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Beany Malone #10

by Lenora Mattingly Weber

A troubled Beany believes that she is a coward. After failing to help Miggs prevent a horse from throwing her, Beany unites with one of Andy's Marine friends, Tony Lombard, who is also deeply troubled. Each believing that he or she is of weak, cowardly character, they are drawn together in mutual misery. Will their unification be broken if circumstances change?

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens

291 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Lenora Mattingly, though born in Missouri, lived most of her life in Denver, Colorado. In 1916 she married Albert Herman Weber and was the mother of six children.

Weber's first book, Wind on the Prairie, was published in 1929. From 1930 through 1962 she wrote short stories for magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, and Good Housekeeping. Her last book was published posthumously in 1972.

Lenora Mattingly Weber’s favorite topics included the Denver area, horses, and teenage girls. In 1943 the first Beany Malone book, Meet the Malones, was published. Beany Malone became Weber's most well-known creation, featured in 14 books and appearing as a minor character in the Katie Rose Belford and Stacy Belford series.

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I thought it seemed like Beany was making a big deal of nothing with her worries about courage. I wanted her to just get it out, tell somebody, and have her fears assuaged. But I guess in real life these little persistent doubts have just as much potential to drag us down as the bigger ones do. So in that way, I think the book is quite realistic. The qualms we have about our own inadequacies—however silly they may be—can really be crippling. It also shows how bottling those emotions up can lead to saying and doing things we don’t mean. Beany is not a perfect heroine, and that is refreshing. Like all of us, at times she makes mistakes and feels confused. But she has a good heart, and ultimately her redeeming qualities outshine her weaknesses. On an unrelated note, I feel like it’s worth mentioning that Andy threatens to “shake [Beany] till [she] won’t feel so proud of herself” (p. 92). Although he never does this, I find the mention of it to be a little upsetting. Was this attitude to women really so pervasive back then to come from even a ‘nice boy’ like Andy? That incident aside (and it really was just a passing remark, unlike in Happy Birthday, Dear Beany!), this proves to be another solid offering in the Beany series. Like the other books by Weber that I’ve read, it manages to combine thoughtful insight into human nature with what it’s like to battle the ups-and-downs of growing up.

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Could have skipped this one.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Beany book, until we get nearer to the end. It's unpleasant to have Beany on the outs with her closest friends and family, especially when it seems so avoidable.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one seemed mostly skippable until the climax, when it suddenly became a million times better. The bulk of the book deals with Beany mentally beating herself up over not responding courageously in the midst of a crisis, even though there is realistically nothing that she could have done. She blames herself for a friend's injuries, puts distance between herself and her family, and causes unnecessary drama when a single conversation could have resolved this at the start.

However! Unexpected events later on give Beany the opportunity to prove her courage in a much bigger, more significant crisis, and the story is incredibly exciting and emotionally moving from there. I enjoyed this part so much, and I also appreciated the unexpected answers to prayer that Beany receives. This book delves into her faith in a personal way more, instead of just talking about her attending mass with her family, and has lots of meaningful themes. I enjoyed this a lot in the end.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think out of the ones I read, this one, you see Beany all the more clear. She is always seeking to be there for others, but feels she falls short. Her sister, her father, Elizabeth and helping her sell the property. I related to the feelings of failure, even with you try to do right and people misunderstand. I don't know that these books would be as popular with young people today, but I recommend them as clean, good YA reads.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got so frustrated with Beany for continuously bailing on Andy!
Most of this book is just really frustrating. But the ending - and the return of Elizabeth - makes it worth reading.

[Treasure Island Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beany discovers what she is made of when Miggs has a nasty fall from a nasty horse. Mysterious Tony Lombard enters the picture, and Beany helps him deal with his problems as she solves her own.