Ivy and Bean are sort of bitchy little children and I'm not a huge fan. Judy Moody seems better-natured, though I have to admit I really haven't read them per se. (Ivy and Bean was read aloud here and there to DS5--DD9 picked up the books in 2nd grade when all her friends were reading them.) Junie B. I refused to read aloud, but allowed DD to read with the caveat that she knew I thought they were kind of awful.