Week Four: The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks

by Jeanne Birdsall

Summary

    The Penderwick sisters- Rosalind, 12; Skye, 11; Jane, 10; and Batty, 4- travel to the Berkshire Mountains for their summer vacations. Along with their father, Martin, and dog, Hound, they rent a cottage on the grounds of the beautiful Arundel Estate. 

    Soon after their arrival, the girls meet Jeffrey Tifton who lives in the estate's mansion. During their three week stay, the girls and Jeffrey have adventures and try to stay out of trouble. They spend their time playing soccer, exploring the attics and roaming the grounds. 

    Mrs. Tifton, Jeffrey's mother, is strict and seemingly unsympathetic to anything her son wants. She does not like the Penderwicks, the potential havoc they can cause in her garden, or the influence they have on Jeffrey. When she decides to send Jeffrey away to military school, the Penderwicks must find a way to save him from such a horrible fate. 

APA Reference

Birdsall, J. (2005). The penderwicks. New York, NY: Yearling. 

My Impressions

     I really enjoyed reading The Penderwicks. It reminded of books I liked as a kid- Little Women, the Moffat books, and Ginger Pye. It has an old-fashioned quality, and except for a few references to cell phones and computers, I think it could be set in a different generation. I appreciated the time spent on character development, allowing the reader to get to know each Penderwick. 

Review

    Booklist contributor Ilene Cooper praises The Penderwick's "old-fashioned charm" and Birdsall's "marvelously appealing" characters. Despite criticizing "minor elements that don't ring true," she states its display "true childhood behavior" and "will draw readers close."

Cooper, I. (2005, April 1). The penderwicks [Review of the book The penderwicks]. Booklist. Available from http://www.booklistonline.com/The-Penderwicks-A-Summer-Tale-of-Four-Sisters-Two-Rabbits-and-a-Very-Interesting-Boy-Jeanne-Birdsall/pid=237403

Library Use

    With The Penderwicks, you could set up a Reader's Theater. Each character has a certain personality and kids could try to channel their character and behave like she does.