(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Stella and Marigold, ages seven and four, are a force to be reckoned with. In eight tightly constructed, linked short stories, we follow the sisters through a domestic plumbing disaster, a visit to the zoo, events at school and preschool, and the construction and maintenance of a close sibling bond. Barrows and Blackall jointly inhabit that authentic childhood territory where the universal ordinary intersects with the specific odd. Stella has the flu. Her mother brings her apple juice. "Stella was surprised at how bad it tasted. It tasted like throat." The text tells us that as Marigold grows up, Stella explains the world to her. The accompanying illustration shows what some of those explanations might involve -- pickles, a jump rope, money, infinity, and more. The stories echo and resonate with one another. The fireplace tiles mentioned in passing in the second story? We finally get to see them near book's end. The theme here is storytelling, and the book is a little subversive in the best children's literature tradition, celebrating the thrill of fibbing even as it ostensibly warns against it. Barrows and Blackall walk this tightrope with skill, cheekiness, and palpable pleasure, their tightly interdependent approach to narrative mirroring the supportive and loving relationship of their two stalwart protagonists.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Leo Espinosa. "You are you, and I am I. We are people... This makes us different from most of the things on Earth." Head crowned with a mass of brown curly hair, this book's narrator speaks directly to readers, guiding them through several silly yet thought-provoking comparisons. Do humans have anything in common with tin cans? No. "We are not shaped like tin cans. We cannot hold tomato sauce like tin cans." Humans have some minor similarities to swimming pools (water) and excavators (digging, but not as efficiently), but a person is "way more like a mushroom" and has even more in common with a hyena. Barrows's (the Ivy + Bean chapter books) straightforward text seems at first to be an exercise in comparing living and nonliving things, but it's ultimately a lesson in empathy toward our fellow humans. "I am more like you than I am like most of the things on Earth." Espinosa's (The World Belonged to Us, rev. 7/22) bold, blocky, and vibrant illustrations enhance the text's humor and heart with the punch of a pop-art palette. A compelling thought-experiment with a powerful, effective, and timely message.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) 1-3 Ivy + Bean series. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. The twelfth (and final) book about Ivy and Bean finds these best friends still in second grade but hurtling toward their futures by way of career day at school. Bean wants to be an arborist because of the potential for tree-climbing, but the career fair doesn't offer that. Bypassing the banker, dentist, plumber, yoga instructor, and others, the two join a crowd at the back of the room where "Herman, Treasure Hunter" is holding court with his metal detector and a few of his discoveries. ("Ms. Aruba-Tate seemed surprised that all the kids in her class wanted to be treasure hunters when they grew up.") Blackall's spot art captures the fervor and diligence of the friends as they undertake their search for treasure, making each page more entertaining as well as more convincing. New readers will find funny situations and a fast-moving plot to enjoy; and although Ivy and Bean unfortunately end up with little to show for their efforts, they find there are other ways to score treasure. The girls' infectious spirit, combined with their unique skill sets, should prepare them well for any careers they decide upon.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Only-child Ivy takes to heart a classmate's assertion that children like her are usually spoiled. She tries many corrective measures, but ultimately best friend Bean helps Ivy see she's unselfish and thoughtful--the opposite of spoiled. The earnest, emotionally mature second graders' imaginative and somewhat rash problem-solving tactics provide energetic plot details and laugh-worthy gags. Black-and-white spot art captures and builds on the characters' personalities and this eleventh installment's humor.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(2) YA High school BFFs Charlotte and Frankie lament that nothing happens to them; nevertheless, Charlotte decides to write their life story for a school project. There are plot points--Charlotte flirts via text with a boy she's never met; Frankie learns to drive--but the story, with its alternating narration, is mainly character-driven. Barrows has a knack for female friendships, and Charlotte and Frankie are a memorable pair.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) 4-6 Time-traveling twins Molly and Miri, who discovered each other in The Magic Half, return in this satisfying sequel. This adventure begins in 1918, but an unexpected time slip lands them and their older twin brothers in the midst of the Civil War. Barrows's knack for sibling banter adds warmth and humor to the story. An author's note provides historical context.

Reviewer: Lauren Rizzuto

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. When a mysterious yellow rope appears in the neighborhood, one end tied around the chimney on Dino's house, the other end sitting on his front lawn, Ivy and Bean investigate whodunit. For those readers dissatisfied with an open ending, adults might nudge them toward the likely culprit. It's no mystery, though, why these cleverly entertaining early chapter books continue to please their fans.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. For spring break, Bean's older sister is headed off to Girl Power 4-Ever Camp at the local park. Unfortunately, seven-year-old Bean is only old enough to attend Puppet Camp (as if!), so she and Ivy decide to start their own. In their ninth book, Ivy and Bean's own Girl Power Camp will make their devoted fans very happy campers indeed.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2013

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Ivy and Bean start a neighborhood newspaper, selling subscriptions to afford their own fancy cheese; as Bean’s mom says, “Lowfat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for-you serving size costs five dollars for six little bitty pieces of cheese, so if you want it, you can pay for it yourself.” Barrows and Blackall continue to feed off each other’s creativity with hilarious results.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2012

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. For the science fair, second-graders Ivy and Bean come up with ideas to fight global warming. Their experiments lead the girls to ask some good questions: e.g., How can grownups be taught to like nature as much as kids do? Their answer, like many scientific ideas, is simple but brilliant. Barrows and Blackall keep this seventh series entry original and funny.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Ivy and Bean beg for ballet lessons--and almost immediately regret it; Bean is bored and Ivy keeps falling. The final humiliation arrives when they're assigned the roles of squids in the class performance. In this sixth series entry, Barrows continues to provide readers with a laugh a minute in a story loaded with comic situations of which illustrator Blackall takes full advantage.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2010

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. In their fourth book, Ivy and Bean make the best of a bad situation when Bean's parents leave her in the care of her eleven-year-old sister, Nancy. Fast-moving short chapters overflow with a sense of how kids really talk and play. Text and illustrations are as fine a match as Ivy and Bean themselves, each offering different strengths that support the other infinitely well.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008

(3) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Miri is ordinary, a singleton middle child between two sets of twin siblings. Her humdrum life changes when a magic eye-glass lens transports her back through time to 1935 where she meets Molly, a girl very much like Miri herself. More than just a time-travel adventure, the story also realistically depicts Miri's complicated relationships with her siblings.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. In their fifth book, Ivy and Bean decide to be really good. Barrows's funny story tells how the girls try to change a bully into a nice guy (doesn't work) and have Bean act bad so Ivy can reform her. Blackall's illustrations keep up with the text (e.g., Ivy giggling but trying to look horrified when Bean whispers a bad word).

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Ever since their teacher brought in The Amazing Book of World Records, best friends Ivy and Bean and their second-grade classmates have been keeping themselves busy attempting, and failing, to break various records. Featuring a believable pair of protagonists, spot-on humor, and plenty of illustrations, this third entry in the series is just right for early chapter-book readers.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. When second-grader Ivy discovers a ghost in her school's bathroom, she enlists her best friend, Bean, to help "expel" the spirit, who they believe escaped from a graveyard beneath the school. Text that is accessible without being boring and playful black-and-white illustrations sprinkled throughout highlight the girls' spunky, colorful personalities in this second book about Ivy and Bean.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio