What do you think?
Rate this book
Beanboy #1
The Adventures of Beanboy
Never underestimate the power of the bean. Tucker MacBean has been drawing comic books almost as long as he’s been reading them. When his favorite comic has a contest for kids, he hopes he has finally found a way to fix his family—all he has to do is create the winning superhero sidekick . . . Introducing “Beanboy”—the first comic book character to truly harness the power of the bean for good. He is strong, he is relentless, he can double in size
overnight (if given enough water).
With thoughtful characterizations and copious comic book illustrations, this laughout-loud novel will have readers rooting for a superhero with true heart.
overnight (if given enough water).
With thoughtful characterizations and copious comic book illustrations, this laughout-loud novel will have readers rooting for a superhero with true heart.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2012
42 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Harkrader
73 books11 followersLisa Harkrader also writes as L. D. Harkrader.
Lisa Harkrader grew up in a small town in Kansas. When she was in the third grade, she wanted to be a writer and an artist. She also wanted to be a spy, a psychiatrist, and second baseman for the Kansas City Royals.Those last three haven’t happened, but she is a writer and illustrator who has published twenty-five books for children. She has received the William Allen White Award and two Kansas Notable Books awards. Lisa Harkrader lives in Tonganoxie, Kansas, with her husband and two children. And she still wants to be a spy.
Lisa Harkrader grew up in a small town in Kansas. When she was in the third grade, she wanted to be a writer and an artist. She also wanted to be a spy, a psychiatrist, and second baseman for the Kansas City Royals.Those last three haven’t happened, but she is a writer and illustrator who has published twenty-five books for children. She has received the William Allen White Award and two Kansas Notable Books awards. Lisa Harkrader lives in Tonganoxie, Kansas, with her husband and two children. And she still wants to be a spy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 20, 2014
I was not excited about reading this book. The cover did not excite me(come on, we all do it - judge a book by it's cover). But I work in an elementary/middle school library and in the summer read all the nominated books on our state award list. I loved the authors other book, Airball.
Well, she did not disappoint. And the after I read it the cover does work! Tucker aka Beanboy is a gem. He is a good guy. He cares about his little brother, his mom, his friend and ultimately his classmate, Sam. He does the right thing.
Also, both of my children (college kids) are artist. So I understood the excitement Tucker had when he got "good" drawing paper and the proper pens and pencils.
I really enjoyed this book. I probably should have given it 5 stars. I can't wait for the school to start back up so I can share this books with my students.
Well, she did not disappoint. And the after I read it the cover does work! Tucker aka Beanboy is a gem. He is a good guy. He cares about his little brother, his mom, his friend and ultimately his classmate, Sam. He does the right thing.
Also, both of my children (college kids) are artist. So I understood the excitement Tucker had when he got "good" drawing paper and the proper pens and pencils.
I really enjoyed this book. I probably should have given it 5 stars. I can't wait for the school to start back up so I can share this books with my students.
August 10, 2012
Questions: Do you ever try to be invisible?
Ever feel invisible and wish you weren't?
I really like how this family deals with their special needs son. There's no whining; the mom doesn't even seem to mention him especially on her scholarship letter. They are just very matter-of-fact about his needs: not a lot of change, smiley faces on his food, going up stairs backwards on his butt. What did you think of Beecher?
Make yourself a superhero file: name, base, superpower, super weapon, origin.
What could you win a scholarship for or with? What do the illustrations add to this story?
Is Tucker brave?
Ever feel invisible and wish you weren't?
I really like how this family deals with their special needs son. There's no whining; the mom doesn't even seem to mention him especially on her scholarship letter. They are just very matter-of-fact about his needs: not a lot of change, smiley faces on his food, going up stairs backwards on his butt. What did you think of Beecher?
Make yourself a superhero file: name, base, superpower, super weapon, origin.
What could you win a scholarship for or with? What do the illustrations add to this story?
Is Tucker brave?
August 13, 2013
Sweet, entertains, heartwarming story. Combines comics, humor and family. Blend graphic novel with chapter book well.
July 16, 2019
Seventh-grader Tucker has his hands full dealing with middle school and being the mostly full-time caretaker of his younger brother, who is developmentally challenged. Money is an issue for his family, so he decides to enter a comic book contest in hopes of winning some. Since he pretty much sees the world as a comic book, he figures he has a good shot. Easier said than done, however. The real focus of the book, however, is on his relationships with his mom and brother and the bully Sam(antha) who is often messing with his life. There's depth and character development, but there is also lots of boy-ish humor to help keep things from getting too heavy. Should be popular with middle grade readers!
July 17, 2019
Put together a boy who likes to draw and the potential for farts and you've got my kind of book. Tucker MacBean hopes that creating a new sidekick for one of his favorite super heroes will make him a winner of the Dark Overlord comic contest. He's got the drawing talent, but has to figure out what's at the heart for his superhero sidekick. There's a girl in the story ... and she's a bully; there's a family dilemma ... and it feels real. And there are some scenes leading up to the seventh grade dance that are a bit Pretty in Pink, but if you're ten you probably haven't seen every John Hughes movie three dozen times, so it totally works. Really truly liked this book.
December 1, 2018
I read this book with a 5th grader that I tutor, and maybe I have a soft spot for it because he made breakthroughs in his reading comprehension while we were reading it but I also genuinely enjoyed the book. I think honest middle-high school novels that are accessible for kids are underdone. The child I was working with has a single mom just like the main character of the book and I think the fact that the character was relatable for him really helped him connect with the story, as it did for me even though I am now an “adult.”
March 13, 2021
One of my students selected this book for me to read. They thought I would hate it. They were wrong! What a cool story. The feeling it left me with was so positive. It's just what I needed right now! Interesting plot to exemplify the central idea. Read it. Recommend it to reluctant middle school age students. (Almost a graphic novel!)
November 11, 2021
This is a good story of Tuck, who likes comic books and drawing comics. He helps take care of his younger brother while his single parent mother juggles a job and college. He attempts to write a contest winning story to win a college scholarship.
Sam is his nemesis. As the story progresses, Sam and Tuck settle some differences and help each other.
Sam is his nemesis. As the story progresses, Sam and Tuck settle some differences and help each other.
March 26, 2025
Great book my son loved it
He liked the mixture of comic and chapter book in it. Also he likes to draw comics him self. This book was great he is planning to read the next book soon
He liked the mixture of comic and chapter book in it. Also he likes to draw comics him self. This book was great he is planning to read the next book soon
May 6, 2017
very funny. i liked it very much
May 22, 2017
Asher (11yo) read. "Really funny and cool. I would like to read the H20 comics."
January 24, 2018
I...really liked it! I recommend to everyone, because the author didn't 'dumb it down' because of the age of the MC, but made it a worthy read for all ages.
March 22, 2018
Surprisingly heartwarming (for a book with the name Beanboy in the title). Sweet, hilarious, with just enough potty humor for the Tween boys.
September 14, 2018
I rounded up because this book doesn't have a ton of ratings. It was more like a 3.5
October 2, 2025
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this more of a review to come
August 6, 2016
The Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780547550787
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: 2/14/2012
Pages: 240
Age range: 9 – 12 Years
Summary: Tucker MacBean is in middle school. He’s not unpopular, but he’s not popular either. Honestly, he does all that he can to just be invisible, especially from the school bully Sam. Tucker rushes home everyday to make sure he takes care of his special needs brother because his mother works and goes to school. Tucker mentions that it’s almost like she is a ghost. Tucker and his brother love comic books. In the latest issue of his favorite comic, he notices an advertisement for a contest to develop a new sidekick for the superhero. The prize is a full college scholarship. Tucker immediately decides to enter to get his mom the scholarship so she would be home and not have to work so much, but he knows that he can not work on his sidekick drawings at home while also babysitting his brother. To solve this issue, Tucker asks to join the after school art club. His mom sets up a babysitter for his little brother, and Tucker begins art club. Then the worst thing Tucker can think of happens, he comes home and Sam is in his house watching his brother. This leads to a change in Tucker and Sam. He starts to notice the softer sides of Sam and the heroic side of himself. He saves Sam in several situations and finds his heroic heart in the process. All the while, he develops a sidekick based off of beans. The sidekick’s story takes shape alongside Tucker, and at the deadline, he decides to submit the entry under his own name.
My thoughts:
This was a good book. It touched on some difficult subjects, but didn’t go into depth on anything. The transformation of Tucker and Sam is really the best part of the story. Both characters have dramatic changes that bring the story alive. They are characters that you can easily relate to and they are enduring as well. Both characters you can root for. My favorite parts of the book are the little comic drawings that pop up through the novel. They are not necessary for you to understand the book, but they are fun and add another dimension. This is the kind of book that I would happily hand over to a student that is used to reading graphic novels and is uncomfortable reading novels without images. This is a good in between novel that will help ease readers into something else. I would easily pass a student that enjoyed this The Adventures of Fanboy and Gothgirl by Barry Lyga. That would pull them into a full novel, but it would allow a student to see connections between the two novels. I’m always looking forward to ties that I can make between an easier book and a more difficult one. As a teacher, it allows me an easy view of progression through novels. All in all, I would encourage young readers, or low readers, to give this book a try.
(4 stars)
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780547550787
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: 2/14/2012
Pages: 240
Age range: 9 – 12 Years
Summary: Tucker MacBean is in middle school. He’s not unpopular, but he’s not popular either. Honestly, he does all that he can to just be invisible, especially from the school bully Sam. Tucker rushes home everyday to make sure he takes care of his special needs brother because his mother works and goes to school. Tucker mentions that it’s almost like she is a ghost. Tucker and his brother love comic books. In the latest issue of his favorite comic, he notices an advertisement for a contest to develop a new sidekick for the superhero. The prize is a full college scholarship. Tucker immediately decides to enter to get his mom the scholarship so she would be home and not have to work so much, but he knows that he can not work on his sidekick drawings at home while also babysitting his brother. To solve this issue, Tucker asks to join the after school art club. His mom sets up a babysitter for his little brother, and Tucker begins art club. Then the worst thing Tucker can think of happens, he comes home and Sam is in his house watching his brother. This leads to a change in Tucker and Sam. He starts to notice the softer sides of Sam and the heroic side of himself. He saves Sam in several situations and finds his heroic heart in the process. All the while, he develops a sidekick based off of beans. The sidekick’s story takes shape alongside Tucker, and at the deadline, he decides to submit the entry under his own name.
My thoughts:
This was a good book. It touched on some difficult subjects, but didn’t go into depth on anything. The transformation of Tucker and Sam is really the best part of the story. Both characters have dramatic changes that bring the story alive. They are characters that you can easily relate to and they are enduring as well. Both characters you can root for. My favorite parts of the book are the little comic drawings that pop up through the novel. They are not necessary for you to understand the book, but they are fun and add another dimension. This is the kind of book that I would happily hand over to a student that is used to reading graphic novels and is uncomfortable reading novels without images. This is a good in between novel that will help ease readers into something else. I would easily pass a student that enjoyed this The Adventures of Fanboy and Gothgirl by Barry Lyga. That would pull them into a full novel, but it would allow a student to see connections between the two novels. I’m always looking forward to ties that I can make between an easier book and a more difficult one. As a teacher, it allows me an easy view of progression through novels. All in all, I would encourage young readers, or low readers, to give this book a try.
(4 stars)
January 26, 2014
Tucker MacBean is a seventh grader. He has a passion for comic books . H2O man is his favorite super hero, but they're all pretty cool in Tucker's mind. He has a best friend, Noah Spooner who is organized and driven to do his best in school. He has a little brother, Beecher who is most often his main sidekick while his mom is trying to juggle single parenthood, a demanding job and a full load of night courses at the local college. And, he may have an arch nemesis, Sam Zawicki, who seems angry at the world. Though Tucker pretty much tries to stay out of her way, their paths keep crossing.
It might seem that Tucker MacBean is a typical kid at first, but the more you get to know him the more you admire is choices. He's pretty extraordinary. Tucker's mom is a phantom presence in his life - sticky notes and piles of clean laundry are often the only signs he has that she's been home. He doesn't complain. He just makes sure Beecher has what he needs. That's not always easy. As Tucker puts it, "Something happened when Beecher was born. He didn't get enough oxygen in his brain right at first. So he doesn't do everything the way everyone else does." Tucker is resourceful. When the opportunity arises, he decides he will enter a contest to earn a scholarship for his mom so she won't have to work so hard. He's observant. He notices how his classmates treat one another. Maybe it is because he really does have a super power of invisibility that he is able to see so much and try to understand the other perspective. He is honorable. Tucker MacBean chooses to do what is right rather than what is popular most of the time - and that is hard!
The contest that Tucker has decided to enter says: "H2O's sidekick must possess the true heart of a hero. Reach deep within yourself, find that heroic heart, and create a sidekick who can rank among the greatest sidekicks in comic book history." You'll have to read The Adventures of Beanboy to find out how similar the powers of an ordinary seventh grader are to those of a super hero. Maybe it's the Clark Kent effect.
In reading about the author, Lisa Harkrader said she was looking forward to creating more books about Beanboy. I hope she does because I am looking forward to reading them.
It might seem that Tucker MacBean is a typical kid at first, but the more you get to know him the more you admire is choices. He's pretty extraordinary. Tucker's mom is a phantom presence in his life - sticky notes and piles of clean laundry are often the only signs he has that she's been home. He doesn't complain. He just makes sure Beecher has what he needs. That's not always easy. As Tucker puts it, "Something happened when Beecher was born. He didn't get enough oxygen in his brain right at first. So he doesn't do everything the way everyone else does." Tucker is resourceful. When the opportunity arises, he decides he will enter a contest to earn a scholarship for his mom so she won't have to work so hard. He's observant. He notices how his classmates treat one another. Maybe it is because he really does have a super power of invisibility that he is able to see so much and try to understand the other perspective. He is honorable. Tucker MacBean chooses to do what is right rather than what is popular most of the time - and that is hard!
The contest that Tucker has decided to enter says: "H2O's sidekick must possess the true heart of a hero. Reach deep within yourself, find that heroic heart, and create a sidekick who can rank among the greatest sidekicks in comic book history." You'll have to read The Adventures of Beanboy to find out how similar the powers of an ordinary seventh grader are to those of a super hero. Maybe it's the Clark Kent effect.
In reading about the author, Lisa Harkrader said she was looking forward to creating more books about Beanboy. I hope she does because I am looking forward to reading them.
July 30, 2014
What person has not at least fleetingly wished for superpowers? Tucker MacBean in The Adventures of Beanboy is no exception. His love of comic books leads him to enter a contest to create a sidekick for a well-known Superhero and solve the character's current conundrum. Winning could help his single mother support both him and his special-needs brother, Beecher (AKA Beechman)and allow her to finish her college degree.
Using his natural creativity and capitalizing on his own situation, Tucker creates BeanBoy. I loved seeing about how Beanboy and his opposition emerge from Tucker's life. Tucker pays attention to his own world using what he already knows to create comic characters for another world. Tucker's name is MacBean, thus Beanboy. Tucker has gas one day, leading him to connect beans to causing gas and giving his sidekick gas as a superpower to stun and act as a protective force field.
Tied into this story is a bully named Sam. A small-statured girl, Sam is not the average bully. She is powered by her anger, pain, and fear. All of these are traits that Tucker harvests and places in his comic characters. In the end, Tucker learns that both real people and comic characters are not always what they seem. Sometimes, it takes stepping out of his comfort zone and risking to know who and what other people really are and why. Superpowers are often not that super. In Tucker's case, just being courageous enough to be himself is a superpower that not only changes him but also those around him.
Using his natural creativity and capitalizing on his own situation, Tucker creates BeanBoy. I loved seeing about how Beanboy and his opposition emerge from Tucker's life. Tucker pays attention to his own world using what he already knows to create comic characters for another world. Tucker's name is MacBean, thus Beanboy. Tucker has gas one day, leading him to connect beans to causing gas and giving his sidekick gas as a superpower to stun and act as a protective force field.
Tied into this story is a bully named Sam. A small-statured girl, Sam is not the average bully. She is powered by her anger, pain, and fear. All of these are traits that Tucker harvests and places in his comic characters. In the end, Tucker learns that both real people and comic characters are not always what they seem. Sometimes, it takes stepping out of his comfort zone and risking to know who and what other people really are and why. Superpowers are often not that super. In Tucker's case, just being courageous enough to be himself is a superpower that not only changes him but also those around him.
January 8, 2012
Tucker MacBean loves comics, takes care of his developmentally-challenged younger brother, burns grilled cheese sandwiches in Home Ec, wishes his single mom could find a way between work and school to spend more time with him, and has found a nemesis in Sam, a girl who wears combat boots. Now he's entering a contest to design a new sidekick for his favorite comic book hero, H20 -- will his creation Beanboy save the day?
Like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, this is a book about the complicated mundane life of a cartoonist. It's geared for a slightly older audience than the Wimpy Kid books, containing traces of romantic subplots and dealing, if lightly, with serious issues like divorce and single parenthood. There are surprisingly many subplots for a book this size, the story is sweet-hearted and the author's voice is pitch-perfect. It hasn't entirely left behind the Wimpy Kid aesthetic, though -- Beanboy flies through the air and also stuns his enemies by the power of, er, the musical fruit.
Now, I would like Lisa Harkrader to actually write an adventure of Beanboy.
Like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, this is a book about the complicated mundane life of a cartoonist. It's geared for a slightly older audience than the Wimpy Kid books, containing traces of romantic subplots and dealing, if lightly, with serious issues like divorce and single parenthood. There are surprisingly many subplots for a book this size, the story is sweet-hearted and the author's voice is pitch-perfect. It hasn't entirely left behind the Wimpy Kid aesthetic, though -- Beanboy flies through the air and also stuns his enemies by the power of, er, the musical fruit.
Now, I would like Lisa Harkrader to actually write an adventure of Beanboy.
January 9, 2012
Seventh grader Tucker MacBean is a good son and a loving brother, but he finds it hard to stick up for himself. When he sees how hard his mother tries to make ends meet while working and attending classes, he decides to enter a comic book contest, under her name, in order to win a scholarship. Readers will enjoy the superhero he dreams up, the legume-base Beanboy, who is powered by gas. Adding interest to the story is Sam Zawicki, a classmate who seems ready to fight and insult everyone who comes near her, and even attacks those who offer kindness. But Tucker's younger brother is more adept at understanding Sam's behavior than Tucker is. The author nails the subtle and not-so-subtle cruelty of the class's mean girls quite well while showing that bullying comes in many different forms. I loved how she juxtaposed the bullying of comic book character Madame Fury against the bullying that goes on at Amelia M. Earhart Middle School. Tucker is an original, and readers are likely to see bits of themselves in him and his classmates.
March 4, 2012
What is the true heart of a hero? Thirteen-year-old Tucker MacBean desperately needs to know. If he can create a sidekick for the superhero H20 and win the Dark Overlord Comics contest, he can win a college scholarship and give it to his mom. Then she won’t have to work full time in addition to taking college classes. She will be able to put in personal appearances at home while awake. Tucker has been reading and drawing comics for as long as he can remember but his own superpowers —turning invisible when the popular kids in school are around, and persuading his brother with special needs to actually eat something — are just not enough. Can he survive 7th grade and his nemesis Sam Zawicki. Can he unravel the riddle of the comic book universe?
Lisa Harkrader has once again created a world of wonder, humor and intrigue and left me wondering if she secretly followed me while I navigated the joys and perils of junior high school. This time she also creates illustrations that deepen and enlighten the reader along the way. I can hardly wait for the sequel.
Lisa Harkrader has once again created a world of wonder, humor and intrigue and left me wondering if she secretly followed me while I navigated the joys and perils of junior high school. This time she also creates illustrations that deepen and enlighten the reader along the way. I can hardly wait for the sequel.
February 8, 2013
I really like how this book dealt with so many issues without being "preachy". Our main character, Tucker, lives with his single mom and special needs brother. They struggle for money all the time because mom is going to school AND working a full-time job at a bank. On top of this difficult home life Tucker also faces typical challenges at school with bullying and liking a girl who doesn't like him back.
Tucker is a HUGE comic book fan and is an artist himself. He finds out about a comic contest that could win him a full college scholarship (which he would give to his mom so that she could quit her job).
The story flows really well and with bits of art and science thrown into the mix is a great book for reluctant readers. It's relatable for children and very teachable (very cross-curricular). I'm planning on booktalking this to teachers, but I wouldn't hesitate to take to a classroom and booktalk directly to the kids.
I really enjoy reading this and kids will too. I hope there are going to be more adventures of Beanboy that I can devour later.
Tucker is a HUGE comic book fan and is an artist himself. He finds out about a comic contest that could win him a full college scholarship (which he would give to his mom so that she could quit her job).
The story flows really well and with bits of art and science thrown into the mix is a great book for reluctant readers. It's relatable for children and very teachable (very cross-curricular). I'm planning on booktalking this to teachers, but I wouldn't hesitate to take to a classroom and booktalk directly to the kids.
I really enjoy reading this and kids will too. I hope there are going to be more adventures of Beanboy that I can devour later.
April 29, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. This was another one I picked up from the Scholastic book order because it looked like my 4th grade boys would enjoy it. Before sticking it in the classroom library, I gave it a read so I could talk it up. Now I will definitely be recommending it to my 4th grade boys and girls.
It's a sweet story about a boy, Tucker, who wants to help his mom quit her job so she can spend more time with him and his little brother. In order to do this, he's convinced that he can win a comic book contest using his mom's name so she wins a scholarship to school. There right in itself is a very sweet plotline.
I loved Tucker as a character (shoot, if I were a seventh grader at his school I might have a crush on him nerdiness and all because of what a great guy he is!). I also loved Sam, his female archnemesis and bully. She's definitely a little rough around the edges, but I loved watching him discover more about Sam and more about himself in the process. It has some great themes about standing up for others, family, and friendship.
It's a sweet story about a boy, Tucker, who wants to help his mom quit her job so she can spend more time with him and his little brother. In order to do this, he's convinced that he can win a comic book contest using his mom's name so she wins a scholarship to school. There right in itself is a very sweet plotline.
I loved Tucker as a character (shoot, if I were a seventh grader at his school I might have a crush on him nerdiness and all because of what a great guy he is!). I also loved Sam, his female archnemesis and bully. She's definitely a little rough around the edges, but I loved watching him discover more about Sam and more about himself in the process. It has some great themes about standing up for others, family, and friendship.
February 9, 2016
A surprisingly good read perfect for superhero fans. Tucker decides to enter a comic book contest in order to win a college scholarship for his single mom who is never home. The superhero sidekick, Beanboy is born from a unfortunate nickname. However in order to win this contest Tucker must juggle all the obstacles of his life including but not limited to a bully and a disabled younger brother.
This book started out rather slow but then surprised me with it's humorous and heartfelt story line. Tucker really believed that he could save his family by winning this scholarship or his mom. Kids will love Tucker's Beanboy creation. the power of the bean is not to be messed with. But more than that it's how Beanboy helps Tucker to be brave and speak up and stand up for what he believes in. The author could easily have made this a light-hearted tale with not depth. Thankfully she chose to give Tucker real problems like a bully and a disabled brother and a broken family that he wishes he could fix. I loved everything about this book, including the comic illustrations.
This book started out rather slow but then surprised me with it's humorous and heartfelt story line. Tucker really believed that he could save his family by winning this scholarship or his mom. Kids will love Tucker's Beanboy creation. the power of the bean is not to be messed with. But more than that it's how Beanboy helps Tucker to be brave and speak up and stand up for what he believes in. The author could easily have made this a light-hearted tale with not depth. Thankfully she chose to give Tucker real problems like a bully and a disabled brother and a broken family that he wishes he could fix. I loved everything about this book, including the comic illustrations.
June 8, 2011
A sweet story that also contains fart jokes: jackpot!
This book could provide a great bridge for comic book/graphic novel fans who are being encouraged to check out more traditional books. Tucker MacBean, the main character, lives for the new issues of his favorite superhero comic - the adventures of H2O! - so when the publishers announce a contest to design H2O's new sidekick, it seems like it could be just what he needs. After all, the prize is a scholarship, which his mother could use to quit her job and focus on school - and maybe be home to see Tucker and his brother while they're awake.
And then things get complicated.
I particularly enjoyed Sam, the prickly tomboy, but the whole cast of characters were well done in this book - and the superhero/villain write ups for each of them were perfect.
I handed this advance off to a friend of mine, who is spending the summer reading books with a 10 year old boy. I'm looking forward to hearing what he thinks of it.
This book could provide a great bridge for comic book/graphic novel fans who are being encouraged to check out more traditional books. Tucker MacBean, the main character, lives for the new issues of his favorite superhero comic - the adventures of H2O! - so when the publishers announce a contest to design H2O's new sidekick, it seems like it could be just what he needs. After all, the prize is a scholarship, which his mother could use to quit her job and focus on school - and maybe be home to see Tucker and his brother while they're awake.
And then things get complicated.
I particularly enjoyed Sam, the prickly tomboy, but the whole cast of characters were well done in this book - and the superhero/villain write ups for each of them were perfect.
I handed this advance off to a friend of mine, who is spending the summer reading books with a 10 year old boy. I'm looking forward to hearing what he thinks of it.
August 18, 2012
A lot has changed in Tucker MacBean`s life lately. His parents are divorced. Tucker’s dad moved to Boston. Tucker, his mother, and younger, special-needs brother, Beech, moved into a cheap second floor apartment. Tucker`s mother works and attends college full-time; she is now more of a rumor than a parent in the house. But Tucker hasn`t changed. He still buys every new issue of the comic book featuring his hero, H2O, the day it arrives in the comic shop. Then Tucker discovers that H2O could really help his family. There`s a contest to decide H2O`s new sidekick and the prize would mean a lot for Tucker`s family. But how can Tucker win it when he has to care for his brother after school? Can Tucker avoid the angry Sam Zawicki after she throws his new comic book issue into a puddle? Will he find the heart of a hero and win the contest? This funny illustrated story might just be your new favorite!
June 26, 2013
Recommended to me by a fourth-grade graphic-novel lover, I had to read it. She had branched out into something novel-ish, how exciting! And I loved it too.
Tucker Bean lives with his single mom who works more than full-time and is a student. His little brother needs extra TLC because "something happened when he was born. He didn't get enough oxygen in his brain right at first. So he doesn't do everything the way other kids do." One of my favorite things about Beecher, Tucker's brother, is that he only eats foods with faces. Pancakes have fruit faces, bowls of oatmeal have raisin faces, and so on. He is adorable.
And so is Tucker. He is on a mission to make it possible for his Mom to spend more time at home and less time at school and work. This mission spiders out into school, friendships, and the world of comic-book character creation.
Tucker Bean lives with his single mom who works more than full-time and is a student. His little brother needs extra TLC because "something happened when he was born. He didn't get enough oxygen in his brain right at first. So he doesn't do everything the way other kids do." One of my favorite things about Beecher, Tucker's brother, is that he only eats foods with faces. Pancakes have fruit faces, bowls of oatmeal have raisin faces, and so on. He is adorable.
And so is Tucker. He is on a mission to make it possible for his Mom to spend more time at home and less time at school and work. This mission spiders out into school, friendships, and the world of comic-book character creation.
July 11, 2014
Adventures of Beanboy was a good book that I am sure it will resonate with kids who love the Diary of Wimpy Kid series. I particularly liked the angle of the story dealing with Sam and her family. I also liked that the story is set in Kansas. Loved seeing the Weaver Department store as a setting of a scene. I think this one will be easy to promote and get the kids interested in reading.
Recommend. A great book for grades 3-5! And has a good reading level for that age range too - BL: 4.3
If you like this be sure to read Lisa Harkrader's title. It's wonderful!!
Recommend. A great book for grades 3-5! And has a good reading level for that age range too - BL: 4.3
If you like this be sure to read Lisa Harkrader's title. It's wonderful!!
March 7, 2012
Sweet, feel-good story of a boy who is trying to win a comic-book contest to help his struggling family. The characters are life-like and the situations feel real, though the almost-too-good-to-be-true ending might be a little hard to swallow. I enjoyed the pages of Tucker's comic scattered throughout the text, and I liked the quiet moments of humor, such as Tucker's description of the scariest girl at school: "She didn't walk like a girl or talk like a girl or dress like a girl or hit people like a girl. But technically she was, well, a girl." This book reminded me of “Pie” by Sarah Weeks which is also sweet and gentle and perfect for kids who want a happy ending.
April 14, 2012
Put together a boy who likes to draw and the potential for farts and you've got my kind of book. Tucker MacBean hopes that creating a new sidekick for one of his favorite super heroes will make him a winner of the Dark Overlord comic contest. He's got the drawing talent, but has to figure out what's at the heart for his superhero sidekick. There's a girl in the story ... and she's a bully; there's a family dilemma ... and it feels real. And there are some scenes leading up to the seventh grade dance that are a bit Pretty in Pink, but if you're ten you probably haven't seen every John Hughes movie three dozen times, so it totally works. Really truly liked this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews