Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go (Ivy and Bean Series #2)

by Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

There’s a ghost in the school bathroom, and only Ivy and Bean can take care of it, naturally. It’s more fun and adventures with the two friends, who are just always a blast to read.

Now that Ivy and Bean are friends, they do gymnastics club together, sit together in Ms. Aruba-Tate's second grade, and tell each other their darkest secrets. And when Ivy discovers a ghost in the school bathroom, it will take both girls' courage and imagination to make it go away. Another entertaining installment in this series about two mischievous, funny, clever girls.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780811849104
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	11/23/2006
Series:	Ivy and Bean Series , #2
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	5.95(w) x 7.55(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Annie Barrows has written a bunch of books for grown-ups, but Ivy and Bean is her first series for kids. Annie lives in Northern California with her husband and two daughters.

Sophie Blackall is an illustrator whose work has appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times. She lives in New York, with her husband and two children. Her previous books include Ruby's Wish and Meet Wild Boars.

Hometown:

Berkeley, CA

Date of Birth:

August 24, 1962

Place of Birth:

San Diego, CA

Education:

University of California at Berkeley, B.A. in Medieval History; Mills College, M.F.A. in Creative Writing

Editorial Reviews

"Annie Barrows accomplishes the almost impossible task of reflecting the world of second grader, creating the tension and drama of family and friendships in language that can be read easily by child who recently graduated from easy readers to early chapter books. " - Lisa Von Drasek, Children's Librarian, Bank Street College of Education

From the Publisher

The second graders who first met in Ivy and Bean (which PW's starred review called "just right for kids moving on from beginning readers") must try to eradicate a ghost from the girls' bathroom at school in Ivy and Bean and the Ghost that Had to Go. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 1–3
This story defies expectations of what an early chapter book can be. When the normally quiet Ivy tells her classmates that there's a ghost in the second-grade bathroom, reactions vary from fascination to fear. When a girl refuses to use the bathroom, though, Ms. Aruba-Tate's gentle reprimand sends Ivy reeling, and she and her friend Bean decide to make the problem go away by performing an exorcism. Barrows keeps the language simple and clear without sacrificing wit and subtlety. While Ivy steadfastly insists that the ghost is real, sensitive readers will see her diversionary tactic for what it is. (She doesn't want anyone to know she can't do a cartwheel.) The author even makes the occasional vocabulary lesson palatable ("Cody had lit two garbage cans on fire and wasn't allowed to come back to school anymore. He was expelled"). The slightly wider than normal format with large print, lots of white space, fun detailing, and Blackall's expressive illustrations make an attractive package that will be welcome in most collections.
—Adrienne FurnessCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Best mates Ivy and Bean reunite for some schoolyard hijinks in this sophomore collaboration from Barrows and Blackall. The normally reserved Ivy discovers the persuasive powers of an overactive imagination when she tries to avoid doing cartwheels during recess. While Ivy's impromptu mention of the ghost in the girl's bathroom may have diverted everyone's attention from her lack of gymnastic skills, her story soon spirals into schoolyard mayhem. Barrows displays a keen sense of what constitutes second-grade humor; readers will be snickering in glee over Ivy and Bean's antics. Hilarity ensues when the duo perform an elaborate ceremony, complete with a special potion they concocted, to expel the ghost. Barrows provides the humorous banter while Blackall's pencil sketches do a fine job of capturing the comical overtones of the girl's activities. This strong follow-up to Ivy and Bean (June 2006) is bound to please fans. (Picture book. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews

With her youthful tones, Cassandra Morris captures all the drama of Barrows’s series about second-graders Ivy and Bean. The usually well-behaved Ivy sees a ghost in the girls' bathroom. Soon the whole school knows, and while some kids are interested, others are frightened into using other bathrooms—annoying the teachers and prompting Ivy and Bean to come up with a plan. Morris conveys Barrows's many insights into school life and young friendships. She does an especially good job managing the plentiful dialogue—from that of irritated teachers to excited children. Her narration delivers all the humor and drama of the girls' scheme to expel the ghost with their imaginative exorcism. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

APR/MAY 08 - AudioFile