| Title | : | Bumbling Bea |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1500390356 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781500390358 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 154 |
| Publication | : | First published June 1, 2014 |
| Awards | : | Royal Dragonfly Book Award Middle Grade Fiction (2nd Place) (2015) |
Recently award winner for Excellence in Writing and Publishing! Beatrice thinks she has no talent, but that doesn’t stop her from auditioning for the annual middle school play. Easy! Except Michiko, a new girl from Japan, shows up and ruins everything. So begins Beatrice’s humorous and diabolical plan to scare away Michiko. But Michiko has goals of her own with no plans to leave soon. Then there’s that “other” girl, Bumbling Bea, who is such a blabbermouth. What’s a girl to do? Plenty.
Bumbling Bea Reviews
-
Realistic and funny
Bumbling Bea plagues Beatrice. She causes her to blurt out ugly half truths, exaggerations, and worse. Beatrice and her class are putting on an important play and Beatrice has much maturing to do. Well written with great dialog and fun characters this was a very fun read. Great story. -
So cute
-
Maybe we all have a Bumbling Bea inside us...
Bumbling Bea is a fantastic story full of humor and important life lessons regarding friendship and the struggles that go along with finding your way through junior high, and through life. Bea is very well written with characters you can't help but fall in love with, most notably the title character herself. I know it's a book for kids, but I thoroughly enjoyed Bumbling Bea. Perhaps it's because I saw a bit of my young diva self in Beatrice. I'm looking forward to hopefully more adventures from Bea and her friends. -
Bumbling Bea
What a cute story of a youngster by the name of Beatrice, an eighth grader who is having a difficult time keeping her opinions to herself. And what opinions they are!
Beatrice is a regular kid who is learning the lessons of true friendship, what that means and how to be a great friend. It's not an easy feat for her, but she does seem to learn a lot more than she bargained for.
The story is centered on a grade eight school play which is a unique element. We really don't hear enough about the world of theater so this made the experience all that more enjoyable.
Well done Mrs. Baldwin on an excellent story and having the ability to immerse yourself into the mind of an eighth grader.
An excellent read! -
An enjoyable story for tweens and early teens.
In 'Bumbling Bea', we meet an 8th-grade girl named Beatrice and follow her journey as she learned important lessons about friendship, self-control and self-awareness. It delivers a particularly important message about learning to see something from another person's point of view and allowing that perspective to guide our decisions, actions and words.
Beatrice is a realistic character who struggles to deal with most of the things happening in her life. Early teen and tween readers will easily identify with her and sympathise with her in the different dilemmas she faces. The other characters are well-developed and the story line certainly gets the reader involved.
This was an enjoyable story with some really good morals for kids. -
This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.
Beatrice is in the 8th grade and really wants the lead in her school play because it'll give her the in with the popular kids. She was sure she had the part, even when the new girl, Michiko tried for the same part.
Beatrice has what she calls her alter ego, Bumbling Bea, that like to come out when she's nervous, scared, embarrassed, or unsure or herself. Bumbling Bea, or BB had been making an appearance quite frequently even before Michiko showed up.
When I first started reading this, I thought her actions were a bit immature for an 8th grader, but then I guess take in the family problems, hormones, probably puberty, I think the alter ego is probably believable. I think this book would be great for 10 to 12 year olds. Beatrice is a great character who overcomes her alter ego. She learns how to listen and become a better friend. She learns that true friends are better than popular ones if they are fake. Beatrice is snarky, quirky, funny, and quite likeable. Many of the antics in this book will make you laugh out loud. I this story is a great example of growing up. -
Synopsis
Bea’s life gets turned upside down when a foreign student from Japan, Machiko, takes the prize role in the school play. From there, conflict between the two girls arises until one day Machiko gets stuck in the bathroom.
Prose
The writing in this thin book was enchanting. It had a flavor all of its own and rolled on and on very clearly and well. Take a look.
This was one of those times that happen about once a year in your beige life, you know? When what you’d been thinking about, dreaming about, actually happens and life gets a lot more colorful.
The author does a good job giving the main character, Bea, a unique voice, as the story is presented in first person. She grabs the inner thoughts of a girl well in this way. However, there are some flaws.
Characters
Clearly, Bea is well done. Her full name is Beatrice, but she calls her alter ego, ‘Bumbling Bea.’ It is the side of her that jumps out and sort of ruins things from time to time. If a real child did this, I’m sure some authority figure would snap on them. She tends to use her alter ego as an excuse often, but we do see real consequences when she’s too dramatic.
The other characters, besides Machiko, are sort of flat, given their favorite activity and/or personality tick. This doesn’t bother me too much, even though it was hard to keep the side characters straight. Clearly the people who matter were better drawn.
Machiko is our glimpse into another culture and offers a slightly different perspective. She is still a little too clean cut, especially compared to Bea who feels very well-rounded, but at least she wasn’t a stereotype…too much.
Structure
Like always, this is where things fall apart. The beginning was actually quite delightful. We get a little anecdote to demonstrate the destructive and/or bumbling nature of Bea. From there, I expected it to get into the main plot smoothly, and it did…but there were many bumps.
For one, even though the conflict between the girls came quickly, I couldn’t help but feel parts were missing. I was unclear when Bea found out she wasn’t going to get the lead. Then instead of bringing more tension, anytime things got rough, Machiko just ran off. Fine. I know some girls who are like that—not just middle-schoolers—but as the book progressed, more and more scenes seemed to be snipped or rushed, ultimately leaving me confused.
Then there’s the main plot. Clearly, it is between Bea and Machiko, and as you can expect, eventually they make-up and become friends, but it didn’t feel real to me. By the time the play happens, they are the bestest friends in history—somehow? I didn’t feel it or believe it. In this way, I wished more time was spent on that part.
Also, we get a little repetition, hearing the same things regarding Kabuki and Japanese culture a couple of times. It felt like the author was really trying to teach us about it by say it again and again.
And with all of this combined, it left me perplexed.
Overall
As you can see it was hard to come to a firm score for this book. Ultimately, I decided on three and a half. This was mainly due to the rushed fragments of the story. However, many parts were well written. Perhaps, the smaller nature of the book—only 155 pages—is to blame. Had the author spent a little more time filling it out, allowing the friendship and the problems to resolve themselves more naturally, then she might have had a much better book on her hands. As is, it’s good—just not wow.
P.S. The cover really needs a makeover. Right now it looks very amateurish. -
Today We Did
In a last attempt to get in with the popular kids before high school starts, Beatrice auditions for the lead in the school play. She’s sure she’s a shoe-in, until a new Japanese student interrupts her plans. Michiko is actually a good actor, and suddenly Beatrice finds herself backstage instead of being the centre of the show. Her mean alter ego comes to the fore, with snarky and sarcastic comments, cruel pranks, and behaviour that just isn’t her. Can she overcome Bumbling Bea, befriend Michiko and keep Jerri and Peter on her side?
I liked this story. It reminded me of how awkward it can be growing up and it made me laugh! The theatre can be lots of fun for kids to get involved in, but sometimes it’s taken too seriously ending up with some rather crazy antics.
Bumbling Bea was a humourous story about the awkwardness of growing up. I think every child goes through a period of something similar to Beatrice as they try to discover themselves and their place in the world. Unfortunately for Beatrice, she has a hard time keeping her inner thoughts to herself, which results in her getting herself in all sorts of funny trouble.
The production of the play was very amusing, especially the inclusion of the red balls and the principal. I also laughed when Peter tried to help Bea with her prank against Michiko and it backfired, and when Beatrice tried to give her teacher a nice leaving present. Beatrice’s mum’s cooking sounded pretty atrocious too, but it amused me that her brother would name the meals according to which country’s flag it resembled.
There were a few areas in the story that didn’t flow neatly. I even thought I might have read a chapter out of order at one point, it was a little fragmented at times. I re-read a few bits, which helped me get things clearer. Otherwise, I thought the plot was interesting, and the characters realistic. Bea’s outbursts definitely reminded me of some snarky kids from my own school days! I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Jerri in the story, she is supposed to be Beatrice’s best friend, but it didn’t read quite that way.
Bumbling Bea is suitable for middle and upper primary school students. It is a good book for independent readers, especially those that like to laugh!
*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions. -
AWARD WINNING BOOK BY DEBORAH BALDWIN
CHILDREN, FAMILY, AND PRETEEN
STORY LINE BUMBLING BEA:
In Bumbling Bea, author Deborah Baldwin creates an enjoyable look into growing up. Beatrice has one more chance to play the lead in the school play before she leaves middle school. After all, playing the lead will ensure she will be in with popular girls. She has planned all year towards this goal, she and her alter ego Bumbling Bea. However, things do not go as planned. A new girl has enrolled from Japan. Michiko talented, opinionated, and pretty, gets the lead-roll. Beatrice and alter ego Bea refuse to be denied and devise plans to get rid of Michiko. Let the games begin.
Hilarity, missteps, and bungling follow as Bea and Michiko come to terms. My children's contemporary novel review follows.
CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:
To begin with, I must tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Although classified as a children/preteen book, I found as a mature senior I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Filled with laughter, missteps, and trials of the young trying to grow up, I laughed out loud at Bea's antics. As I read, I found myself remembering my preteen years and the emotions that ran riot. Author Deborah Baldwin captured the pain and confusion of transitioning from a child to preteen and the situations the immature mind can create.
Baldwin's pacing of the story was inline with the length of the story. The pace did not lag or bog down, but was steady and smooth. Furthermore, I found the plotting skillful as Ms. Baldwin brought all the threads together to create a solid book.
Lastly, in concluding my contemporary children's novel review, I found the book well written with well-developed main characters and secondary characters which added to the tension and story-line.
BUMBLING BEA RECOMMENDATION: STARS 4
In addition, I gave Bumbling Bea 4 well-deserved stars. Subsequently, I found Bumbling Bea suitable for children and preteens as well as adults. As a senior I enjoyed this funny look back at the preteen years.
FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE:
Additionally, I received this book from the author. I chose to voluntarily review the book with an honest contemporary children preteen novel review.
Lastly, book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion. Consequently, all book reviews on-line and under my name, are my opinion. Without a doubt, the ARC did not affect my voluntary contemporary children preteen novel review.
-
AWARD WINNING BOOK BY DEBORAH BALDWIN
CHILDREN, FAMILY, AND PRETEEN
STORY LINE BUMBLING BEA:
In Bumbling Bea, author Deborah Baldwin creates an enjoyable look into growing up. Beatrice has one more chance to play the lead in the school play before she leaves middle school. After all, playing the lead will ensure she will be in with popular girls. She has planned all year towards this goal, she and her alter ego Bumbling Bea. However, things do not go as planned. A new girl has enrolled from Japan. Michiko talented, opinionated, and pretty, gets the lead-roll. Beatrice and alter ego Bea refuse to be denied and devise plans to get rid of Michiko. Let the games begin.
Hilarity, missteps, and bungling follow as Bea and Michiko come to terms. My children's contemporary novel review follows.
CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:
To begin with, I must tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Although classified as a children/preteen book, I found as a mature senior I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Filled with laughter, missteps, and trials of the young trying to grow up, I laughed out loud at Bea's antics. As I read, I found myself remembering my preteen years and the emotions that ran riot. Author Deborah Baldwin captured the pain and confusion of transitioning from a child to preteen and the situations the immature mind can create.
Baldwin's pacing of the story was inline with the length of the story. The pace did not lag or bog down, but was steady and smooth. Furthermore, I found the plotting skillful as Ms. Baldwin brought all the threads together to create a solid book.
Lastly, in concluding my contemporary children's novel review, I found the book well written with well-developed main characters and secondary characters which added to the tension and story-line.
BUMBLING BEA RECOMMENDATION: STARS 4
In addition, I gave Bumbling Bea 4 well-deserved stars. Subsequently, I found Bumbling Bea suitable for children and preteens as well as adults. As a senior I enjoyed this funny look back at the preteen years.
FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE:
Additionally, I received this book from the author. I chose to voluntarily review the book with an honest contemporary children preteen novel review.
Lastly, book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion. Consequently, all book reviews on-line and under my name, are my opinion. Without a doubt, the ARC did not affect my voluntary contemporary children preteen novel review.
-
When it comes to books where children are the protagonists, I make it a point to share the story with my daughters. If they loved listening to it, then it means the story is really awesome.
Bumbling Bea is a story about a little girl and her trials and tribulations in the world of drama. The plot revolves around the emotions and thoughts that occupy a child. I wish I could elaborate further but that would lead to loads of spoilers and that would be like doing injustice to the author. You need to read it to actually experience it.
The writing style is simple and appealing. It is easily understood by children except for a few words that exposes them to a different culture like Kabuki. However, besides being a great read, Deborah ensures that her story constantly generates mental images and tugs at heartstrings. The choice of words used reflect the effort that she must have put in to make this story both child-friendly and adult-friendly.
There are no antagonists in this story. In fact, through this story, Deborah manages to portray human emotions through children. Children are both expressive and innocent. Hence, through their characters Deborah gives a peek into their world and how everything turns out just fine in the end. She brings out subtly that there is a Bumbling Bea in all of us irrespective of our ages. Yet, if the inner child is still alive and kicking, the negativity can be taken care of.
To sum up, this book is an absolute must read if your inner child loves to read. And if you have children, this is an awesome read for them as well. It helps connect you with the kid residing within you.
P.S - Deborah you have a wonderful narrative style and I chose to read your book because of this reason. My review is unbiased and I hope there are more adventures in the life of Bumbling Bea!!! -
Beatrice expects that she’ll get the lead role in the annual school play, Pocahontas. Then Michiko arrives at school. She recently moved from Japan. She ruins everything, and there’s nothing Beatrice can do about it. Beatrice's sarcastic, mean and bad side, "Bumbling Bea," is making her appearance more often. Beatrice doesn't know how to prevent Bumbling Bea from taking over. Michiko makes things worse by telling the entire world about Beatrice's secret crush. In her own way, Michiko is acting JUST like Bumbling Bea. This gives Beatrice a taste of her own medicine. To add to her troubles, Beatrice's parents are taking a “break” from each other. This is a book about middle school drama and getting through it. Most kids aren’t alone in navigating this drama; they have their friends to help them. Will Beatrice's best friends, Peter and Jenna, stick by her or will they abandon her?
I liked the plot of this story. I believe it made a good point: nobody is perfect. I could relate to the characters and what they were going through. I was confused by some parts of the book, and it had a few clerical errors. Overall, I enjoyed this book. My favorite part was when Beatrice and Michiko had their conversations in the bathroom. My least favorite part was when Peter got poison ivy. I personally don’t like poison ivy, and the description made me feel itchy. Even though I didn't like that part, I felt the author did a great job describing it realistically. I would recommend this to 8-12 year olds, anyone dealing with problems with their friends, and to readers who loved Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age 11 -
Bumbling Bea was a really fun, relatable account about kids in middle school and junior high and how they handle situations, especially when things don't go exactly according to plan!
I always say that being in the middle school/junior high age range is one of the hardest ages to be, this was a great depiction of what a girl at this age values, but it also handles how to deal with disappointment and overcoming obstacles while making new friends.
I love the role that theatre plays in this book, having joined the theatre community when I was around this age myself and knowing how being a part of that community can influence you. Also knowing how disappointing casting decisions can seem like the end of the world!
I think this is a very good, enjoyable read for anyone in this age range and has good lessons to learn, especially about friendship and learning how to be yourself during a frustrating age. I think everyone can easily step into the shoes of Beatrice and find something to relate to! Highly recommend. -
Beatrice (aka Bumbling Bea) is quite funny. Although my 10 year old thought she was very embarrassing and could barley stand some parts because it was sooo embarrassing. Bea and Michiko both want the same part in the play and many funny/embarrassing events occur as they work through discovering how to be friends with someone they are jealous of and navigate the popular kids.
I received a copy through Good Reads First Reads. -
Loved it!
-
Do you remember those pre-teen years of angst? They are not my fondest memories, either. I don't believe there are very many adults who don't remember stupid and insipid things we did or said in those trying years. And then there's Beatrice. She's about to enter high school and she wants to do something important and be treated with respect. But here's the catch. When she opens her mouth, out comes "Bumbling Bea" saying things that are rude, hurtful, crazy, and sometimes just plain mean. Bea is wondering what is happening inside her.
The story "Bumbling Bea" is filled with examples of this monster within. Poor Bea is often left embarrassed, bewildered, friendless and wondering what has happened to her old sweet self. Will she ever get her old self back? Even her best friends Peter and Jerri are giving her weird looks these days.
The author makes good use of humor all throughout the book. I laughed at several twists and wacky circumstances that came up. Many of them were the inner Bea, the Bumbling Bea, causing confusion and chaos. Conflict among principle players and character development with inner conflict are the main driving force of the story line. I think teen girls would especially appreciate this story. That leaves us with the million dollar question: is Bumbling Bea here to stay? Why can't she transform into Wonderful Bea instead? Read the story to find out.
This type of book is not my usual genre, but I have to admit it was a painfully good read. It brought back some memories, good and not so good. I'm not certain who the targeted audience is supposed to be. It is mostly likely going to fit with youthful readers about Middle School age to Junior High. Or it could appeal to adults like myself who enjoy reading books for young people. In any case, I can genuinely recommend this read for young people.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this ebook from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” -
This book was entered and was a FINALIST in The 2016 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Bumbling Bea
Author: Deborah Baldwin
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of 17 Readers:
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 17 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
10 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
10 felt the author’ strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
17 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘Machiko and Bea are very well-developed characters. They are interesting to follow from the very beginning. The plot is clever and kept me guessing to the end.’ Girl, aged 12
‘Not bad at all. A little rushed in parts particularly the feud between the two central characters. Then they are suddenly the very best of pals. Girls are very good at holding a grudge. It is boys who tend to forgive and forget. That part didn’t work for me. The writing style was excellent though and, any child interested in theatre will probably enjoy it. The cover needs work.’ Publisher, aged 48
‘I loved this book. It was funny, not too long, and the girls seemed very real with real problems.’ Girl, aged 12
‘Interesting book this. I think girls aged 9 – 12 will enjoy it. As a parent/teacher, I found Bea’s racism a little uncomfortable. But, thankfully, as the story progresses, she starts to understand the Japanese way of doing things. But the author is walking a thin line here and needs to ensure the bully ‘Bea’ is not too successful at the end. Not a good message.’ Teacher, aged 39
‘This was really funny in parts, and I liked all the theatre stuff in it. Bea is no always charming but she gets there in the end. Reminded me a bit of Enid Blyton’s Naughtiest Girl in the World books.’ Girl, aged 13
‘Funny, well-plotted and populated with memorable characters.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards -
Quirky, fun and intensely close capturing of middle school angst. I enjoyed this book as an adult, but could definitely see this being a beloved book for any middle school student especially. So many kids this age deal with their emotions getting the best of them, things coming out of their mouths they regret or actions they wish they could undo. Seeing Bea do this in entertaining and humorous ways is refreshing and I'd think to be comforting for students to see a character struggling with the same challenges. Although she "bumbles" her way through school, activities, and relationships, Bea is still a character who learns from her mistakes and generally a positive example of a flawed, realistic middle school girl. You can see the author's experience with numerous plays and musicals, capturing the drama and craziness surrounding the production of a middle school play. There's plenty of excitement to keep the pages turning and overall an enjoyable read.
-
"Bumbling Bea" has the right "voice" for a children's book. It doesn't shy away from challenging vocabulary and has situations that I believe 12~13-year-old's could relate to and enjoy. I do think the cover makes this book seem younger than it is, but I was happily surprised by the content inside. I'm an avid reader of YA, so this isn't such a leap for me, just a bit younger. There are "coming-of-age" struggles everyone goes through at that age, and "Bumbling Bea" does a great job showing us a day in the life of Bea and offers great morals for growing youngsters.
I highly recommend "Bumbling Bea" for anyone who has tween avid-readers! -
My niece totally loved this book
-
Disclaimer: I received a free signed copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This will not affect my review in any way.
Overall Thoughts: A long time ago (like a few months actually) I read a short story called “The Nose” in English. One of the weirdest stories I have read. Even though it was 30 pages, I couldn’t get through even 2 without stopping! I had the same experience with Bumbling Bea, and I did not like it. This is probably the first 1 star review I’m giving a book in a long time, and that means something. Bumbling Bea just wasn’t the best book I have read, especially compared to the books I read before and after it. I did like the premise, though, and I was expecting a comical, light read, but that’s not what I got. I know that some people will enjoy this book, and I have no doubt about that, but for me, it’s one that I didn’t like at all. I just don’t like it at all, and even though I reserve 1-stars for DNFs, I can only give it 1 star.
Writing Style: The writing style is what bugged me the most about this book. There was just too must telling and too much unnecessary detail/backstory. One of the biggest “make or break” parts of a novel is the voice of the narrator, and I learned from my creative writing that in writing fiction you must show the details and only include those that are necessary. Pardon if I start going into “mini-lesson” mode; that’s how I convey my feelings sometimes.
First, regarding showing, I was told what happened. I wasn’t shown what was happening. Anton Chekhov, a famous Russian playwright, once wrote, “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” As a reader, I want to see what is going on. I want to be transported into the story. I want to feel the wind caressing my body as it provides me relief from the heat of the glaring sun, not just being told that the wind was blowing. I was told what happened during the day, which did not contribute to the plot (I’ll talk about that in a minute). I didn’t feel like I wanted to keep on going. In fact, I set it down for a while and finished both The One Memory of Flora Banks and The Bakersville Dozen before I picked it up again.
Second, regarding unnecessary details, I would sometimes encounter a page that is full of unnecessary backstory and details, and it honestly stalled the plot. It’s good to insert some flashbacks and backstory in some spots, and I love them, but they weren’t used in the best way in this book. I just kept going, “Do I really need to know this?” as I continued the novella.
Also, the voice didn’t exactly match a middle school student’s voice. When I read The One Memory of Flora Banks, I loved how the childlike narration matched Flora’s personality. As I read Bumbling Bea on the other hand, it didn’t really match how a MG child would speak. I’ve read my fair share of Middle Grade books and I’ve been in middle school just two years ago to know what is the right voice for a younger protagonist. I’ve read MG books such as 14 Hollow Road, Be Light Like a Bird, and How to Steal a Dog that truly capture the child/MG voice, but Bumbling Bea did not match what an MG reader would read. I don’t think it fits exactly with it’s intended audience (10 – 15). I know the narrator is in 8th grade (I was 13 in 8th grade) and Bea didn’t capture the simplicity and innocence that I love to see in MG characters.
Antihero: So the author took a gamble with using an antihero as the protagonist. By the way, an antihero is a protagonist who lacks heroic virtues, which I think is different from a flawed protagonist. Beatrice has an “alternate ego” called “Bumbling Bea,” a snarky, sarcastic version of herself that’s disrespectful to those around her. Did the main character annoy me? Yes, at points. Personally, antiheroes are huge gambles when writing a book because not everyone is a fan of them. Now me, did I like Beatrice? No, not until the end. Now are there books where you just love the antihero? Yes, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (which I want to read a lot) is one example where many people who did not like them loved the main character. But it just didn’t work for me.
Concluding Thoughts: I wish I could say why I think you should read this book, but I honestly can’t say. If you want to try out this book, go ahead! You might like it much better than I did. But those were my reasons why it did not click with me. It had a lot of potential, but it wasn’t well executed. I wish I could say more good things about this book, but sadly, I cannot. It just doesn’t feel like a middle grade book. -
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author.
Beatrice is a little bit of a brat. She’s smart, clever and driven. However, she lets her ambition turn her into this alter-ego she calls Bumbling Bea. Bea does a little more than bumble though, she is a real handful. Here is the synopsis…
Beatrice thinks she has no talent, but that doesn’t stop her from auditioning for the annual middle school play. Easy! Except Michiko, a new girl from Japan, shows up and ruins everything. So begins Beatrice’s humorous and diabolical plan to scare away Michiko. But Michiko has goals of her own with no plans to leave soon. Then there’s that “other” girl, Bumbling Bea, who is such a blabbermouth. What’s a girl to do? Plenty.
Maybe I’m not the right person to read this book. I can’t abide a bully. I’m a parent, and I have very strong feelings about how children should treat one another. I know that when kids are growing up, they start acting out, learning how to act with one another, especially in the middle school years. However, I also think that it is the responsibility of a parent to control their child when they are acting like a bully. Bea is a bully. She is a manipulative little kid, who uses sarcasm to hurt the new girl, Michiko, because she feels slighted.
I found Bea distasteful. In particular, because of the way she expressed her thoughts about Michiko’s race. Some of the more egregious statements…
When Michiko is late to rehearsal Bea says “We take this seriously here. I don’t know about what you do in Japan, but…” Keep in mind. This is one little girl speaking to a peer. That condescension would be unacceptable from an adult talking to a kid, much less from one kid speaking with another. Cringe-worthy behavior.
“Sheesh! I bet she eats a hamburger and French fries with chopsticks!” Sounds like something a kid would say, however, she is never corrected for saying it. Except by another kid who also laughed about it. It is accepted.
“She looked like one of those beautiful Japanese dolls..” A common stereotype for Asian women.
“Well, I think she was yelling at her. She was speaking Japanese and it always sounds angry.” Does it? Really?
I’m not comfortable with the derision Bea shows for Japanese people. I have to admit that the cover artwork may not have helped. While the characters are both in cartoon style, Michiko is portrayed more as a caricature of an Asian child. Not cool. Later in the book, Beatrice gains a little more control over herself and starts to see things from Michiko’s perspective. She comes to appreciate, to a certain degree, how Michiko’s culture has informed her choices. The two girls kinda sorta become friends. I was happy to see that happen. Beatrice’s mother is a gentle woman who corrects her daughter at arms length, with hints and suggestions, and frequently through other people. I can’t fault her since the result was good, but how well would that work in real life, and how miserable did Michiko have to get before someone would get off their behinds and directly correct Bea. Someone needed to say that’s enough.
This is a book about the bad decisions kids can make when they are trying to find their place in the world. Our emotions can feel out of control at that age. I get it. When we are young, we do and say things that simply aren’t right.
Bea is the new girl on the literary block. After all, Harriet the Spy, learned these lessons long ago. As did the girls in Flubber and so many other great middle school books. Those girls gave out licks, then had to take them, and learned valuable lessons in the taking. Bea does as well. Ultimately, the question is, would I allow my daughter to read this book? Perhaps. But we would also have a conversation about how to talk with and about people from other cultures, and why bullying, manipulation and mean girl behavior is unacceptable.
As a funny story about kids, it’s somewhat successful. Like I said, maybe I’m just not the right person for this book. I acknowledge I may have taken it far too seriously. Bumbling me. That’s it. I get a time out! -
Full Review is available at
http://bookplusheart.weebly.com/kids-...
When Beatrice auditions for the yearly middle school play, she's sure that she'll get the part of Pocahontas-and an instant pass to the "popular" group. But then Michiko, an exchange student from Japan, gets the part instead, and Beatrice is stuck with being the stage manager and Michiko's rehearsal partner. At the same time, she has to deal with the absence of her dad at home and her annoying, rude alternate personality that she's nicknamed Bumbling Bea. So she concocts a humorous and far-fetched plot to prevent Michiko from becoming the star of the show and put herself in the spotlight. Can Beatrice learn to control Bumbling Bea and be successful at acting-and friendship?
Beatrice, like all of us, has her pros and cons. She's got even more on her mind than a typical pre-teen, and anyone who has done theater will understand her problems in the "show business." Many who have been outperformed in an audition will feel a twinge of jealousy toward the person who has earned the part.
I was in a theater production once and greatly enjoyed it (I played Molly from Annie in a play featuring songs from Broadway musicals), but nowadays I prefer being in the audience. However, I have more recently participated in several orchestra concerts and talent shows, and I can clearly remember the exhilaration of a whole auditorium of people cheering and clapping for you.
My favorite part was when Michiko gets stuck in a bathroom stall and Beatrice apologizes to her for how mean she's been. I liked it because they become friends afterwards, and Beatrice is nice to her for the rest of the book.
This book was funny, interesting, and holds your attention. Baldwin shows her prowess in not only drama and the performing arts, but also in writing. Bumbling Bea conveys a good message of friendship and kindness and perfectly captures the mind of a young teenager.
