Frank and Bean - (Candlewick Sparks) by Jamie Michalak

About the Book

"When the introspective Frank meets the gregarious Bean, can they find a way to make beautiful music together?"--

Book Synopsis

When the introspective Frank meets the gregarious Bean, can they find a way to make beautiful music together? Dry wit and hilarious illustrations introduce a new unlikely pair.

Frank likes peace and quiet. He likes his tent, his pencil, and writing in his secret notebook. Bean likes noise. He likes his bus, his trumpet -- toot, toot! -- and making music. Loud music. But Bean is missing something: he does not have words. What will happen if Frank shares his words with Bean? With a laugh-out-loud narrative by Jamie Michalak, author of the Joe and Sparky series, and Bob Kolar's bright, graphic, comical illustrations, this fresh and funny story will go down easy for beginning readers and young listeners alike.

Review Quotes

Kolar's (Trucker and Train) sleek, animation-style digital art and Michalak's (the Joe and Sparky series) highly performative dialogue build to a manic hilarity that makes these pals, as Bean might say, "half cool and half amazing."
--Publishers Weekly

Kolar's digital art is clean and pleasing, and the book contains four short chapters. An engaging and humorous tale of two friends whose personality differences lead to growth as well as some fun adventures.
--School Library Journal

The humor is absurd, over-the-top, and laugh-out-loud funny. Mismatched friendships are a staple of early readers, but Bean's boundless cheerful energy, his habit of speaking in all caps, and the concept of anthropomorphic food set this book apart. Hand this to fans of silly, offbeat stories.
--Booklist Online

The Bert-and-Ernie-esque odd-couple pairing results in countless laugh-out-loud exchanges. Kolar's digitally rendered full-color illustrations take the jokes one step further, offering expressive physical cartoon comedy that's on a par with Michalak's clever wordsmithing...Beanie weenies served just right for young campers.
--Kirkus Reviews

The simple yet detailed illustrations create a cute story for young readers.
--School Library Connection

About the Author

Jamie Michalak is the author of Joe and Sparky, Party Animals!; Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels; Joe and Sparky Go to School; and Joe and Sparky, Superstars!, which Kirkus Reviews called a "little treasure" in a starred review. All are illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Jamie Michalak lives in Rhode Island.

Bob Kolar is the author-illustrator of Big Kicks and the illustrator of many books for children, among them Slickety Quick: Poems about Sharks by Skila Brown, Nothing Like a Puffin by Sue Soltis, and AlphaOops! The Day Z Went First and AlphaOops! H Is for Halloween, both by Alethea Kontis. Bob Kolar lives in Missouri.