Who is Nancy, and what is her role in the story?

Nancy is Bean's older sister and the primary antagonist (or victim) in Ivy and Bean's scheme. She is tasked with babysitting the two girls, and they are determined to make her job as difficult as possible, believing her to be an incompetent caregiver.

What kind of 'plan' do Ivy and Bean devise to deal with Nancy?

Ivy and Bean devise a multi-stage plan involving various pranks and mischievous acts. Their goal is to create such a mess and so much trouble that Nancy will be deemed an unfit babysitter and never be asked to watch them again.

Do Ivy and Bean succeed in their initial goal of proving Nancy is a bad babysitter?

While Ivy and Bean certainly create a lot of mischief and chaos, their plan doesn't entirely succeed in its original intent. Nancy, despite being exasperated, often manages to either outsmart them, or the situation takes an unexpected turn, leading to different outcomes than the girls intended.

What is one specific prank or trick Ivy and Bean attempt against Nancy?

One specific prank involves them pretending to be incredibly sick and helpless, making Nancy run around trying to care for them. They use exaggerated symptoms and dramatic flair to try and overwhelm her, hoping she'll give up.

Are there any subtle callbacks to previous Ivy and Bean books in this story?

While not explicitly stated, the dynamic between Ivy and Bean, and their shared love for elaborate, slightly mischievous plans, is a consistent thread throughout the series. Their unique friendship and imaginative problem-solving (or problem-creating) skills are a core element carried over.

Does Nancy ever suspect Ivy and Bean are intentionally causing trouble?

Nancy, being an older sister, is quite familiar with Bean's (and by extension, Ivy's) antics. She often suspects their intentions, though she might not always be able to prove it or fully anticipate the extent of their schemes, leading to humorous confrontations.

Is there a moment where Ivy and Bean's plan backfires on them directly?

Yes, in one instance, a part of their elaborate scheme to make Nancy's life difficult ends up causing inconvenience or a minor mishap for themselves. This often adds to the humor and shows the unpredictable nature of their plans.

How does the author use humor in the interactions between Ivy, Bean, and Nancy?

The author uses situational humor, the exaggerated reactions of Nancy, and the deadpan seriousness of Ivy and Bean as they execute their ludicrous plans. The contrast between the girls' earnest mischief and Nancy's exasperated attempts at control creates much of the comedic effect.

What does Ivy's role as the 'idea person' and Bean's as the 'action person' reveal about their individual psychologies?

Ivy's imaginative and strategic mind shows her as the planner, enjoying the intellectual challenge of devising schemes. Bean, more impulsive and physical, thrives on the immediate execution and the thrill of the prank, highlighting their complementary personalities.

How does Nancy's reaction to the girls' antics evolve throughout the story?

Nancy initially tries to assert authority and control, but as the girls' antics escalate, her reactions often shift from frustration to exasperation, and sometimes even a grudging admiration or a resigned acceptance of their mischievous nature, showing her own growth.

What underlying message does the book convey about sibling relationships, particularly between younger and older siblings?

The book subtly explores the dynamics of sibling rivalry, power struggles, and the unique blend of annoyance and grudging affection that can exist. It highlights how younger siblings might challenge authority and how older siblings learn patience and resilience.

Is there a lesson learned by Ivy and Bean, or do they remain unrepentant pranksters?

While they might not explicitly apologize or completely abandon their mischievous ways, they often gain a new perspective or a moment of understanding about the consequences of their actions, even if it's just a temporary pause before the next adventure. They are still young, after all.

Could Nancy be seen as a victim, or does she hold some agency in the narrative?

Nancy is initially presented as a victim of Ivy and Bean's antics, but she also demonstrates agency by attempting to counter their schemes, sometimes succeeding, and often showing her own resourcefulness. She isn't a passive character; she actively engages in the comedic battle.

How does the book balance the themes of mischief and friendship?

The book skillfully balances mischief with friendship by showing that Ivy and Bean's pranks are always undertaken together, strengthening their bond. Their shared adventure and mutual understanding of each other's quirks are central, even as they cause trouble.

What is the ultimate 'victory' for Ivy and Bean, if not getting Nancy fired?

Their ultimate victory often lies in the sheer fun and shared experience of their adventure, the thrill of executing their plans, and the satisfaction of outsmarting an adult, even if only temporarily. The process itself is often more rewarding than the outcome.

Does this book suggest that adults (like Nancy) should be more understanding or more firm with mischievous children?

The book doesn't offer a prescriptive answer but rather a humorous look at the dynamic. It suggests that a blend of firmness, understanding, and a good sense of humor is often necessary when dealing with imaginative and mischievous children like Ivy and Bean.

How does the setting of a typical home environment contribute to the story's charm?

The familiar setting of a home makes the girls' pranks relatable and accessible to young readers. It emphasizes that even ordinary places can become stages for extraordinary adventures and imaginative play, grounding the fantastical elements in reality.

Ivy and Bean Take Care of the… Summary by Annie Barrows | BookBrief

Name: Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.2 (4558 reviews)
ISBN: 9780811856850

When Bean's older sister babysits, Ivy and Bean devise a plan to prove she's the worst, leading to unexpected and funny chaos.

Synopsis

Ivy and Bean, best friends, face a problem: Bean's older sister, Nancy, is babysitting. Convinced Nancy is 'the worst,' they plan to prove it. They start by making a slime creature, hoping to disgust Nancy. But Nancy's reaction isn't what they expect; she tries to manage it calmly. The girls then escalate their efforts, first making a huge mess Nancy struggles to clean, then creating loud noise to distract her. Just as their plan seems to work, storytime takes an unexpected turn, and a snack attack further complicates things. Through these events, the girls start to see Nancy differently, and their plan changes. When their parents return, Ivy and Bean have a new view on babysitting, sisters, and fun.

Reading time

60 min

Difficulty

Easy

Pacing

Fast

Mood

Humorous, Playful, Lighthearted

✓ Read this if...

You enjoy humorous, lighthearted stories about friendship and childhood antics.

✗ Skip this if...

You prefer complex plots or stories for older readers.

Plot Summary

The Babysitter Dilemma

The story starts with Bean's parents announcing they are going out and Nancy, Bean's older sister, will babysit. Bean immediately groans, seeing Nancy as bossy and unfair. She complains to her best friend, Ivy, about Nancy's poor babysitting. Ivy, a creative thinker, suggests they could prove to Bean's parents that Nancy is 'the worst babysitter in the world.' Their goal is to make Nancy look so bad she'll never babysit them again. The girls brainstorm ways to do this, driven by their shared dislike for Nancy's authority.

The 'Worst Babysitter' Plan

Ivy and Bean meet in Bean's backyard to finalize their plan. Their strategy involves several steps to make Nancy's evening miserable and her babysitting look bad. The first part involves making a huge mess, specifically creating a 'slime monster' in the living room. Next, they plan to be very loud and disobedient, refusing to go to bed. Their ultimate goal is to annoy Nancy until she gives up and calls their parents, or at least looks completely overwhelmed when the parents return. They are confident they can carry out this plan.

Slime Monster Creation

As soon as Bean's parents leave, Ivy and Bean act fast. They gather household items: flour, water, soap, and glitter from Ivy's art supplies. They mix everything in a large bowl on the living room floor, quickly making a sticky, gooey, expanding 'slime monster.' The process is very messy, with flour on the carpet and goo splattering on furniture. They enjoy the chaos, knowing Nancy will be angry when she sees their 'creation.' The living room quickly becomes a disaster, just as they planned.

Nancy's Initial Reaction

Nancy, at first unaware, comes downstairs to check on the girls and sees the flour-covered, goo-splattered living room and two happy children. She is shocked. Instead of yelling or calling their parents, Nancy takes a deep breath and tries to take control. She tells them to stop and starts to look at the damage. Ivy and Bean are surprised by her calm (though clearly annoyed) reaction, as they expected a bigger outburst. This unexpected response from Nancy slightly disrupts their plan.

The Clean-Up Challenge

To the girls' surprise, Nancy doesn't just clean up the mess herself; she makes Ivy and Bean help. She gives them rags and a spray bottle and tells them to start wiping up the slime. This was not part of their plan. They grumble, but Nancy is firm. They find themselves scrubbing the floor and furniture, which is much less fun than making the mess. The cleaning is slow and boring, and the girls realize their 'slime monster' plan has somewhat backfired, as they are now the ones doing the work.

The Noise Campaign

After cleaning up, Ivy and Bean move to the next part of their plan: being loud and refusing to go to bed. They jump on the couch, sing loudly, and play noisy games. Nancy, however, remains calm. Instead of yelling, she simply tells them that if they make too much noise, they'll go to bed early. When they continue, she calmly leads them to their rooms, offering them a choice of storybooks. Her calm manner and unexpected actions make it hard for the girls to provoke her into a meltdown, to their frustration.

The Storytime Twist

Nancy starts reading a story to Ivy and Bean. To their surprise, she doesn't choose a boring book. Instead, she picks an exciting adventure story with dragons and knights. She reads with enthusiasm, using different voices for the characters. Ivy and Bean, despite themselves, become absorbed in the story. They forget their mission to annoy Nancy and are truly entertained. This unexpected turn completely derails their plan to be disobedient, as they are now captivated by Nancy's storytelling.

The Snack Attack

After storytime, Nancy offers Ivy and Bean a special snack: ice cream sundaes with sprinkles and chocolate syrup. This is another unexpected treat, as their parents usually limit sweets. The girls, still a bit cautious but unable to resist, eagerly accept. As they eat their sundaes, they relax and even chat casually with Nancy. The delicious snack, combined with the engaging story, makes them momentarily forget their goal of proving Nancy is a terrible babysitter. They are having fun, which is the opposite of what they intended.

A Change of Heart (and Plan)

As the evening goes on, Ivy and Bean find themselves having a surprisingly good time with Nancy. She lets them stay up a little later than usual, plays a fun board game with them, and even helps Ivy with a magic trick she's learning. They realize that Nancy is not being 'the worst babysitter in the world' at all; in fact, she's quite fun. Their initial dislike starts to fade, replaced by enjoyment. They begin to wonder if their plan to get rid of her was a mistake.

Parents' Return and the Aftermath

Bean's parents finally return home. Ivy and Bean now face a problem. They had planned to tell their parents how terrible Nancy was, but the evening turned out to be fun. They hesitate, looking at Nancy, who gives them a small, knowing smile. When asked how the babysitting went, Bean, after a moment, simply says, 'It was fine.' Ivy nods. They realize that while Nancy wasn't 'the worst,' she also wasn't perfect, and they decide to keep their true feelings about the fun evening a secret, keeping their reputation as mischievous kids.

A New Perspective

After their parents have gone to bed and Ivy has left, Bean thinks about the evening. She realizes that Nancy, despite her initial bossiness, had been a good babysitter. She hadn't yelled, she had been fair, and she had even made the evening fun. Bean understands that her idea of Nancy as 'the worst' might have been exaggerated. She and Ivy had set out to prove a point, but Nancy had, without trying, proven them wrong by simply being a good and engaging babysitter. The experience gives Bean a new view of her older sister.

Principal Figures

Ivy

The Protagonist

Ivy learns that even perceived adversaries can have unexpected positive qualities, challenging her initial judgments.

Bean

The Protagonist

Bean softens her view of her sister, realizing Nancy isn't always 'the worst' and can even be fun.

Nancy

The Supporting

Nancy demonstrates her maturity and ability to handle difficult situations, earning a quiet respect from the girls.

Bean's Parents

The Mentioned

They remain consistent, unaware of the full extent of the girls' scheme or Nancy's clever handling of it.

Themes & Insights

Perception vs. Reality

The main theme is how Ivy and Bean's first idea of Nancy as a 'terrible babysitter' changes because of what she actually does. They start the evening sure she will be awful, but Nancy's calm and engaging way, from making them clean the slime to reading a good story and offering sundaes, proves their ideas wrong. This theme is clear when the girls find themselves enjoying the evening, despite trying to ruin it, which makes them rethink Nancy. This theme reaches its peak when Bean struggles to tell her parents Nancy was 'the worst.'

““Nancy was not being the worst babysitter in the world. She was being… fun.””

Mischief and Consequences

Ivy and Bean enjoy causing trouble, especially with the 'slime monster,' to reach their goal. However, they quickly learn that mischief can have unexpected results, as Nancy makes them clean up their own mess. This goes against their expectation of just causing trouble and having Nancy deal with it. The theme shows that actions have reactions, and sometimes the 'fun' of mischief can lead to tedious work or unexpected outcomes that challenge their original plan. Their attempt to make Nancy miserable actually leads to them having a better time than they expected.

““This was not what they had planned. Cleaning up was not nearly as fun as making the mess.””

Sibling Dynamics

The story looks at the typical relationship between younger and older siblings, marked by initial dislike, perceived unfairness, and eventual, if reluctant, respect. Bean's constant complaints about Nancy's bossiness are typical of this dynamic. But during the evening, Nancy shows maturity and a caring side that slowly lessens Bean's resentment. By the end, while Bean doesn't openly praise Nancy, there is an unspoken understanding and a shift in her view, suggesting a more complex sibling bond than first shown.

““Nancy always acted like she was the boss of everything, just because she was older.””

The Power of Storytelling and Play

Nancy manages Ivy and Bean well not through strict rules, but by engaging them with stories and play. Her choice of an exciting adventure story completely captures the girls, making them forget their mischievous goals. Later, playing a board game and helping Ivy with a magic trick further strengthens their enjoyment. This theme shows how creative engagement and interactive play can be much more effective in managing children (and winning them over) than just authority or punishment, highlighting the positive effect of shared imaginative experiences.

““Even Bean leaned forward, listening. The dragon was coming! This was a really good story.””

Plot Devices & Literary Techniques

The 'Slime Monster'

A physical manifestation of the girls' mischievous plan.

The 'slime monster' serves as the initial centerpiece of Ivy and Bean's plan to sabotage Nancy's babysitting. It is a tangible and highly visible act of rebellion designed to create chaos and prove Nancy's incompetence. However, its function as a plot device quickly shifts when Nancy forces the girls to clean it up, turning their intended act of mischief into an unexpected chore. This subverts the girls' expectations and introduces the theme of consequences, directly influencing the story's direction and Nancy's effective handling of the situation.

The Babysitter's Checklist

An unspoken list of expectations for a 'bad' babysitter.

While not explicitly stated, Ivy and Bean operate with an internal 'checklist' of what makes a babysitter 'the worst' – being strict, boring, easily flustered, and unable to control them. This unspoken device drives their actions and expectations for Nancy's behavior. Nancy, however, systematically defies each item on their mental list through her calm demeanor, engaging activities, and unexpected treats. This contrast between the girls' expectations and Nancy's actual performance highlights the theme of perception versus reality, driving the narrative's central conflict and resolution.

Dramatic Irony

The audience knows the girls' plan, but Nancy initially does not.

Dramatic irony is employed throughout the story, particularly in the early stages. The reader is privy to Ivy and Bean's elaborate plan to make Nancy look bad, while Nancy herself is initially unaware of their malicious intent. This creates humor and suspense as the reader anticipates Nancy's reactions to the girls' schemes. As the story progresses, Nancy's clever responses to their mischief often make her seem one step ahead, adding another layer of irony as the girls' plans backfire in amusing ways, ultimately leading to their change of heart.

Critical analysis

Notable Quotes

“Bean stomped her foot. 'Ivy, if you don't come up with a good idea right now, I'm going to turn you into a frog!'”

— Bean's frustration with Ivy's lack of ideas for entertainment.

“'We need to take care of her,' Ivy said. 'She's our responsibility.'”

— Ivy convincing Bean that they need to look after their new babysitter, Nancy.

“'Babysitters are like giant babies,' Bean explained. 'They need to be fed and entertained and kept from harm.'”

— Bean's unique interpretation of what babysitting entails, applied to Nancy.

“Ivy had a feeling that this was going to be a very interesting afternoon.”

— Ivy's internal thought as their plans to 'take care of' Nancy begin.

“'She's not getting enough fresh air,' Ivy declared. 'We need to take her outside.'”

— Ivy's reasoning for getting Nancy out of the house.

“Bean grabbed a handful of grass. 'Here, Nancy. Eat your vegetables.'”

— Bean attempting to 'feed' Nancy grass, believing it's healthy.

“'We should make her a fort,' Ivy said. 'Babies love forts.'”

— Ivy suggesting an activity to entertain Nancy, based on her 'baby' theory.

“The fort was a masterpiece of blankets, pillows, and wobbly chairs.”

— Description of the fort Ivy and Bean built for Nancy.

“'She needs a story,' Bean whispered. 'A very exciting one.'”

— Bean deciding Nancy needs to be read to, like a baby.

“Nancy just smiled. She was a very good baby, even if she was big.”

— Ivy's internal reflection on Nancy's good-natured reaction to their antics.

“'Maybe she's not a baby anymore,' Ivy said, a little sadly.”

— Ivy's realization that Nancy might not be a 'baby' after all.

“'She's just... Nancy,' Bean concluded.”

— Bean's simple, final understanding of their babysitter.

“And that was a much better thing to be than a giant baby.”

— The narrator's concluding thought on Nancy simply being herself.

Quiz

Test Your Knowledge

Ready to see how well you understood this book? Take our interactive quiz with 10 questions.

10

Questions

~5

Minutes

?

Best Score

Key Questions (FAQ)

In this installment, best friends Ivy and Bean decide to prove that Bean's older sister, Nancy, is the absolute worst babysitter. They hatch an elaborate plan to cause chaos and make Nancy look bad, hoping to get her fired from her babysitting duties.

About the author

Annie Barrows

Annie Barrows is the acclaimed author of the popular "Ivy & Bean" series, including "Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter" and "Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record." She also penned the middle-grade fantasy novel "The Magic Half." Barrows is known for her engaging storytelling and relatable characters, appealing to young readers.

Similar books

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise cover

Explore more FICTION books