Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. New York: Yearling, 2005. 262 pages. $6.99 ISBN 9780440420477
Plot Summary: The Penderwick sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane and Batty spend their summer vacation with their father at Arundel Cottage. The cottage is a small guest house on the grounds of the grand Tifton estate. The girls manage to get into all sorts of trouble, and get Mrs. Tifton's son Jeffrey into trouble as well. The girls and Jeffrey learn the meaning of friendship and the value of a good relationship with parents.
Critical Evaluation: I thought this was a really cute book. Very simple and yet teaches the reader so much about the value of family and friendship. Each of the sisters are given distinct personalities, and each adds a special lively element to the story. It almost makes the reader want to be a part of the family, as chaotic as it was. Although it may not appeal to most boys, with most of the characters being girls, there is definitely a sense of adventure throughout as the sisters get Jeffrey into all sorts of trouble.
Reader's Annotation: The Penderwicks don't mean to wreak havoc on the Tipton Estate, but in the end it is inevitable.
Author Bio: Jeanne Birdsall grew up in a Philadelphia suburb and knew she wanted to write since she was ten years old. Over her academic career she admired many of her teachers, including her Latin teacher. Jeanne didn't write her first book until age 41, and held many random jobs up until then. She is also a photographer, and many of her pieces can be seen in art museums and galleries like the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Currently she lives with her husband in Northampton, Massachusetts, full of animals and surrounded by gardens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: Not sure what curriculum ties there could be except for assigning the book for a summer read or for language arts.
Booktalking Ideas: Talk about summer vacations, where the kids like to go, and adventures they may have. Then talk about how the Penderwick girls go somewhere new for summer break and it changes their lives forever.
Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 9 and up, Grades 3-7
Challenges: None
Reason for including: The cover caught my eye in the library one day and it sounded interesting, since I'm an only child and never went anywhere for the summers. I think tween girls would definitely enjoy the book.
Critical Evaluation: I thought this was a really cute book. Very simple and yet teaches the reader so much about the value of family and friendship. Each of the sisters are given distinct personalities, and each adds a special lively element to the story. It almost makes the reader want to be a part of the family, as chaotic as it was. Although it may not appeal to most boys, with most of the characters being girls, there is definitely a sense of adventure throughout as the sisters get Jeffrey into all sorts of trouble.
Reader's Annotation: The Penderwicks don't mean to wreak havoc on the Tipton Estate, but in the end it is inevitable.
Author Bio: Jeanne Birdsall grew up in a Philadelphia suburb and knew she wanted to write since she was ten years old. Over her academic career she admired many of her teachers, including her Latin teacher. Jeanne didn't write her first book until age 41, and held many random jobs up until then. She is also a photographer, and many of her pieces can be seen in art museums and galleries like the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Currently she lives with her husband in Northampton, Massachusetts, full of animals and surrounded by gardens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: Not sure what curriculum ties there could be except for assigning the book for a summer read or for language arts.
Booktalking Ideas: Talk about summer vacations, where the kids like to go, and adventures they may have. Then talk about how the Penderwick girls go somewhere new for summer break and it changes their lives forever.
Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 9 and up, Grades 3-7
Challenges: None
Reason for including: The cover caught my eye in the library one day and it sounded interesting, since I'm an only child and never went anywhere for the summers. I think tween girls would definitely enjoy the book.
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