By Jeanne Birdsall
Publication Date: March 15th, 2004 (Yearling)
Hardcover, 262 pages
Genre: Childrens; Realistic Fiction;
Source: Library
DESCRIPTION:
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.
The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will—won't they? One thing's for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget .
Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.
—from goodreads.com
REVIEW:
The Penderwicks is one of the best children's books you'll ever read in your entire life! Finishing it was so sad and I was sure to make the last chapter as slow as I possibly could, but another side of me wanted to know what would happen in the end, and that impatient side won. The ending of The Penderwicks was heartwarming and very filling.
Not only children, but any dreamy, sentimental reader can easily relate and sympathize with the five main characters. There's Rosalind, twelve-years-old and has a crush on the seventeen-year-old landscaper at Arundel Manor; Skye, who's bold (and perhaps a bit foolhardy) personality hungers for adventure, getting her into loads of trouble; Jane, an aspiring author who must find the confidence within to believe in herself; and Batty, the youngest of the Penderwicks who is painfully shy.
Not only children, but any dreamy, sentimental reader can easily relate and sympathize with the five main characters. There's Rosalind, twelve-years-old and has a crush on the seventeen-year-old landscaper at Arundel Manor; Skye, who's bold (and perhaps a bit foolhardy) personality hungers for adventure, getting her into loads of trouble; Jane, an aspiring author who must find the confidence within to believe in herself; and Batty, the youngest of the Penderwicks who is painfully shy.
And of course there's also Jeffrey Tifton (not a Penderwick), who wants to study music but who's mother wants him to persue a different study (like so many of teenager's parents). I found Jeffrey the most relatable out of all of the characters because of the heartbreaking situation with his unsupportive mother.
The action in The Penderwicks is few and shouldn't be called "action" necessarily; rather, it should be called "events," which include running from a bull and a loose-animal chasing.
The action in The Penderwicks is few and shouldn't be called "action" necessarily; rather, it should be called "events," which include running from a bull and a loose-animal chasing.
There was a certain kind of whimsically magical feeling about the summer setting that was so appealing to me, and surely will be to other sentimental readers. The Penderwicks proves that a book doesn't have to include wizards, witches, vampires, or werewolves to be magical or compelling.
The chapters were medium-sized and the print was big. The writing was fresh nostalgic of older children's classics. Also, at times the writing was witty, while serious at other times. The writer knew exactly what the characters should say and it flowed.
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy was a heart-warming, adorable story about the bonds of friendship and the trials families go through.
RATING:
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