them aren't doing a very good job being sisters. Funny and silly with a somewhat happy ending even if it feels a little blackmailing lol.
Daughter's Review: Nancy's face looks weird with makeup. She should have listened to her mommy.
Daughter's Review: Nancy's face looks weird with makeup. She should have listened to her mommy.
September 17, 2024
It was pretty good. I liked that there was a girl named Nancy who was their babysitter - Margaret
March 28, 2022
Another delightful Ivy and Bean story!
We loved the clever ways the title comes into the story. Funny to see how Nancy is the babysitter and still learning how to be one. Clever storytelling and just so much fun!
We love Ivy and Bean!
We loved the clever ways the title comes into the story. Funny to see how Nancy is the babysitter and still learning how to be one. Clever storytelling and just so much fun!
We love Ivy and Bean!
April 9, 2018
I thought that this book was very good. This book is about a girl named Bean. All Bean wants to do is play with her friends at house in the mud. When Bean's mother calls for her to come home early in the afternoon she gets mad that none of her friends decide to stop playing because she is leaving. When she gets home she learns that her sister Nancy is going to babysit her while her parents go see a play. Bean tries very hard to bother her sister but nothing is working, so she goes to her room and tries to think of ways to escape. She looks out her window and she's her friend Ivy playing by herself while still at her other friends house. Bean gets Ivy attention while she is walking by Bean's house to go home and she sneaks Ivy into her house. Bean goes to find Nancy but she has locked herself in the bathroom to use their mothers makeup when she knows she's not allowed to. Ivy and Bean then go up into the attic, or the crawl space, and get themselves stuck. They have to call for Nancy to help them down. In the end, Nancy learns that she isn't ready to start babysitting yet and Bean & Ivy get $2 each from Nancy's money so they wouldn't tell on her. This book also has some illustrations so beginning readers are still able to look at the photos to get an idea of what is going on in the story. Also this book is a good book for children that are in between pictures books / easy readers and full novels. I would recommend this book for children ages 8-10.
March 17, 2018
Ivy + Bean is a series of children’s chapter books that tell the tale of two girls named Ivy and Bean. The girls are neighbors and best friends, so they take ordinary days and make them extra exciting by coming up with creative games to play and fun ways to spend their time. The books typically do not go into deep content, so they are simple and easy for kids to follow. The particular book is about Nancy, Bean’s big sister, having to watch the girls for an afternoon. Ivy and Bean do not get along with Nancy, so they plan an escape that they will need each other to execute. Throughout the book, the girls learn that Nancy isn’t as mean as they thought and that she only has their best interest at heart. This is a good series of books for any young reader to read. This is the fourth book in the series, and I would recommend it to anyone with an older brother or sister. The books do not need to be read in any order, but they make more sense for character introduction and development if they are read from 1-10. At the end of this book, girly Ivy and athletic Bean are left with a friendship stronger than before.
November 21, 2019
Finally! This took Kaileigh and I too long to read. Distractions and other books kept getting in the way. But now, at last, we can move on.
I feel as if I liked this better than the original though I'm not a tremendous fan of the series in general. A major theme of the books are Ivy and Bean's (Bean mostly though) semi-conscience appetite for mischief. That's difficult for a parent to accept wholesale. ......And yet.....I do kinda want my kids to be somewhat obstinate and adventurous....and that certainly describes Ivy and Bean.
Like the first one, it was a fun little story and easily digestible for young readers. Reading my review of #1, I didn't care for the sibling drama and while it was present in this book as well, I didn't find it troubling. However, Barrows presentation of Bean's father was off-putting. With a single interaction, the father comes across as callous and uncaring, at least in the eyes of the children who read it. Personally, as a father, I recognize that Bean's daddy is probably just trying to teach his child how to cope with the inevitable unfairness of life - something that can never be taught enough.
I feel as if I liked this better than the original though I'm not a tremendous fan of the series in general. A major theme of the books are Ivy and Bean's (Bean mostly though) semi-conscience appetite for mischief. That's difficult for a parent to accept wholesale. ......And yet.....I do kinda want my kids to be somewhat obstinate and adventurous....and that certainly describes Ivy and Bean.
Like the first one, it was a fun little story and easily digestible for young readers. Reading my review of #1, I didn't care for the sibling drama and while it was present in this book as well, I didn't find it troubling. However, Barrows presentation of Bean's father was off-putting. With a single interaction, the father comes across as callous and uncaring, at least in the eyes of the children who read it. Personally, as a father, I recognize that Bean's daddy is probably just trying to teach his child how to cope with the inevitable unfairness of life - something that can never be taught enough.
November 13, 2019
Bean's parents decide it's time to try letting older sister Nancy babysit while they're out for the night. Bean decides that, with the help of Ivy, she must prove her parents wrong. But with these two girls involved, it's no surprise that their plan ends up with both of them trapped in an attic.
Review questions for this book are available in the Nothing But Kids Books store on TpT!
TpT | Pinterest | Similar Titles | Series Review
Review questions for this book are available in the Nothing But Kids Books store on TpT!
TpT | Pinterest | Similar Titles | Series Review
October 30, 2019
I was really surprised by how much we enjoyed this. This looks like one of those books that only children will enjoy, but, I actually thought this was fun to read and a realistic approximation of a typical childhood adventure. I also enjoyed sneaking into the attic to the point that my father gave up and nailed it shut.. lol
My daughter identified more with Bean and thought the book was funny. She'd like to read more of them, so even though they are below her current reading level I'll pick some more of them up from the library. They were a lot more fun to read than the cover leads you to believe. Bean is a less bratty, more polite Junie B. Jones. At least, she was in this book.
My daughter identified more with Bean and thought the book was funny. She'd like to read more of them, so even though they are below her current reading level I'll pick some more of them up from the library. They were a lot more fun to read than the cover leads you to believe. Bean is a less bratty, more polite Junie B. Jones. At least, she was in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews