Module 4: The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

Book Summary: This realistic fiction book tugged on my heartstrings with its theme of a single father trying to take care of his four daughters after their mother has passed away from cancer.  He plans their annual summer trip to a cottage in Arundel.  When they arrive, Jane, the middle aritistic sister, notices a boy in the window of the main house.  They soon discover that theboy lives there withhis mean and snobbish mother Mrs. Tifton. He enjoys the girls, especially tom-boyish Skye, but hismother does not approve of their ways of living.  The shy little sister Batty falls in love with some rabbits that were at the oldest sister Rosalind's crush' house. The whole summeris filled with adventures from running away from a bull to losing their little sister at night!  The girls are devestated when they find out that their new friend Jeffrey Tifton will be sent to a boarding schoolbecause of his recent activities with the girls.  They try theirbest to not let it happen and eventually fate is on their side and he does not have to go.  The summer ends on a good note with them making new friends and memories that last a lifetime.

Reference: Birdsall, J. (2005). The penderwicks. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Impression: I loved this book from the beginning to the end.  It flows so well from chapter to chapter and the author uses vocabulary and language that is appropriate for each character.  I could hear the innocence in little Batty's voice and the snobbyness in Mrs. Tifton's voice as well. The setting seemed to be set in the late 90's only because of the activities and style of dress.  The author does not actually give you a time period, and there is no reference to a particular event that may have happened tohelp you to visual what era.  There are no illustrations either for you to get a visual of the chracters but the description that she gave of each one helped you to understand how each chracter should look.  The main problem in the book was that Jeffrey was unhappy living at home with a mother who ignored. She also felt she was rather better than the Penderwicks and evetually refused Jeffrey from hanging with the girls.  Especially after they ruined her chances of winning the Garden Club competition by knocking over statues and falling over in the flowers that she worked hard on.

I would recommend this book to ages 9-12 and grades 4-8.

Professional Review:

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 3-6. Adults who have been longing to find books for children that remind them of their own childhood favorites need look no further. Birdsall follows in the footsteps of Elizabeth Enright, Edward Eager, and Noel Streatfeild, updating the family story yet keeping all the old-fashioned charm. The motherless Penderwick sisters--Rosalind, 12; Sky, 11; Jane, 10; and Batty, 4--are spending the summer in a Berkshire cottage on the Arundel estate. Their botanist father and protective dog, Hound, are also in attendance, though Hound is far more involved with the girls than their absentminded professor dad. After a bad beginning, the girls become friends with Jeffrey, the son of the lady of the manor, Mrs. Tifton, whose main concern is the welfare of her garden. On one level, Birdsall might be criticized for one-dimensional characterizations (Mrs. Tifton, her boyfriend), and certain minor elements that don't ring true: Tifton's prizewinning garden would hardly be left in the hands of a teenager (on whom Rosalind develops a crush). But what this comforting family story does offer are four marvelously appealing sisters, true childhood behavior (disobeying, running away, a first crush), and a writing style that will draw readers close. So satisfying, the story begs for a sequel: it would be nice to see more of the Penderwicks. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From Kirkus Review
Echoes of Alcott contribute to the intimate charm of this story of “summer and magic and adventure.” Not since the Marches have readers met more engaging girls than the Penderwicks: Rosalind, 12, pretty and practical; Skye, 11, smart and blue-eyed; Jane, ten, aspiring author, whose alter ego, Sabrina Starr, is fearless and clever; and butterfly wing–wearing Batty, four. Dear Father is a botanist, fond of spouting witticisms in Latin; Mommy is in heaven. This year, vacation will be spent at the cream-colored cottage at Arundel, estate of snooty Mrs. Tifton, whose house is “like a museum, only without armed guards.” Unless she has a change of heart, Jeffrey, her gentle, music-loving only child, is doomed to be sent to Pencey Military Academy, “Where Boys Become Men and Men Become Soldiers.” Despite a few mishaps, the children become fast friends and partners in the sorts of lively plots and pastoral pastimes we don’t read much about these days. Their adventures and near-disasters, innocent crushes, escaped animals, owning-up and growing up (and yes, changes of heart) are satisfying and not-too-sweet. (Fiction. 8-12)

References:
Cooper, I. (n.d.). [Review of the book The penderwicks:A summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy, by J. Birdsall]. Booklist. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/The-Penderwicks-A-Summer-Tale-of-Four-Sisters-Two-Rabbits-and-a-Very-Interesting-Boy-Jeanne-Birdsall/pid=237403

Kirkus Review. (2005). [Review of the book The penderwicks: A summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy, by J. Birdsall]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jeanne-birdsall/the-penderwicks/

Library:
This book could be great to use during Father's Day week or weekend to show the relationship that he had with is daughters.