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Parents' Guide to

Ivy + Bean: No News Is Good News: Ivy + Bean, Book 8

By Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Girls start a newspaper in fun, mischievous adventure.

Book Annie Barrows For Beginning Readers 2011
Ivy + Bean: No News Is Good News: Ivy + Bean, Book 8 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

nirah0325
nirah0325 Adult
September 7, 2020
age 7+

A mix of mischievous & fun

Overall it was a nice story. A few times the girls did some troublesome things like lying and exaggerating stories in their newspaper and pretending to be dead but it does tell a few lessons - earning money and respecting other’s privacy along the way. In the beginning of the book though the girls talk about training to be a witch and making potions which seemed out of place and possibly troublesome for some religious families.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Everyone at lunch has low-fat Belldeloon cheese in single servings, and more important, they get to play with the red wax coating that can be molded into a thousand different shapes and uses. But Ivy and Bean can't get their hands on the expensive cheese until they score $10. To do that, they'll have to earn it, and when one of their fathers suggests collecting money for creating a neighborhood newspaper, they think they've hit the jackpot of easy money. Only now, they actually have to produce the newspaper, and what's more, the neighbors will read it!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

The eighth book in the Ivy + Bean series is by turns funny, relatable, heartwarming, silly, and prankish. It's an engaging read for young girls, with delicate black-and-white pencil drawings that portray the title characters' trials, tribulations, and fascinations with realism and wit. This book celebrates differences and girl friendship -- Ivy is quiet, Bean is loud, and in spite of their best efforts to resist their parents' urge to pair them together as friends, they realize they really do like each other.

Readers will find a sidesplitting adventure that speaks their language, and parents can appreciate that this is the sort of book series that fosters a deep love of reading and sparks curiosity.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about boundaries. Have you ever crossed a boundary you shouldn't have? What happened? How did the situation turn out?

  • Do you ever see stories in the newspaper or on the news that feel like they invade the privacy of the subject? How can the media be more respectful of the lives of the people they cover?

  • Do you earn an allowance? If so, what does it teach you? If not, do you think it's a good idea? What tasks or responsibilities do you have?

Book Details

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