Book Review: Beginning Chapter Book, Advanced Friendship

Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go by Annie Barrows

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Neither the character development nor the illustrations were quite as compelling as in the first book, but it remains head and shoulders better than those beginning-chapter book standbys, Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones. Volume 2 does benefit from having a boy character appearing periodically, but the series probably remains too feminine with the partially pink cover to convince many boys to try it, which will certainly be their loss. Ivy and Bean remain two wonderful kids who overflow with imagination and friendship and errors in judgment, a winning combination for any reader.



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