What do you think?
Rate this book
Mitch and Amy
Mitch and Amy both think being twins is fun, but that doesn't stop them from squabbling. Amy is good at reading. Mitch is a math whiz. Amy likes to play pretend. Mitch would rather skateboard. They never want to watch the same television show. And they always try to get the better of each other.
Then the school bully starts picking on Mitch-and on Amy, too. Now the twins have something rotten in common: Alan Hibbler. This twosome must set aside their squabbles and band together to defeat a bully!
Then the school bully starts picking on Mitch-and on Amy, too. Now the twins have something rotten in common: Alan Hibbler. This twosome must set aside their squabbles and band together to defeat a bully!
Audio
First published January 1, 1967
72 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Beverly Cleary
262 books3,347 followersBeverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
June 12, 2020
Every time I read a book about bullying, I pity not the kids who are being bullied, but the one who does it. Don't ask, can't explain why.
All the books I've read about bullying were so educational, I hope at least 1 out of ten comes into sense and understands bullying is wrong or becomes brave enough to fight.
All the books I've read about bullying were so educational, I hope at least 1 out of ten comes into sense and understands bullying is wrong or becomes brave enough to fight.
January 14, 2009
My favorite chapter is when Mitch finally realizes that reading can be fun. Clearly perfectly captures the everyday wonder of that moment for all of us.
June 6, 2024
*I’ve decided that it would be fun to write reviews for my favorite childhood books. They haven’t been re-read for a while, but are basically memorized from the many readings in years past! So, these reviews will come straight from my heart.💜*
Mitch and Amy are twins, but are as different as chalk and cheese! Mitch is all-boy; very active, constantly riding his bike, tinkering with making things like homemade skateboards. At school he excels in math, but struggles with subjects that involve reading. Amy, (older by ten minutes!), always has “her nose in a book”, loves playing pretend, and will resort to desperate measures to avoid learning math facts.
Amy is a girl after my own heart. She reads constantly, and her favorite books are those by Laura Ingalls Wilder. So, naturally, her other favorite pastime involves dressing up and playing “Laura and Mary” with her best friend. I remember being intrigued by her play-acting, because her number-one rule was the same as mine when I played with my dolls! And that was to eliminate all grown-ups quickly from the stories. As Cleary so aptly described, “ Have them get caught in a blizzard, shot by Indians, but get rid of them.” This book was written in the ‘60s, and I was “dolling” in the 70’s before I read the book, so I always found this to be amusing!
More review to come later:
Mitch and Amy are twins, but are as different as chalk and cheese! Mitch is all-boy; very active, constantly riding his bike, tinkering with making things like homemade skateboards. At school he excels in math, but struggles with subjects that involve reading. Amy, (older by ten minutes!), always has “her nose in a book”, loves playing pretend, and will resort to desperate measures to avoid learning math facts.
Amy is a girl after my own heart. She reads constantly, and her favorite books are those by Laura Ingalls Wilder. So, naturally, her other favorite pastime involves dressing up and playing “Laura and Mary” with her best friend. I remember being intrigued by her play-acting, because her number-one rule was the same as mine when I played with my dolls! And that was to eliminate all grown-ups quickly from the stories. As Cleary so aptly described, “ Have them get caught in a blizzard, shot by Indians, but get rid of them.” This book was written in the ‘60s, and I was “dolling” in the 70’s before I read the book, so I always found this to be amusing!
More review to come later:
March 21, 2018
I loved this book. While it does not have the charming and hilarious characters such as Ramona, it touches a time in childhood where children not only become more invested in solving their own problems but self-aware enough to see the fragility of others.
November 8, 2019
So, it is a tiny bit old fashioned on gender roles- but, still this is a wonderful book. Mitch and Amy are pretty standard characters- but, their mother plays a more fun role in this book. Additionally, there is a wonderful side character named Bernadette that I really wish Cleary had written an entire series about.
There are a few great moments in this book- one is when Amy takes responsibility for her own learning and corrects her delay in multiplication. That's a great moment about taking responsibility for your actions and using your time outside of school to catch up on subjects that take more time for you to learn. I swear, there are college age adults that need to learn from Amy! Nobody blames the teacher, Amy just acknowledges that she needs to spend more time on the subject. Mitch is a slow reader and reluctant through most of the book- but, there's this wonderful moment when he discovers a book that finally gets him into reading. We've all had that one book that turned us into readers, so that was a great moment.
My favorite though was the interactions with Bernadette. Bernadette is a sturdy, competent character. She is who she is without apology or excuses. Her mom keeps a messy house because she's gone back to college and Bernadette isn't all sulky about it. Bernadette has older brothers and an assigned day that she cooks dinner. There are adult chores that she has to do because her mother is trying to finish school to help the family income and she's not all sad and bitter about it.
Goodness, I sure wish there was a whole series about Bernadette.
There are a few great moments in this book- one is when Amy takes responsibility for her own learning and corrects her delay in multiplication. That's a great moment about taking responsibility for your actions and using your time outside of school to catch up on subjects that take more time for you to learn. I swear, there are college age adults that need to learn from Amy! Nobody blames the teacher, Amy just acknowledges that she needs to spend more time on the subject. Mitch is a slow reader and reluctant through most of the book- but, there's this wonderful moment when he discovers a book that finally gets him into reading. We've all had that one book that turned us into readers, so that was a great moment.
My favorite though was the interactions with Bernadette. Bernadette is a sturdy, competent character. She is who she is without apology or excuses. Her mom keeps a messy house because she's gone back to college and Bernadette isn't all sulky about it. Bernadette has older brothers and an assigned day that she cooks dinner. There are adult chores that she has to do because her mother is trying to finish school to help the family income and she's not all sad and bitter about it.
Goodness, I sure wish there was a whole series about Bernadette.
September 12, 2017
We all laughed so much aloud in this one and it was the magical car audiobook experience I've dreamed of.
May 9, 2021
"Mitch and Amy" is one of those books that will always remain timeless within children's literature. It tells of the trials and tribulations of Mitch and Amy Huff, nine-year-old twins who are about to enter the fourth grade at Bay View School.
I first read "Mitch and Amy" back in the fourth grade. Our school library had a birthday tree where students could have a paper ornament on a tree to indicate their birthday. One could also pick a book from a box and have a placard placed inside in honor of his or her birthday. I'd chosen "Mitch and Amy" since it was the only one by Beverly Cleary in the box, and I'd already read all of the Henry Huggins series.
The story takes place around the San Francisco Bay. The book has ten chapters, and is told by the twins in the third person. Mitch's point of view is in the odd chapters while Amy's is in the evens. Summer is ending and both twins are looking forward to the new school year and the fourth grade. So are Mr. and Mrs. Huff who have to endure the endless bickering of their children.
One thing that I've noticed is how one twin's strength seems to be the other's weakness, sort of like the yin-and-yang symbol. Mitch breezes through multiplication tables while Amy gets easily frustrated with them. Yet Amy excels at reading and spelling while Mitch has to plod along reading aloud to his mother. He'd rather go outside and either bike or ride his skateboard around the neighborhood or, when the school year starts, play kickball before classes begin for the day. Meanwhile, Amy enjoys working on home ec. and arts and crafts projects as well as plays the cello. (Mitch plays the French horn.)
Mitchell also has a tendency to build things. The book starts out where he's building a homemade skateboard. He's excited to road-test it, and it leads to disaster not by his own volition. Mitch runs into the school bully Alan Hibbler, a fifth grader, and his buddy Dwight Hill, who's going into junior high school. Alan smashes Mitch's skateboard, then he and Dwight make the younger boy run and throw the wrecked pieces at him. Mitch flees the scene, then realizes that he'll not only have to end up dealing with Alan at school but on the way there.
September and the school year soon begin. At first, Mitch and Amy were both excited for school to start. Now they have their own issues to deal with than just each other. The quibbling siblings are off to a rude awakening. Mitch still struggles with spelling and his aversion to reading books though he's still the math whiz. Amy, though she's still in top reading group in her class, continues to have problems with multiplication which increases vastly when her class gets tested with audio-visual aids.
Alan Hibbler resumes tormenting Mitchell on the way to school. Mitch tries to ignore and avoid the bully--mostly to no avail. Alan delights in throwing eucalyptus buds at Mitch and stepping on his shoes. He coerces the younger boy into a game of "Chicken" with their bikes one day after school. Mitch manages to avoid a serious accident though Alan--who gets badly injured by his own undoing--vows revenge on him.
Outside of the multiplication tables, Amy has her own share of troubles. She and Mitchell continue to goad at one another whenever the opportunity arises. Amy thinks that her brother gets in the way whenever she has her friends over. Mitch butts in when Amy and her friends Marla and Bonnie are trying to earn badges for their Girl Scout troupe by scrubbing the Huffs' kitchen floor though he ends up saving the day for the girls.
The three girls later work on a pinata for their class Christmas party--and they forget to put a hole on the top for the pinata. Since Mrs. Huff won't drive the girls and their "fine feathered friend" to school (due to a neighborhood pact the moms made the summer before), Mitch walks behind the girls to keep an eye out for Alan Hibbler. Alan fails to wreck the pinata and, as revenge, starts to torment Amy as well as Mitch. Despite being at opposite ends of the spectrum, it's time for the twins to unite and stand up to Alan--who's now their common enemy!
It's obvious that Beverly Cleary based this book on her own twin children--her son Malcolm and her daughter Marianne. I would assume that Mr. and Mrs. Huff are drawn from Mr. and Mrs. Cleary and their own experiences on raising twins. Over the years, I've often wondered if these ten chapters are based from what Marianne and Malcolm have endured during the fourth grade.
Beverly Cleary writes another timeless book for children that will continue entertaining generations of kids and their parents. "Mitch and Amy" is one of my favorite books of hers. As with Henry Huggins and Ramona Quimby, it would have been nice for Beverly Cleary to have also written a series on "Mitch and Amy". It could have continued to finish their year in fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, junior high school, etc. You get the idea! But it's one of those books that you can take off of the shelf and continue reading every now and then and never get tired of it!
Rating: *****
I first read "Mitch and Amy" back in the fourth grade. Our school library had a birthday tree where students could have a paper ornament on a tree to indicate their birthday. One could also pick a book from a box and have a placard placed inside in honor of his or her birthday. I'd chosen "Mitch and Amy" since it was the only one by Beverly Cleary in the box, and I'd already read all of the Henry Huggins series.
The story takes place around the San Francisco Bay. The book has ten chapters, and is told by the twins in the third person. Mitch's point of view is in the odd chapters while Amy's is in the evens. Summer is ending and both twins are looking forward to the new school year and the fourth grade. So are Mr. and Mrs. Huff who have to endure the endless bickering of their children.
One thing that I've noticed is how one twin's strength seems to be the other's weakness, sort of like the yin-and-yang symbol. Mitch breezes through multiplication tables while Amy gets easily frustrated with them. Yet Amy excels at reading and spelling while Mitch has to plod along reading aloud to his mother. He'd rather go outside and either bike or ride his skateboard around the neighborhood or, when the school year starts, play kickball before classes begin for the day. Meanwhile, Amy enjoys working on home ec. and arts and crafts projects as well as plays the cello. (Mitch plays the French horn.)
Mitchell also has a tendency to build things. The book starts out where he's building a homemade skateboard. He's excited to road-test it, and it leads to disaster not by his own volition. Mitch runs into the school bully Alan Hibbler, a fifth grader, and his buddy Dwight Hill, who's going into junior high school. Alan smashes Mitch's skateboard, then he and Dwight make the younger boy run and throw the wrecked pieces at him. Mitch flees the scene, then realizes that he'll not only have to end up dealing with Alan at school but on the way there.
September and the school year soon begin. At first, Mitch and Amy were both excited for school to start. Now they have their own issues to deal with than just each other. The quibbling siblings are off to a rude awakening. Mitch still struggles with spelling and his aversion to reading books though he's still the math whiz. Amy, though she's still in top reading group in her class, continues to have problems with multiplication which increases vastly when her class gets tested with audio-visual aids.
Alan Hibbler resumes tormenting Mitchell on the way to school. Mitch tries to ignore and avoid the bully--mostly to no avail. Alan delights in throwing eucalyptus buds at Mitch and stepping on his shoes. He coerces the younger boy into a game of "Chicken" with their bikes one day after school. Mitch manages to avoid a serious accident though Alan--who gets badly injured by his own undoing--vows revenge on him.
Outside of the multiplication tables, Amy has her own share of troubles. She and Mitchell continue to goad at one another whenever the opportunity arises. Amy thinks that her brother gets in the way whenever she has her friends over. Mitch butts in when Amy and her friends Marla and Bonnie are trying to earn badges for their Girl Scout troupe by scrubbing the Huffs' kitchen floor though he ends up saving the day for the girls.
The three girls later work on a pinata for their class Christmas party--and they forget to put a hole on the top for the pinata. Since Mrs. Huff won't drive the girls and their "fine feathered friend" to school (due to a neighborhood pact the moms made the summer before), Mitch walks behind the girls to keep an eye out for Alan Hibbler. Alan fails to wreck the pinata and, as revenge, starts to torment Amy as well as Mitch. Despite being at opposite ends of the spectrum, it's time for the twins to unite and stand up to Alan--who's now their common enemy!
It's obvious that Beverly Cleary based this book on her own twin children--her son Malcolm and her daughter Marianne. I would assume that Mr. and Mrs. Huff are drawn from Mr. and Mrs. Cleary and their own experiences on raising twins. Over the years, I've often wondered if these ten chapters are based from what Marianne and Malcolm have endured during the fourth grade.
Beverly Cleary writes another timeless book for children that will continue entertaining generations of kids and their parents. "Mitch and Amy" is one of my favorite books of hers. As with Henry Huggins and Ramona Quimby, it would have been nice for Beverly Cleary to have also written a series on "Mitch and Amy". It could have continued to finish their year in fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, junior high school, etc. You get the idea! But it's one of those books that you can take off of the shelf and continue reading every now and then and never get tired of it!
Rating: *****
February 11, 2021
Really fun for my 7yo and 8yo; they’re close enough in age and relationship to relate to the twins. Typical Clearly with lots of insight regarding the inner workings of children’s minds. 🙂
January 23, 2024
Covid read, made me remember that life has meaning ❤️ I love twins
September 15, 2025
quick reread of one of my favorite books from my younger years. beverly cleary continues to have her finger on the pulse of childhood. i, an Amy - except i always knew my multiplication tables!! - always wanted a brother like Mitchell.
April 24, 2016
In just under a month, Beverly Cleary will celebrate her 100th birthday, and for well over half a century, her books have delighted readers everywhere with their believable and sympathetic characters and the ordinary situations they face.
Mitchell and Amy Huff are twins just starting fourth grade. Like many pairs of twins, these two have very different personalities. Amy is an enthusiastic Girl Scout who loves reading and is very good at arts and crafts. Mitch is something of a clown who loves all things mechanical and hates sitting still.
And like siblings everywhere, Mitch and Amy take great pleasure in annoying each other. Mitch has a lot of trouble reading, and his mother regularly has him practice reading aloud with her. Amy, though she knows she shouldn't, somehow can't resist sitting in on these sessions, ostentatiously reading her own thick novels and smugly announcing how many pages she has read, while Mitch stumbles along in what he considers babyish books.
And the twins will happily argue over anything, from who can read Dear Abby's advice first to whose fifty-cent piece is shinier. This drives their parents up the wall.
But Mitch and Amy still care about each other, and when the chips are down, each can count on the other for support and understanding. Amy has great difficulty learning her multiplication tables, not least because she wastes so much of her energy avoiding the task, but when she is finally forced to tackle them, Mitch surprises her by offering to help.
Mitch's biggest problem this year is Alan Hibbler, a smug, smarmy boy a year older. Mitch had managed to embarrass Alan twice as the school year began, and Alan has now dedicated his life to making Mitch's life miserable. Mitch tries his hardest to ignore Alan's taunts and tricks, but he is beginning to get angry and very tired of the constant bullying; he is too proud to tell his parents or a teacher of the problem, and too prudent to confront Alan himself. But as his patience wears thin, it's clear that a showdown is inevitable.
The twins gain a new friend and ally in Bernadette Stumpf, a seemingly eccentric and unkempt girl in their grade whom they regard with a mixture of annoyance and admiration. When Amy and Bernadette are paired up to take their turn at providing refreshments for their next Girl Scout meeting, Amy is surprised to learn that Bernadette and her five older brothers do most of the family's cooking and housework themselves because their father works and their mother is a full-time student. This explains Bernadette's rumpled appearance and precocious self-reliance, and Amy rather envies her messy, comfortable house and her competence in the kitchen.
The book was written in the sixties, and it shows in several delightful ways: the fourth-graders are excited to find that their new classrooms are equipped with slide projectors, TV's, and record and cassette players. Amy is very surprised that Bernadette's mother is in college, and her own mother is a stay-at-home mother who enjoys "The French Chef" on TV. But the kids' rivalry, the gloriously messy pinata-making party Amy and her two best friends have, Mitchell's troubles with the insufferable Alan, and their everyday struggles and triumphs, are timeless.
Mitchell and Amy Huff are twins just starting fourth grade. Like many pairs of twins, these two have very different personalities. Amy is an enthusiastic Girl Scout who loves reading and is very good at arts and crafts. Mitch is something of a clown who loves all things mechanical and hates sitting still.
And like siblings everywhere, Mitch and Amy take great pleasure in annoying each other. Mitch has a lot of trouble reading, and his mother regularly has him practice reading aloud with her. Amy, though she knows she shouldn't, somehow can't resist sitting in on these sessions, ostentatiously reading her own thick novels and smugly announcing how many pages she has read, while Mitch stumbles along in what he considers babyish books.
And the twins will happily argue over anything, from who can read Dear Abby's advice first to whose fifty-cent piece is shinier. This drives their parents up the wall.
But Mitch and Amy still care about each other, and when the chips are down, each can count on the other for support and understanding. Amy has great difficulty learning her multiplication tables, not least because she wastes so much of her energy avoiding the task, but when she is finally forced to tackle them, Mitch surprises her by offering to help.
Mitch's biggest problem this year is Alan Hibbler, a smug, smarmy boy a year older. Mitch had managed to embarrass Alan twice as the school year began, and Alan has now dedicated his life to making Mitch's life miserable. Mitch tries his hardest to ignore Alan's taunts and tricks, but he is beginning to get angry and very tired of the constant bullying; he is too proud to tell his parents or a teacher of the problem, and too prudent to confront Alan himself. But as his patience wears thin, it's clear that a showdown is inevitable.
The twins gain a new friend and ally in Bernadette Stumpf, a seemingly eccentric and unkempt girl in their grade whom they regard with a mixture of annoyance and admiration. When Amy and Bernadette are paired up to take their turn at providing refreshments for their next Girl Scout meeting, Amy is surprised to learn that Bernadette and her five older brothers do most of the family's cooking and housework themselves because their father works and their mother is a full-time student. This explains Bernadette's rumpled appearance and precocious self-reliance, and Amy rather envies her messy, comfortable house and her competence in the kitchen.
The book was written in the sixties, and it shows in several delightful ways: the fourth-graders are excited to find that their new classrooms are equipped with slide projectors, TV's, and record and cassette players. Amy is very surprised that Bernadette's mother is in college, and her own mother is a stay-at-home mother who enjoys "The French Chef" on TV. But the kids' rivalry, the gloriously messy pinata-making party Amy and her two best friends have, Mitchell's troubles with the insufferable Alan, and their everyday struggles and triumphs, are timeless.
October 9, 2013
I've always avoided this title because I thought it was one of Cleary's teen romances. I don't like teen romances. But Mitch and Amy are twins, not boyfriend and girlfriend. I fell in love with the competent Bernadette in this book. The way she deals with the bully is a thing of beauty, but so is the aftermath.
One interesting effect of going through all the Cleary books in a row is seeing how certain small anecdotes get recycled (sewing pants for stuffed elephants, for instance, and the "shave and a haircut" postscript to a processional) and subtly changed. I think maybe these are the anecdotes that are truest to life.
Cleary's writing has an immediacy and a charm that somehow I missed as a kid. And she's also the perfect model on how to write books that never need to be scrubbed and updated because of brand names- while I know who the French Chef is, it doesn't matter a whit because it's a descriptive name. And the curly-haired lady on TV who tries on skis in her living room could be anyone on a sitcom, not just Lucy. And so on.
One interesting effect of going through all the Cleary books in a row is seeing how certain small anecdotes get recycled (sewing pants for stuffed elephants, for instance, and the "shave and a haircut" postscript to a processional) and subtly changed. I think maybe these are the anecdotes that are truest to life.
Cleary's writing has an immediacy and a charm that somehow I missed as a kid. And she's also the perfect model on how to write books that never need to be scrubbed and updated because of brand names- while I know who the French Chef is, it doesn't matter a whit because it's a descriptive name. And the curly-haired lady on TV who tries on skis in her living room could be anyone on a sitcom, not just Lucy. And so on.
Read
July 9, 2021So far so wonderful, as usual. Children see themselves in Cleary's characters (even if they're not both white and middle-class, I think) and parents & other educators can learn about a child's point of view. For example I agree that creative writing should not be marked up for spelling errors, "especially when the story was supposed to have been written by a rat."
Interesting details that make this a piece of history, as well. I had no idea skateboards have been around so long. But Amy wears a petticoat, and I only wore a slip on special occasions, usually wearing pants instead.
I love George Porter's illustrations.
---
Ok done.
One of the most satisfying treatments of a bully that I've ever seen, especially in older books. Remember, it's only been a decade or so that schools have adopted a zero tolerance for bullying.
I have to admit that the mother needs to find another way to get the twins to stop bickering. But it's hard. I don't know if my brothers and I ever disputed who got the shiniest quarter, but my mother did no better, and we're still not close. And we had otherwise a happy childhood and were raised to be good citizens. I think the main thing is, try not to have the kids so close in age, so they have their own interests & perspectives. And make sure that you treat them as individuals, and spend separate time with each of them, don't expect them to be a team.
Maybe if you have little kids close in age (fewer than 3.5 years apart) you should read this and see if you can figure out what the parents could do better. Let me know what you've come up with, too!
Interesting details that make this a piece of history, as well. I had no idea skateboards have been around so long. But Amy wears a petticoat, and I only wore a slip on special occasions, usually wearing pants instead.
I love George Porter's illustrations.
---
Ok done.
One of the most satisfying treatments of a bully that I've ever seen, especially in older books. Remember, it's only been a decade or so that schools have adopted a zero tolerance for bullying.
I have to admit that the mother needs to find another way to get the twins to stop bickering. But it's hard. I don't know if my brothers and I ever disputed who got the shiniest quarter, but my mother did no better, and we're still not close. And we had otherwise a happy childhood and were raised to be good citizens. I think the main thing is, try not to have the kids so close in age, so they have their own interests & perspectives. And make sure that you treat them as individuals, and spend separate time with each of them, don't expect them to be a team.
Maybe if you have little kids close in age (fewer than 3.5 years apart) you should read this and see if you can figure out what the parents could do better. Let me know what you've come up with, too!
December 23, 2024
I love Beverly Cleary books and I love reading them even more with my kids! My son and I just finished this one. It's about twins, Mitch and Amy, and how they interact with each other and the world around them. Throughout this book, a bully named Alan Hibbler terrorizes both of them. I love all the moments of empathy these two twins share between each other and the people they enteract with. The ending was very sweet, but I won't spoil it. I recommend this book, mostly to children, but it's great for adults to read aloud with children, too!
August 15, 2017
ไม่ได้เป็นเฉพาะเรื่องราวของฝาแฝด
แต่ผู้เขียนได้ใส่บทบาทของเด็กเกเรคนหนึ่งเข้ามาในเรื่องด้วย
ตัวร้ายที่คอยแกล้งสองพี่น้องและเพื่อนๆ แบบที่เห็นบ่อยๆ ในภาพยนตร์แนวนี้ของฝรั่ง
ในฐานะของเด็กที่ถูกแกล้ง
มิตเชลล์พยายามด้วยตัวเอง ใช้ทั้งความกล้าและความกลัว
เพื่อที่จะผ่านพ้นเหตุการณ์เลวร้ายในโรงเรียน
สนุก น่ารัก น่าเอาใจช่วยค่ะ
แต่ผู้เขียนได้ใส่บทบาทของเด็กเกเรคนหนึ่งเข้ามาในเรื่องด้วย
ตัวร้ายที่คอยแกล้งสองพี่น้องและเพื่อนๆ แบบที่เห็นบ่อยๆ ในภาพยนตร์แนวนี้ของฝรั่ง
ในฐานะของเด็กที่ถูกแกล้ง
มิตเชลล์พยายามด้วยตัวเอง ใช้ทั้งความกล้าและความกลัว
เพื่อที่จะผ่านพ้นเหตุการณ์เลวร้ายในโรงเรียน
สนุก น่ารัก น่าเอาใจช่วยค่ะ
May 18, 2023
How did I miss this growing up? This one was an instant favorite with me and my girls.
September 7, 2024
Glad I read it again, but still my least favorite of Beverly Cleary’s books
December 2, 2016
This book Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary is about two twins (Mitch and Amy) and they are their own enemies. This book reminds me of me and my older brother. we are always fighting, but at then when its over I always end up feeling bad for the way that I acted. But then later we always forget about it and move on. I gave this book a five star because it was just the right reading level and I can relate so it was interesting. In the book they each have their own problems. Mitch has trouble reading and Amy has trouble with multiplication. And they are always bugging each other about it. so me and my brother are always bugging each other about stuff like that. So yes, i would recommend this book to readers who like realistic fiction and a little bit of comedy.
November 21, 2020
Three stars for Mitch and Amy. This one feels a little grittier than many of Cleary's other books--there's some pretty intense bullying, and one scene with a middle schooler smoking. There're also some rather unflattering references to Native Americans and some outdated ideas about gender. But there are some funny lines (derailing!) and a reference to sewing slacks for a stuffed elephant that brings Ramona Quimby to mind. And the portrayal of kids who struggle with reading rings true--Mitch and Alan might be called dyslexic today.
April 28, 2017
I forgot all about this one. Read it as a kid--got it from the Scholastic Book Club. Loved it! I ought to dig it out and re-read it...
April 10, 2016
The book that taught me the word "cafetorium"
March 25, 2021
Mitchell and Amy Huff are fraternal twins, who, like any fraternal opposite sex twins, have nothing in common. Amy is a good reader, but multiplication is the bane of her existence. Mitch is good at math and building things, but reading his not his strong suit. The duo are beginning fourth grade, and finally have something in common - the school bully, Alan Hibbler, who hides his insecurities through his bullying behaviors. Can Amy and Mitch overcome their weaknesses AND their common enemy?
I read all of the Ramona Quimby books between 3rd and 5th grades (up to Ramona Forever), as well as the Ralph S. Mouse series, Ellen Tebbits, and Dear Mr. Henshaw, but managed to completely overlook a story about fraternal twins. This is a topic I can completely relate to being a fraternal twin (with a brother). Beverly Cleary nailed the dynamic of same-age siblings who have nothing in common - my brother and I couldn't possibly be any more different, but we did deal with common annoying kids in elementary school, especially when we were the same age as the Huff twins.
I found myself identifying with Amy, especially being lousy at multiplication - I got hung up on long division in sixth grade! I can definitely see some of my own brother in Mitchell, and the little moments where the two of us got along good.
This story was truly a slice-of-everyday-life that makes Cleary's stories so good. I highly recommend "Mitch and Amy," because even when you aren't a twin, the struggle of siblings is always real!
As Mitch said in his book report, "read the book!"
I read all of the Ramona Quimby books between 3rd and 5th grades (up to Ramona Forever), as well as the Ralph S. Mouse series, Ellen Tebbits, and Dear Mr. Henshaw, but managed to completely overlook a story about fraternal twins. This is a topic I can completely relate to being a fraternal twin (with a brother). Beverly Cleary nailed the dynamic of same-age siblings who have nothing in common - my brother and I couldn't possibly be any more different, but we did deal with common annoying kids in elementary school, especially when we were the same age as the Huff twins.
I found myself identifying with Amy, especially being lousy at multiplication - I got hung up on long division in sixth grade! I can definitely see some of my own brother in Mitchell, and the little moments where the two of us got along good.
This story was truly a slice-of-everyday-life that makes Cleary's stories so good. I highly recommend "Mitch and Amy," because even when you aren't a twin, the struggle of siblings is always real!
As Mitch said in his book report, "read the book!"
October 24, 2025
Underrated Beverly Cleary book, I think about this one constantly, I think it might be in my top five by her at least.
I remember especially liking the parts about Amy and her friend playing Laura and Mary and "getting rid of the parents as quickly as possible," and being (as young as I was) super intrigued by the dual "narrator" (it's all third person omniscient but switches between Mitch and Amy each chapter) idea and the fact that several of the sets of chapters took place at the same time. I think my favorite chapter is either the one where Amy and her friends try to clean the floor and it spirals out of control, or, no, it's definitely the one where Mitch discovers reading because, look, I get it. He's below his reading level and then there aren't a whole lot of books on his level that are going to interest a nine year old boy and he finds one, and I think that was something Beverly Cleary was actively trying to fix while writing her books. I also liked that chapter because the first half of it is just him watching random things on TV and for some reason they're described really entertainingly.
This is apparently a book about bullying, and, yeah, the "main" conflict is with that one boy, but also each chapter is a self contained story with so much more to it.
Also, Bernadette. LOVE her.
I remember especially liking the parts about Amy and her friend playing Laura and Mary and "getting rid of the parents as quickly as possible," and being (as young as I was) super intrigued by the dual "narrator" (it's all third person omniscient but switches between Mitch and Amy each chapter) idea and the fact that several of the sets of chapters took place at the same time. I think my favorite chapter is either the one where Amy and her friends try to clean the floor and it spirals out of control, or, no, it's definitely the one where Mitch discovers reading because, look, I get it. He's below his reading level and then there aren't a whole lot of books on his level that are going to interest a nine year old boy and he finds one, and I think that was something Beverly Cleary was actively trying to fix while writing her books. I also liked that chapter because the first half of it is just him watching random things on TV and for some reason they're described really entertainingly.
This is apparently a book about bullying, and, yeah, the "main" conflict is with that one boy, but also each chapter is a self contained story with so much more to it.
Also, Bernadette. LOVE her.
May 16, 2023
There is something very nostalgic about this book, which makes sense given how long ago it was written. In this story we meet Mitch and Amy, twins who are growing up in another time altogether. They're being bullied by a kid who really is very cruel. What feels so different about this book is how the kids are expected to handle it on their own - and they really do.
This is one of those books which raises an eyebrow more than once. The way the teachers really don't react to situations which would get kids suspended today is almost surprising. The mentality of kids needing to sort things out for themselves feels almost strange in a world where there would be serious repercussions involving social workers or school administration today. This is definitely a simpler time.
What's also kind of interesting is seeing how gender roles are really played out here. There are very different expectations on both Mitch and Amy. What I do like is how Amy does things all the time which kind of defies those roles.
All in all, I did like this book but you need to read it as a snapshot of a different era. Kids are still kids of course, but how they are expected handle things today is definitely very different.
This is one of those books which raises an eyebrow more than once. The way the teachers really don't react to situations which would get kids suspended today is almost surprising. The mentality of kids needing to sort things out for themselves feels almost strange in a world where there would be serious repercussions involving social workers or school administration today. This is definitely a simpler time.
What's also kind of interesting is seeing how gender roles are really played out here. There are very different expectations on both Mitch and Amy. What I do like is how Amy does things all the time which kind of defies those roles.
All in all, I did like this book but you need to read it as a snapshot of a different era. Kids are still kids of course, but how they are expected handle things today is definitely very different.
March 23, 2021
I remember reading this when I was young and wishing I had a twin. Later, as I grew up, I half hoped I'd have twins that I could name Mitch and Molly (after my favorite American Girl doll).
I liked the sibling interactions in this book since we haven't seen that much. Beezus and Ramona are the only siblings we've seen (besides the older ones in Cleary's young adult books), and they had a different dynamic due to the age gap.
Mitch and Amy don't seem to get along much, but after they face the same bully alone and then together, they start to realize how important they are to each other. I really liked seeing how the bully issue was handled in the 60s.
Each situation the twins found themselves in was interesting and often amusing. For a standalone book, the depth of character development is outstanding.
I liked the sibling interactions in this book since we haven't seen that much. Beezus and Ramona are the only siblings we've seen (besides the older ones in Cleary's young adult books), and they had a different dynamic due to the age gap.
Mitch and Amy don't seem to get along much, but after they face the same bully alone and then together, they start to realize how important they are to each other. I really liked seeing how the bully issue was handled in the 60s.
Each situation the twins found themselves in was interesting and often amusing. For a standalone book, the depth of character development is outstanding.
February 18, 2023
*3.5 stars
Reading this as an adult DEFINITELY made a difference in my thoughts about this book. If I'd gotten around to it when I was a kid, I would've loved Mitch & Amy's squabbles...but as an adult, I found their contant bickering annoying.
This book is definitely a product of its time: certain activities are gendered (girls like sewing & cooking & CLEANING FOR FUN & crafts & MATH IS HARD!), the adult approach to dealing with bullies, the mostly-disinterested father. And Mitch definitely needed help with a learning disability. I'm curious as to whether any of this was tweaked in the 2008 reissue of the book.
On the other hand, the brief glimpse into Bernadette's family life was a delightful relief and the twins learning to help and support each other was refreshing after all that bickering!
Reading this as an adult DEFINITELY made a difference in my thoughts about this book. If I'd gotten around to it when I was a kid, I would've loved Mitch & Amy's squabbles...but as an adult, I found their contant bickering annoying.
This book is definitely a product of its time: certain activities are gendered (girls like sewing & cooking & CLEANING FOR FUN & crafts & MATH IS HARD!), the adult approach to dealing with bullies, the mostly-disinterested father. And Mitch definitely needed help with a learning disability. I'm curious as to whether any of this was tweaked in the 2008 reissue of the book.
On the other hand, the brief glimpse into Bernadette's family life was a delightful relief and the twins learning to help and support each other was refreshing after all that bickering!
February 18, 2024
This book is in the contemporary realistic fiction genre, it's suitable for ages that range between eight and eleven. This book follows fraternal twins Mitch and Amy with different personalities and identities to manage throughout school. The book is also available in audiobook format. A theme present in this book is the understanding of each other as siblings, Though they might not see eye to eye on things they have a mutual understanding of each other. It shows no matter what the person is like, your still family at the end of the day. This book can be relatable for readers who decide to read this book if they have a rivalry with siblings at times. As a younger sibling, this greatly shows what it is like to have siblings. Young readers with siblings would be drawn to this to see how they feel or relate to the struggle of having siblings.
June 1, 2017
What I thought about the book Mitch and Amy was that it was a really good book. I really liked how Amy went and stuck up for her twin brother Mitch when Allen Hibbler tried to bully Mitch by breaking Mitch's skateboard that he built by hand out of recycled wood and roller skates. I also liked the fact that Beverly Cleary went and took pieces of what each twin was good at by showing that Amy was good at reading and liked to do more arts and crafts and how she made Mitch good a being a math whiz and how he would actually rather go and skateboard most of the time and about how he does not always want to sit and practice reading so he can be come a faster reader so he can go in a lot faster reading group in his forth grade class.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2023
This certainly offered up a nostalgia factor for me. But it is dated and that makes it difficult for me to recommend to a young person today. While the theme of bullying is always timely, I am not certain that kids today would relate much to the characters in this book. They will have a lot of fun laughing about the technology that so excited these youngsters. Such as the new phonograph player that Amy gets to be in charge of in the classroom and she has to learn to put the needle down at just the right place each morning for the singing of the patriotic song to begin each day. Times have indeed changed.
April 22, 2020
My kids loved this book! Set 50 years ago, Mitch and Amy is a story of twins (based on author Beverly Cleary's twins) and illustrates friendships, differences and challenges that are not so different from what kids experience today. Bullying, school struggles, sibling spats, burgeoning independence...these are all things my young children related to and found hilarious. They were scandalized by a boy smoking a cigarette and wondered what it would be like to skateboard around the neighborhood without parents following them (gasp!)
Recommend. Sweet and fun.
Recommend. Sweet and fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews