Every so often, at my book club, I choose a popular, internationally loved book. We've read The Rise of the Earth Dragon, The Absent Author, The Sheep-Pig ... and now, we'll read Ivy + Bean.The enemies to friends trope is always fun. Ivy and Bean never meant to like each other. In fact, Bean is quite sure she has enough friends. She doesn't need another one, especially not someone who seems as nice as Ivy. She knows only too well that nice = boring. But when Bean decides to play a trick on her sister, she realises that Ivy is not as nice as she seems. And that's a good thing.Funny, silly and full of action, Ivy and Bean is perfect to read with a bunch of seven- and eight-year-olds! Predicting a story Before we start reading the book, I'll show the children a video trailer and ask them to imagine what the story is about. I know that some of the children … [Read more...]