Clarice Bean Quotes

“Clarice’s extraordinarily ordinary family is under pressure. Dad keeps muttering about how “there might be a reshuffle going on at work”, while mum spends her life “gribbling about pants on the floor and shoes on the sofa”. And as for her brother, Minal Cricket, he “tends to be utterly a nuisance”.”

There were some things I liked about this, and some I didn’t. I love that Clarice Bean is a bookworm, addicted to the Ruby Redford series about a young girl who lives a secret double life as an international spy. I liked the creativity in the text layout, meandering about the page as Clarice’s thoughts meander during class.

This is me, Clarice Bean. I am not an only child, but I sometimes wish I was. My family is six people, which is sometimes too many. Not always, just sometimes. My dad is mostly in an office on the phone, going, “I can’t talk now — I’m up to my ears in it.”

It’s not easy to concentrate at school when mysterious things are happening all around you. In fact, Clarice Bean is starting to feel just like her favorite heroine: Ruby Redfort, schoolgirl detective.

“I am the third oldest, and I think it would have been a good idea if I was the youngest, too. I am not quite sure why my mom and dad wanted to have more children after me.”

Clarice leads a cool, socialized life. Chaotic expressive pictures work well with scattergun text itemizing clarice’s likes and dislikes, family, relatives and friends. Stereotyped mum (relaxes in the bath ) and dad ( big office with Ms Egglington to buzz you through ). Many 10 year old girls might want to be Clarice.

Clarice Bean just wants to be alone, but finding some time and a place to be alone in her house is a challenge. Clarice lives with her mother and father, shares a room with her younger brother and has an older brother and sisters too. On top of that, her grandfather lives with the family. But when living stacked on top of each other leads to a big fight, can Clarice make the best of the consequences.

“Sometimes I say, I haven’t got time for all your nonsense. And he says, TWIT. And I say, Twit and a half. And he says, Twit with carrots in your ears. And then I flick his nose with my ruler, And he says, MOOOM, in this really whiny brother way.”

I love the way she talks about her family, because it’s sorta different to how an adult would see it. I wasn’t super into the art style at first, but it definitely grew on me, so much so that I now think the art style really adds to the charm and value of this picture book. I’d love to read more about Clarice Bean!