Bella & Bean [Hardcover]

Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Author), Aileen Leijten (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2009 | Age Level: 4 and up

Bella wants to write poems.

Bean wants to go for a walk.

Bella wants to write poems.

Bean wants Bella to look at her cute toes.

Could these two best friends be more different? But as Bean's attempt to coax Bella away from her notepad become ever more over the top, Bella finds her poetry taking unexpected twists.

You might be a Bella or you could be a Bean - either way, this sweet, clever tale will remind you there is perfect poetry to mismatched friends.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bella is a moody, obsessed poet: Bonnets, daisies, windows, toes—/ Secrets hide in sky, in rose, she writes. Her best friend (and fellow mouse), Bean, is an impulsive bundle of energy, eager to show off her new striped stocking cap embellished with two daisies, and annoying Bella with her interruptions. What starts off looking like a tale of mismatched friends turns out to be, instead, a splendidly accessible exploration of the poetic process as Bella finds Bean's words seeping into her work. Leitjen (Hugging Hour!, reviewed above) draws readers in immediately with her offbeat whimsy. Bella, for example, is first glimpsed through the window of her house, a fairytale concoction of tiny bricks, shingles and turrets nestled among the roots of a tree, with paper lanterns festooned just beyond. Letters, words and images dance about the final pages as the two friends together compose a poem that proclaims their eternal bond. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Little Bella is a poetry-writing rat. Bean is a fashion-conscious rat. It’s hard to see how they can be best friends when one wants to think about rivers and moons, and the other wants to think about hats. Words like flow, gurgle, and silver are put down on Bella’s pages of poems, but even as she demands peace and quiet to write, she knows she’s missing out on fun with her friend. But Bean’s not one to hold a grudge, and when invited by Bella to sit under the stars and listen to poems, she’s happy to oblige—and thrilled when one of the verses is about her. The story could be a tad shorter and the art might have had a few more amusing details, but this rodent duo is a good example of how opposites attract and can improve each other’s lives. The artwork uses rich shades of gold, teal, and sea green as backgrounds for the very personable rats. A nice starting point for a discussion of friendship.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689856164
• ISBN-13: 978-0689856167
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whimsical Story of Two Very Different Friends!, July 8, 2009

By 

Dawn De Lorenzo "Author of Peanut Butter and ... (Woodbridge, NJ) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bella & Bean (Hardcover)

I fell in love with Bella and Bean! I bought this book because my daughter's name is Bella and I collect books with her name. This is the sweet story of two mice who are quite different. Bella is a poet focused on her writing and is often too busy to take time for the little things while Bean is a fun, free-spirit. In the end we see that they bring out the best in each other and they are the perfect pair.

The pictures are beautiful and the story is delightful! It is also the perfect introduction to poetry and figurative language.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, gorgeous illustrations, May 19, 2009

By 

Zmayhem (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bella & Bean (Hardcover)

We got Bella & Bean as a gift a little over a week ago, and already it has entered heavy rotation on the bedtime reading list, knocking Ezra Jack Keats down to second place and bumping the Max & Ruby books down to third. Literary, literate, graceful, whimsical but never sticky sweet, funny, warm, a treat for the eyes and ears. My 2 1/2 year old says thumbs up, way up, and I'm mildly worried that I will have to spend the time between now and her birthday tracking down a stripey hat with bobbing daisies just like Bean's.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "...the big hand on Forever", July 16, 2009

By 

Diane - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bella & Bean (Hardcover)

This sweet and powerful book made me cry at my desk! Bella and Bean are two friends; Bella is a "poet" with great aspirations, looking for inspiration, needing to write. Bean is her dear friend who just wants Bella to come and play. What Bella doesn't realize is that Bean is offering her inspiration, and that sometimes, just being with your friend is the most important thing in the world. Through her decision to go and just "be" with Bean, Bella creates some of her best poetry, and their friendship flourishes as a result. I bought this book for my soon-to-be grandchild, and I hope we enjoy it for a long time to come! Bravo, Rebecca and Aileen. Words and pictures are endlessly charming!