"Ivy & Bean" books?

[salsah]

anyone read these? these seem to be popular but when i looked at a couple of reviews on amazon there was mention of witchcraft and "weird" stuff. DD has read one and wants to read more but I'm hesitant after seeing those negative reviews. I'm wondering if anyone here has read these themselves and has any input.

TIA!

[citymama]

Well, I'll be honest that I haven't read any but my recently turned 6 year old loves them! She had borrowed a few from the library and then I bought the box set when someone posted the deal here a few weeks ago. They seem really cool and wholesome (I've skimmed them and DD has told me the stories). My DD is easily frightened by "scary" stuff, so if she likes them, I'm guessing they will be suitable for other kids her age.

[swissair81]

My 9 year old has been reading them the past year or 2. She loved them.

[mom_hanna]

My 7 year old dd has read them all and we read them with her. I don't remember any witchcraft unless it's the imagination of young girls pretending to do witchcraft? They are completely harmless books and we loved them.

[chlobo]

Gotta be careful of those books that promote the use of the imagination. Scary stuff.

[ncat]

DD loves them.

I have read a few (very quick reads for an adult) and found them infinitely more tolerable than some of the other stuff she likes to read, like the Rainbow Magic Fairy series.

[salsah]

I'm reading more reviews, trying to figure this out. I was thinking that maybe the negative reviews are from people who are reading too much into it or putting their own spin or interpretations on what is really in the story. Perhaps a child reading the story would not see it the same way that these adults who wrote the reviews see it. A child's perspective is likely to be different than an adult's perspective.

My understanding (just from reading other reviews, I still need to go to the library to pick up a copy to read myself) is that the girls are just pretending to be witches. I still think that the description of the face painting with the drops of blood is a bit too much for my taste (for young kids) but it seems that it is just about pretend play.

Unfortunately I read reviews complaining about the story line and the lessons learned. The girls are mean and get away with doing things that are wrong. Being mean is cool and being nice is boring. Again, it could just be those reviewers perceptions. Those reviewers might say the same thing about Curious George -- he is always getting into trouble and then rewarded at the end of the story.

[salsah]

DD loves them.

I have read a few (very quick reads for an adult) and found them infinitely more tolerable than some of the other stuff she likes to read, like the Rainbow Magic Fairy series.

I wish I could get dd read something other than the Rainbow Fairies. The only other book she has shown an interest in is Ivy & Bean. She read a Judy Moody book and I think she was willing to try another one but wasn't crazy about it. She didn't care for the Mermaid SOS books. We tried the Magic Tree House books but she doesn't care for them. I don't care for Junie B Jones. I read My Father's Dragon and Jeremy Bean to her and she enjoyed both of those. I'm just not sure what else to try.

[Neatfreak]

Yes, when Bean meets Ivy, Ivy is *pretending* to be a witch and they band together to embarrass Bean's older sister

It's a great series!

[abh5e8]

hmm...what is Rainbow Fairies? may I ask why you don't like them? sounds like something dd would love...