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- The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Editor reviews
2 reviews
A Charming Story That Won a Huge Award
Overall rating
5.0
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A leisurely, summery, old-fashioned tale draws the reader irresistibly in when she opens this book, which won the National Book Award in the Young People's Literature category.
When the four Penderwick sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty head off to vacation in a country cottage with their dog, Hound, and their widowed father, they have no idea what adventures await them. The mansion next door holds the frightening Mrs. Tifton, and (happily) her son, Jeffrey. Although their meeting is not auspicious (Skye accidentally body-slams him and then says terrible things about his mother), Jeffrey and the Penderwicks soon form close bonds.
Their adventures are many, ranging from Jeffrey saving four-year-old Batty's life to the group surviving a formal dinner party. An over-riding question nags the reader: can Jeffrey be saved from an inevitable stay at military boarding school?
Through it all, the family connections are heartwarming and yet true. Friendship is a major force in the characters' lives, as is the promise of a someday romance (which was handled skillfully and realistically). This gentle tale, refreshingly lacking in irony and mean spiritedness (no mean girls, here) manages to be exciting and fun, and is sure to become a classic.
When the four Penderwick sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty head off to vacation in a country cottage with their dog, Hound, and their widowed father, they have no idea what adventures await them. The mansion next door holds the frightening Mrs. Tifton, and (happily) her son, Jeffrey. Although their meeting is not auspicious (Skye accidentally body-slams him and then says terrible things about his mother), Jeffrey and the Penderwicks soon form close bonds.
Their adventures are many, ranging from Jeffrey saving four-year-old Batty's life to the group surviving a formal dinner party. An over-riding question nags the reader: can Jeffrey be saved from an inevitable stay at military boarding school?
Through it all, the family connections are heartwarming and yet true. Friendship is a major force in the characters' lives, as is the promise of a someday romance (which was handled skillfully and realistically). This gentle tale, refreshingly lacking in irony and mean spiritedness (no mean girls, here) manages to be exciting and fun, and is sure to become a classic.
G
Guest
Top 50 Reviewer
User reviews
6 reviews
Overall rating
3.7
Plot
3.7(6)
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Absorbing
Overall rating
3.0
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I really enjoyed this book for what it was. It kept me up till late, I finished it in one day and it was exactly right. It is a kids' book though and I would have been obsessed with it and gotten lost in it at 10, but now I would just read it to my (very distant) kids again.
It was one amazing adventure
Overall rating
4.0
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Reader reviewed by cassurunie
The book The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall was one great adventure on every page. You would think it's just a normal book, but it is the exact opposite. Its fantastic, because it makes you anticipate what is going to happen next. It has many exciting adventures that keep you at the edge of your seat.
The only thing I disliked about this book was when one of the main characters, Batty, runs away. That made me nervous but the story came back around and the plot continued. I thought that the sixteenth chapter was the most interesting because it dealt with this situation. This book may have had many many parts where you had to stop and think, but over all this was one amazing adventure. I highly recommend it to anyone.
The book The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall was one great adventure on every page. You would think it's just a normal book, but it is the exact opposite. Its fantastic, because it makes you anticipate what is going to happen next. It has many exciting adventures that keep you at the edge of your seat.
The only thing I disliked about this book was when one of the main characters, Batty, runs away. That made me nervous but the story came back around and the plot continued. I thought that the sixteenth chapter was the most interesting because it dealt with this situation. This book may have had many many parts where you had to stop and think, but over all this was one amazing adventure. I highly recommend it to anyone.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
four sweet sisters
Overall rating
3.0
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Reader reviewed by mearley
A very sweet story of four sisters who go on vacation with their widowed father to a little cottage on the grounds of a mansion owned by the very proper Mrs. Tifton. The girls befriend Mrs. Tifton's son and the teenage gardener. All four sisters manage to get into some sort of trouble during the summer, whether it's letting rabbits out of their cages or barging into a formal garden party.
This book had the sense of being from another era, a carefree time of innocence. At times the story was occasionally too sweet for my taste, but overall it was refreshing. The Penderwick sisters seem to be modern cousins of Anne of Green Gables.
A very sweet story of four sisters who go on vacation with their widowed father to a little cottage on the grounds of a mansion owned by the very proper Mrs. Tifton. The girls befriend Mrs. Tifton's son and the teenage gardener. All four sisters manage to get into some sort of trouble during the summer, whether it's letting rabbits out of their cages or barging into a formal garden party.
This book had the sense of being from another era, a carefree time of innocence. At times the story was occasionally too sweet for my taste, but overall it was refreshing. The Penderwick sisters seem to be modern cousins of Anne of Green Gables.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Awsome book
Overall rating
5.0
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Reader reviewed by tennisplayer
I read, THe Penderwicks:A summer tale of 4 sisters, two rabitts, and a ver interesting boy during the summer an dloved it alot. The story tells about four sisters and there stay in the mountains at a place called Arundel. The sisters meet a new freind named Jefforey and his disapproving mother.I loved how each of the sisters had a voice of there own and I must say that i always knew who was talking. This book was relly good and I deffinatly reccomend it.
I read, THe Penderwicks:A summer tale of 4 sisters, two rabitts, and a ver interesting boy during the summer an dloved it alot. The story tells about four sisters and there stay in the mountains at a place called Arundel. The sisters meet a new freind named Jefforey and his disapproving mother.I loved how each of the sisters had a voice of there own and I must say that i always knew who was talking. This book was relly good and I deffinatly reccomend it.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Eh
Overall rating
2.0
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Reader reviewed by bookworm9
The title says it all-- four sisters (and their widowed dad) spend the summer in a vacation house on the property of a rich woman and her son, Jeffrey. The girls soon befriend Jeffrey, and help him with some fairly standadrd mg-book-problems with his family.
This book is written to be intentionally "old-fashioned," which I applaud, but not at the expense of good characters, which is what happens. The plot is fairly predictable, and the four sisters are fairly cliche, with the exception of maybe Syke, who comes accross as wooden. If you're looking for a good four-sisters-in-summer story, try The Exiles by Hilary McKay, which is a thousand times more entertaining.
The title says it all-- four sisters (and their widowed dad) spend the summer in a vacation house on the property of a rich woman and her son, Jeffrey. The girls soon befriend Jeffrey, and help him with some fairly standadrd mg-book-problems with his family.
This book is written to be intentionally "old-fashioned," which I applaud, but not at the expense of good characters, which is what happens. The plot is fairly predictable, and the four sisters are fairly cliche, with the exception of maybe Syke, who comes accross as wooden. If you're looking for a good four-sisters-in-summer story, try The Exiles by Hilary McKay, which is a thousand times more entertaining.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Rock On
Overall rating
5.0
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Reader reviewed by Rabby
This is the best book i have ever read. I read it in 3 or 4 days. Please tell me when your next book comes out if you can. And is the next book going to follow the Penderwicks? I hope the one next is as great as the first. Best Wishes keep it up!!!!!!
This is the best book i have ever read. I read it in 3 or 4 days. Please tell me when your next book comes out if you can. And is the next book going to follow the Penderwicks? I hope the one next is as great as the first. Best Wishes keep it up!!!!!!
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
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