Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Bob Kolar

Image of Gigi Pagliarulo 

with a frog puppet. 

Courtesy of Gigi Pagliarulo

This week's guest contributor is Gigi Pagliarulo, a librarian for the Denver Public Library. Gigi is especially interested in youth services, early literacy, and issues of diversity and multiculturalism within children's literature and programming, has served on the steering committee of Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy, and the CLEL Bell Picture Book Award Selection Committee. 

Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, 

illustrated by Bob Kolar book cover. 

A hilarious take on the odd couple trope, Frank and Bean is a beginning reader that seamlessly meshes camping fun, humor, thoughtfulness and superior artwork and writing. 

Frank, a nervous and introverted hot dog, sets up his camp just so: tent, pencil, spork, secret notebook for writing poetry, and plenty of solitude. Other animals come along to ribbit, hoot and chirp, but weary of their noises and anxious that they are peeking at his special secret notebook, Frank eschews their company. When exuberant, raucous, messy, musician Bean comes roaring into Frank’s campsite, replete with bus, trumpet, drum, triangle, motorbike and gong, Frank is aghast at the loss of his peaceful repose. But Bean’s infectious spirit (and delicious jelly donuts) eventually win over the reluctant wordsmith, and together the new friends find they fit together like, well, franks and beans. The poet and the composer even write a song together and join forces to form a rock band! 

This excellent title would work well for advanced early readers with more confidence and facility, as it includes four chapters, multiple lines per page, and a larger controlled vocabulary. Plenty of repetition of words and phrases scaffold readers’ learning and assimilation of unfamiliar vocabulary, and colorful, hilariously expressive digitally-rendered illustrations support the action and the plot. 

Image of Frank sitting on a log talking to a frog. And on the left hand side, Frank talking to an owl in a tree.
From Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Bob Kolar

Page and line breaks are natural and supportive as well, and a slow, steady story arc builds on itself to a satisfying conclusion as Frank and Bean create a band and dream of taking their show on the road. The relationship between this unique and appealing duo is sure to strike all the right notes with young readers, and there is plenty of opportunity for sequels to keep fans reading and laughing with Frank and Bean. 

On the left, Bean driving a motorboat. On the right, Frank being still as a rock.
From Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Bob Kolar

Veteran author and illustrator Michalak and Kolar have teamed up to create an exciting new duo for early readers to enjoy. They have produced a high-quality beginning reader that excels at the nitty-gritty details that keep beginning readers accessible and useful for fledgling readers, while also managing to create moments of great humor and thoughtfulness. Meditative Frank is downright philosophical in his approach, while wild and free Bean models openheartedness and loving connection. 

On the left, Frank singing a poem to Bean. On the right, the two characters high fiving.
From Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Bob Kolar

Frank and Bean is an unusually strong, cohesive and supportive beginning reader, and if Geisel committee-members are considering longer titles, Frank and Bean is an excellent choice. If you’ve shared this book with kiddos, let us know their thoughts and impressions in the comments!