Review Detail

Penelope Positano tends to notice things that other people might not see and this is especially true when she is wearing her eye patch. Penelope uses an eye patch over one of her eyes for two hours daily to help the eye that is not as strong catch up with the other. Her family is now going to get a dog and it is up to her to find the best fit for their family. Her mom wants an obedient dog, and her dad wants one that enjoys music but Penelope isn’t too sure about either of those options. Her best friend, Gus, told her that she would know when she finds her dog but Penelope is worried that none of these dogs are for her.

What I Liked: This book begins by introducing us to Penelope Positano and her family, which consists of her mom, dad, and grandma. It was fun to see the various personalities that make up Penelope’s family and the things that each of her family members are interested in. It was exciting to learn more about her family especially as they were going to look at dogs with Penelope. It was also great to learn more about her friends and also to see how Penelope navigated the conversation regarding her eye patch. It was great to see this be a part of her every day and how her grandma was able to explain that this eye patch meant that Penelope was able to see things others didn’t.

The pacing of this book is great for young readers as the chapters go by quickly and the story is moved along through the inclusion of various illustrations. The vibrant illustrations do a great job of highlighting the various traits of the dogs that Penelope comes into contact with, as well each of her interactions with her friends and family. The short chapters are great for early readers and this is a great book to introduce children to chapter books.

Final Verdict: Penelope Positano is a fun and engaging story about finding the perfect family pet and what goes into adopting a dog. Children ages 6 and up will enjoy the short chapters in the book and the colorful illustrations that help tell the story. It’s great to see a child navigate their differences and use that difference as an advantage which we see in different situations with Penelope.