Kid Konnection: Ivy + Bean: What’s the Big Idea?
Best friends Ivy and Bean are at it again, and this time their adventure involves science – global warming to be exact. When four fifth-graders present a project on global warming to Ivy and Bean’s second grade class, the students become upset and want to do something to make a difference, so Ms. Aruba-Tate decides it’s the perfect subject for the class’s science projects. Students team up to try to come up with a solution for global warming and must present their projects at the school’s science fair.
Ivy + Bean: What’s the Big Idea?, by Annie Barrows with illustrations by Sophie Blackall is the seventh book in the Ivy + Bean series and it is just wonderful. I love the way it encourages kids to think and to be a part of the solution. Some of the students come up with some offbeat ideas, but they’re all treated with respect in this book. There’s a section at the end of the book about global warming that discusses each student’s idea and it explains why the ideas are good, but also why they won’t work. The section also tells young readers that by working together we can come up with a viable solution.
The story in Ivy + Bean: What’s the Big Idea? isn’t the only good thing about the book, though – Sophie Blackall’s illustrations are delightful and sure to please any middle grade girl in your life. This book is a such a treat!
For more children’s books reviews, go to Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, leave a comment as well as a link on her site.
Thanks for sharing. I thought this was a cute one too!
You really seem to like this series. I think I have to get these for my niece!
We haven’t read any of the IVY & BEAN books – I’ll look into these for my younger daughter, as it sounds like we’re missing out on a great series.
I do not read enough of MG books! I look at reviews like this and wish I did read more of them! This looks like it is a good one.
I need to write down the title to this one. It sounds like a great book for some of the children in my life. Super review, Kathy!
This book sounds cute! I’ve not heard of this series.
Sounds like a good book, with some smart ideas in it
I love the Ivy + Bean books! Thanks for your thoughts on this one.
Never read an Ivy Bean book, but they sound delightful!
These are the times I wished I had a girl to read this one with. I could do it with my 5 year son but I wonder if he’s be sourplussed about it being girls. I’d have to remind it that the theme of global warming being more prevalent but… Oh humbug I’ll get it for my niece and just wait till she’s big enough to read it together. I’ll just keep it warm in my shelf until then.
Very cute review and I’ll have to look at this series for my struggling readers.
These books are so cool, and if they were for a bit of an older audience, I would share them with my son. He is very interested in the environment and conserving resources and such. Sometimes he drives me crazy running all over the house turning off lights when I am using them! This book sounds like it has some really positive messages inside it. Glad to hear you liked it!
This sounds so cute and informative for the kids. A very good idea for the kids.
So glad you enjoyed the book too! Ivy & Bean is one of my fav series for kids…always a hit and fun for read aloud too since adults enjoy them as well.
I’m glad you mentioned the illustrations because I think that cover art is so wonderful!
I loved this book as well. They are quite a pair!