Bean is a seven-year-old girl and one of two titular characters in Ivy and Bean. Bean and Ivy are the main characters, but as Barrows introduces Bean first and focuses on Bean and Bean’s family, Bean is more central than Ivy. Barrows uses Bean to get to Ivy, so Bean’s character does more work. Without Bean, there is no Ivy and Bean. Bean must engage with Ivy and form a friendship with her. About Ivy, Bean’s mother says, “[S]he seems like such a nice girl. You could be friends” (7). The suggestion implies that Bean has the power to make Ivy her friend.

The girls’ friendship starts because of Bean’s choices. Bean chooses to hide in the bush and trick her with the $20. She then decides to try to scare Ivy. When Ivy offers to hide Bean from Nancy, Bean agrees. Initially, Bean has more power in the friendship. Notably, she gives the girls a goal that propels the plot—putting the dancing spell on Nancy.

However, later, Bean’s character doesn’t have as much power as Ivy. Since Ivy is the witch, she has the resources to exact vengeance on Nancy, and Bean depends on her.