Ivy + Bean    by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall Order:  USA  Can Chronicle, 2006 (2006) Hardcover, Paperback Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Lyn Seippel Ivy and Bean are neighbors, but not friends. Bean's mother says Ivy looks like such a nice girl - which is exactly why Bean doesn't want to be friends. She's afraid her mother is right. Nice means boring. Ivy even looks nice, neat and clean with her red hair held back by a headband. One day Bean is in trouble because of a prank that goes wrong. Bean's pranks usually involve her sister Nancy, who is eleven and thinks she is a grown up. Now Bean has to run for her life. Ivy is outside on her steps with a book. She rescues Bean and hides her at her house. Ivy has some pretty cool ideas. She is reading a book on becoming a witch and she already knows some spells that beg to be tried out on Nancy. Bean begins to see her in a whole new light. In one afternoon a friendship is born. Bean is a gutsy seven-year-old, but she's also intriguing and funny, making it easy to believe in her. She might live in your neighborhood. Her actions often have consequences. Ivy, too, is anything but dull. Sophie Blackall's illustrations add just the right visuals to bring the girls to life. The good news is that this is book one of a series about Ivy and Bean. Read the sneak preview about book two (coming soon) at the back of this one. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews