What reading level is the Ivy + Bean series?

The Ivy + Bean series by Annie Barrows is at a Grade 3.5 reading level (average Grade 3.5). Intended for Lower Grades (Ages 5–8). There are 12 books in the series.

What order should I read the Ivy + Bean books?

The Ivy + Bean series has 12 books in order: 1. Ivy + Bean, 2. Ivy + Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go, 3. Ivy + Bean Break the Fossil Record, 4. Ivy + Bean Take Care of the Babysitter, 5. Ivy + Bean Bound to Be Bad, and 7 more.

What age is the Ivy + Bean series appropriate for?

The Ivy + Bean series is recommended for Lower Grades (Ages 5–8). The average content intensity is 1.1/5.

Ivy + Bean Books in Order

12 books by Annie Barrows. Reading level: Grade 3.5. Lower Grades (Ages 5–8).

Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Ivy + Bean (12 books by Annie Barrows) lands at reading level Grade 3.5, with average content intensity 1.1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series — a kid who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.

The reading-order table below lists every book with per-volume reading level and intensity badges so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.

Books

Grade 3.5

Reading Level

1.1/5

Avg. Intensity

Lower Grades

Content Intensity Across the Series

Consistent

Content stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.

#10

#11

#12

First book Latest book

Ivy + Bean Reading Order

#	Title	Reading Level	Content
Book 1	Ivy + Bean Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 2	Ivy + Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Mild
Book 3	Ivy + Bean Break the Fossil Record Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 4	Ivy + Bean Take Care of the Babysitter Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 5	Ivy + Bean Bound to Be Bad Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 6	Ivy + Bean Doomed to Dance Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 7	What's the Big Idea? (Ivy + Bean #7) Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 8	Ivy + Bean No News Is Good News Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 9	Ivy + Bean Make the Rules Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 10	Ivy + Bean One Big Happy Family Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 11	Ivy + Bean Get to Work! Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle
Book 12	Ivy + Bean Man the Barricades Annie Barrows	Level 3-4	Gentle

Level 3-4

Questions about the Ivy + Bean series

What reading level is the Ivy + Bean series?: The Ivy + Bean series by Annie Barrows is at a Grade 3.5 reading level (average Grade 3.5). Intended for Lower Grades (Ages 5–8). There are 12 books in the series.
What order should I read the Ivy + Bean books?: The reading-order table above lists all 12 books with per-volume reading level and intensity ratings. Start with book 1 and read in publication order unless the table indicates a different recommended order for newer readers.
What age is the Ivy + Bean series appropriate for?: The Ivy + Bean series is recommended for Lower Grades (Ages 5–8). The average content intensity is 1.1/5. Check the intensity trajectory above to see whether content gets heavier across the series — if it does, sensitive readers may want to stop earlier in the run.