Full of Beans
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4.4 • 18 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award
Five Starred Reviews!
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, 2016
Grown-ups lie. That’s one truth Beans knows for sure. He and his gang know how to spot a whopper a mile away, because they are the savviest bunch of barefoot conchs (that means “locals”) in all of Key West. Not that Beans really minds; it’s 1934, the middle of the Great Depression. With no jobs on the island, and no money anywhere, who can really blame the grown-ups for telling a few tales? Besides, Beans isn’t anyone’s fool. In fact, he has plans. Big plans. And the consequences might surprise even Beans himself.
Return to the wonderful world of Newbery Honor Book Turtle in Paradise through the eyes of Turtle’s cousin Beans!
"A surprising coming-of-age story with a remarkably honest message." —The New York Times
"[Holm] captures this colorful slice of Depression history with her usual vivacious wit. . . . Children will love Beans." —Shelf Awareness, Starred
"A novel as entertaining as the motion pictures [Beans] loves to see."—The Horn Book Magazine, Starred
“Inspired by actual events, Holm’s talent for writing historical fiction is on full display. . . . Interesting family and small-town dynamics further enrich this fascinating account of a young boy’s life in Florida’s ‘Recovery Key.’” —Booklist, Starred
"Filled with humor, heart, and warmth." —Kirkus Review, Starred
"Entertaining and illuminating historical fiction." —Publishers Weekly, Starred
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
There’s so much personality in Jennifer L. Holm’s historical fiction for kids. Growing up in Key West during the Great Depression, Beans Curry knows a thing or two about making lemonade out of lemons. This irresistible chapter book strikes just the right chord: detailing its protagonists’ mischief and mayhem while also relaying positive messages about resilience and loyalty. Full of Beans is exceptionally fun to read.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this excellent prequel to the Newbery Honor winning Turtle in Paradise, Holm recounts the origins of the Diaper Gang, the group of barefoot boys who have the run of Key West during the Great Depression. Their unofficial leader, Beans, narrates the arrival of the New Dealers who attempt to transform the poverty-stricken island into a tourist destination. Through Beans's eyes, Holm captures the population's economic distress ("Our town looked like a tired black-and-white movie"), with his father heading north to look for work, his mother's hands "red and raw" from doing the neighbors' laundry, and the ubiquitous "conch chowder." To help his family, Beans ventures into a life of crime, setting false fire alarms to create diversions for Cuban rum smuggler Johnny Cakes; dire repercussions motivate him to make amends, igniting his latent leadership skills to the town's benefit. Period details like keeping Sears and Roebuck catalogues handy in outhouses, "marble mania," people with leprosy hidden by their families, and the Shirley Temple craze make for entertaining and illuminating historical fiction. Ages 8 12.
