MODULE 7: REALISTIC FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS
October 12-18
The Penderwicks
By: Jeanne Birdsall
Ages 9-12
October 12-18
The Penderwicks
By: Jeanne Birdsall
Ages 9-12
Summary:
A classically written story about four girls who spend the summer having a grand time and exhilarating escapades is simply one way to describe this book. The author writes on the inside jacket "by the time I was ten or eleven, I'd run out of books to read. I promised myself that I'd become a writer someday, to give readers like me a few more books to discover and enjoy." Jeanne Birdsall lives up to her goals and creates a charmingly, lovely story about the Penderwick sisters. The oldest sister Rosalind experiences her first crush and the peaks and valleys that come with puppy love. The next sister Skye befriends Jeffrey, begins to build a relationship with her youngest sister, and stands up to Mrs Tifton and defends the honor of her family. The next sister Jane practices her soccer moves and finishes her next edition of Sabrina Starr who manages to rescue a real person this time. Finally Batty, the youngest sister, accidentally taunts a bull, befriends rabbits Yaz and Carla, and finds her little voice when she is being bullied.
My Impressions:
I was pleasantly surprised when I began to read this book. The cover is simple, reminiscent of old china, and gives off this impression of an old book. It is very deceiving, but perhaps is the image that the author intends to send. This book is written in a classic style, with a wholesome storyline, innocent characters, and a happy ending. Some reviewers liken The Penderwicks to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This is perhaps a good comparison because it is written in an almost old fashioned way. This style, grace, and charm is what makes this book a fantastic story. This book has become one of my all time favorites, and I am delighted that there is a sequel. One aspect of the book which I am especially impressed about is the way the author is able to make all of the girls come alive. As I began reading, I thought that one girl would emerge as the predominant charcter, perhaps Skye, because of her confidence and high self esteem. Yet I was surprised and then happy to find that all of the girls have their moments. Birdsall manages to give equal time to the development and description of each sister. She does this while still managing to keep the story interesting and the adventures interwoven into one excellently written and cohesive book.
Reviews:
"Four sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty, spend a few weeks with their father and dog at a cottage on the grounds of a stately home in the Berkshires, where they complicate the lives of a handsome gardener, a lonely boy, and the boy’s officious mother. Rosalind, Skye, and Jane, at twelve, eleven, and ten, provide the majority of the action, aided by the boy, Jeffrey, who is eleven, while Batty manages to effortlessly focus the story at a four-year-old level for brief stints, making this a prime choice for multiple-grade reading aloud. The prose is simple yet sophisticated in style, Birdsall doesn’t waste words, yet through her writing the girls (even Batty) emerge as passionate and complex people whose motherless state encourages a particularly poignant bond with one another and with their gentle, abstracted father. Though the plot formula and even in-text references tie this story firmly to the Bastable and March family dramas, this is an independent, hearty tale with recognizably modern characters. Readers will remember the antics of these four highly personable sisters, whose adventures they will want to revisit. Review Code: R -- Recommended. Grades 4-7-Timnah Card,The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2005 (Vol. 59, No. 1)
Lesson Plans:
This book would be perfect for a read aloud, and would work perfectly in a setting where the educator could read a chapter or so everyday. This book could also inspire children to write a truly creative and imaginative story of their own. Students could be asked to create a wonderful summer adventure as apart of a creative writing assignment.
Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
Card, Timnah. "Children's Literature Reviews: The Penderwicks". Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. October 18, 2009.
A classically written story about four girls who spend the summer having a grand time and exhilarating escapades is simply one way to describe this book. The author writes on the inside jacket "by the time I was ten or eleven, I'd run out of books to read. I promised myself that I'd become a writer someday, to give readers like me a few more books to discover and enjoy." Jeanne Birdsall lives up to her goals and creates a charmingly, lovely story about the Penderwick sisters. The oldest sister Rosalind experiences her first crush and the peaks and valleys that come with puppy love. The next sister Skye befriends Jeffrey, begins to build a relationship with her youngest sister, and stands up to Mrs Tifton and defends the honor of her family. The next sister Jane practices her soccer moves and finishes her next edition of Sabrina Starr who manages to rescue a real person this time. Finally Batty, the youngest sister, accidentally taunts a bull, befriends rabbits Yaz and Carla, and finds her little voice when she is being bullied.
My Impressions:
I was pleasantly surprised when I began to read this book. The cover is simple, reminiscent of old china, and gives off this impression of an old book. It is very deceiving, but perhaps is the image that the author intends to send. This book is written in a classic style, with a wholesome storyline, innocent characters, and a happy ending. Some reviewers liken The Penderwicks to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This is perhaps a good comparison because it is written in an almost old fashioned way. This style, grace, and charm is what makes this book a fantastic story. This book has become one of my all time favorites, and I am delighted that there is a sequel. One aspect of the book which I am especially impressed about is the way the author is able to make all of the girls come alive. As I began reading, I thought that one girl would emerge as the predominant charcter, perhaps Skye, because of her confidence and high self esteem. Yet I was surprised and then happy to find that all of the girls have their moments. Birdsall manages to give equal time to the development and description of each sister. She does this while still managing to keep the story interesting and the adventures interwoven into one excellently written and cohesive book.
Reviews:
"Four sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty, spend a few weeks with their father and dog at a cottage on the grounds of a stately home in the Berkshires, where they complicate the lives of a handsome gardener, a lonely boy, and the boy’s officious mother. Rosalind, Skye, and Jane, at twelve, eleven, and ten, provide the majority of the action, aided by the boy, Jeffrey, who is eleven, while Batty manages to effortlessly focus the story at a four-year-old level for brief stints, making this a prime choice for multiple-grade reading aloud. The prose is simple yet sophisticated in style, Birdsall doesn’t waste words, yet through her writing the girls (even Batty) emerge as passionate and complex people whose motherless state encourages a particularly poignant bond with one another and with their gentle, abstracted father. Though the plot formula and even in-text references tie this story firmly to the Bastable and March family dramas, this is an independent, hearty tale with recognizably modern characters. Readers will remember the antics of these four highly personable sisters, whose adventures they will want to revisit. Review Code: R -- Recommended. Grades 4-7-Timnah Card,The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2005 (Vol. 59, No. 1)
Lesson Plans:
This book would be perfect for a read aloud, and would work perfectly in a setting where the educator could read a chapter or so everyday. This book could also inspire children to write a truly creative and imaginative story of their own. Students could be asked to create a wonderful summer adventure as apart of a creative writing assignment.
Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
Card, Timnah. "Children's Literature Reviews: The Penderwicks". Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. October 18, 2009
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