Full of Beans

The story takes place during the Great Depression in Key West. It’s about a scrappy young boy named Beans Curry and his gang of friends who struggle with poverty and have many adventures trying to earn a few coins to feed themselves.

Key West is full of garbage, parents are out of work, and some adults going to great lengths to earn money, including smuggling booze. During the novel, Beans tries to earn cash by selling cans and bottles. When that doesn’t work out well, he tries some questionable work for an unsavory character. He finds his escape from reality at the movies, playing marbles with his gang, and in sweet treats that he earns helping a struggling mom. Beans often ends up caring for his younger siblings, and though it show more makes him crazy, he’s good at it.

A wealthy government official arrives in Key West in his underwear (aka Bermuda shorts) has big plans to turn rundown Key West into a tourist hot spot. He asks for help from the children running wild, and Beans thinks his ideas are crazy. Ultimately, Beans has to decide if he wants to stick to his questionable means of earning money, or help try to turn things around.

I LOVED this book. Beans’ relationships with his younger siblings was relatable, his interactions with his peers, the adults, and some interesting characters in the novel really showed his moral growth and development. I had no idea what Key West was like before it was turned into a tourist hot spot, and this helped to show how these New Deal developers worked. It also helped to make the Great Depression real. show less

I'm rating this five stars because it is a children's book that I feel sure would appeal to kids without appearing to try hard. At the same time it's appealing to me, an adult, sends messages about lying and much more, helps us experience the Depression as a child would experience it, and tells about an interesting experiment in history (the remaking of Key West during the Depression). The presentation, including photos and a short explanation about Key West at the end, is a perfect way to tell this story.

I love the main character, Beans, and enjoyed meeting his friends, family, and strangers he meets on his rounds around town. His escapades and long days of play remind me so much of my father's stories about his life as a boy. There's show more just the right amount of reflection, dialogue, description, and action. (Most of the description and character building is shown through conversation or activities.)

Most of all, it was simply enjoyable and made me smile a lot. show less

1930's key west, in the height of the Great Depression. Based on stories from the author's family, true events in Key West, and chock full of amusing language from the time. It's very little Rascals-esque, deliberately so, with main character Beans, his sidekick brother Kermit, best friend Pork Chop and their marble-winning gang. No girls allowed, the movies are king, and every adventure involving local kid Too Bad always ends badly. There are some good lessons (about making non criminal choices, about the power of the community working together to better everyone's lives, about paying attention to people in the shadows), there are some funny moments and unexpected adventures, and a little dog, too.

The Depression is taking its toll on Beans's family in Key West. No money, not enough to eat, no shoes, and, worst of all, no father around because he's looking for work up north. Beans is a tough, entrepreneurial kid. So he finds ways to make money. And, hey, maybe it's not all exactly legal. Or morally defensible. But Beans has to do what he has to do. Even if it means changing babies' diapers and telling a lot of whoppers.

This is great historical fiction, rich with details and facts. And fun to read to boot. The ending was a little abrupt for me, but overall I think kids are going to really like this.

Random thought: Is Beans sort of like a [a:Gary Schmidt|6891947|Gary show more Schmidt|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] hero? Checklist:

-Distinct, vernacular voice
-Sort of a tough guy vibe, like nothing bothers him
-But his actions betray a sensitive heart of gold

I'm thinking mostly of similarities between Beans and Doug in [b:Okay for Now|9165406|Okay for Now|Gary D. Schmidt|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1388860777s/9165406.jpg|14044509]. show less

This story is set during the Depression in the town of Key West. Beans and his friends are fictional, but there are many historical figures as well. Jennifer Holm does a fantastic job of recreating the daily life of Beans and his friends after Key West declared bankruptcy. There was no trash service, almost all the firehouses shut down, and the one that remained open was volunteer. The federal government took over the town and decided there were two choices--turn it into a tourist destination or shut it down and evacuate everyone. This is the story of the transformation of Key West, and of kids doing what they could to get by. Beans ended up working for a rum-runner. As a result of his actions there were some bad unforeseen show more consequences, even though he was only trying to help his family. He spent the rest of the story trying to make up for it. show less

Who knew Key West was a down and place to live during the depression? A decision was made on the national level to make it a tourist destination rather than completely abandon the town. The town didn't even have enough money to pay for garbage removal. Beans and his gang of marble fanatics friends are quite skeptical as the 'New Dealers' come into town but eventually change their minds.
A story about a place at a time not many know about. The flavor of the time comes through nicely. Beans, his family and friends, are a fun group to get to know.

Beans and his gang live in Key West during the Great Depression. He's learned that adults lie. His unemployed father is often gone seeking work, and his mother takes in laundry to help make ends meet. Beans often works for "Winky" who always cheats him. The town's buildings are in need of facelifts, and the economy is so poor, garbage service is no longer available. There's just a bad-smelling garbage dump. One day a man saying he's working for the president rolls into town. He plans to turn Key West into a tourist destination. I'll leave the rest of the story for you to find out. It's a great piece of historical fiction for young readers. They'll enjoy the gang and their marble-playing and perhaps learn a little about the Great show more Depression and the Works Progress Administration in the process. I listened to the audiobook read by Kirby Heyborne and found it a perfect way to enjoy the book. show less