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
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Multifaceted supporting characters—an intrepid group of friends (all with nicknames such as Pork Chop and Too Bad), a fussy baby brother, a pushy girl nemesis, a mean grandmother, a Key West resident afflicted with leprosy—are all seen through Bean’s refreshingly honest eyes and create a novel as entertaining as the motion pictures he loves to see.
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The Horn Book Magazine starred review