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The Penderwicks #3
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Middle Grade & Children's (2011)With over one million copies sold, this series of modern classics about the charming Penderwick family from National Book Award winner andÌý New York Times Ìýbestseller Jeanne Birdsall is perfect for fans of Noel Streatfeild and Edward Eager.
When summer comes around, it's off to the beach for Rosalind . . . and off to Maine with Aunt Claire for the rest of the Penderwick girls, as well as their old friend, Jeffrey.
That leaves Skye as OAP (oldest available Penderwick)—a terrifying notion for all, but for Skye especially. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage, with a rocky shore, enthusiastic seagulls, a just-right corner store, and a charming next-door neighbor.Ìý But can Skye hold it together long enough to figure out Rosalind's directions about not letting Batty explode?Ìý Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion after she meets the alluring Dominic? Is Batty—contrary to all accepted wisdom—the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune?Ìý And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls . . . these girls who are his second, and most heartfelt, family?
It's a rollicking ride as the Penderwicks continue their unforgettable adventures in a story filled with laughs and joyful tears!
When summer comes around, it's off to the beach for Rosalind . . . and off to Maine with Aunt Claire for the rest of the Penderwick girls, as well as their old friend, Jeffrey.
That leaves Skye as OAP (oldest available Penderwick)—a terrifying notion for all, but for Skye especially. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage, with a rocky shore, enthusiastic seagulls, a just-right corner store, and a charming next-door neighbor.Ìý But can Skye hold it together long enough to figure out Rosalind's directions about not letting Batty explode?Ìý Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion after she meets the alluring Dominic? Is Batty—contrary to all accepted wisdom—the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune?Ìý And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls . . . these girls who are his second, and most heartfelt, family?
It's a rollicking ride as the Penderwicks continue their unforgettable adventures in a story filled with laughs and joyful tears!
295 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2011
462 people are currently reading
5,216 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne Birdsall
23Ìýbooks1,217ÌýfollowersJeanne Birdsall grew up in the suburbs west of Philadelphia, where she attended wonderful public schools. Jeanne had lots of great teachers, but her favorites were: Mrs. Corkhill, sixth grade, who encouraged her intellectual curiosity; Mr. Tremonte, eighth grade algebra, who taught Jeanne to love and respect math; and Miss Basehore, second and fourth year Latin, to whom Jeanne (and Mr. Penderwick) will be forever grateful.
Although she first decided to become a writer when she was ten years old, it took Jeanne until she was forty-one to get started. In the years in between, Jeanne had many strange jobs to support herself, and also worked hard as a photographer, the kind that makes art. Some of Jeanne's photographs are included in the permanent collections of museums, including the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Her work can be seen in several galleries, including the R. Michelson Galleries in western Massachusetts.
Jeanne's home now is with her husband in Northampton, Massachusetts. Their house is old and comfortable, full of unruly animals, and surrounded by gardens.
Although she first decided to become a writer when she was ten years old, it took Jeanne until she was forty-one to get started. In the years in between, Jeanne had many strange jobs to support herself, and also worked hard as a photographer, the kind that makes art. Some of Jeanne's photographs are included in the permanent collections of museums, including the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Her work can be seen in several galleries, including the R. Michelson Galleries in western Massachusetts.
Jeanne's home now is with her husband in Northampton, Massachusetts. Their house is old and comfortable, full of unruly animals, and surrounded by gardens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,559 reviews
March 16, 2011
When Jeanne Birdsall’s first middle grade novel was published in 2005 it committed a crime. A crime shared, I might add, by books written by authors like Dr. Seuss, J.K. Rowling, and even Jeff Kinney. They say no good deed goes unpunished. Well, the creation of The Penderwicks was a good deed to children across the world in need of great fiction that’s homey and familiar without being cloying. Books that are touching a meaningful but never saccharine. In creating such a book Ms. Birdsall followed in her predecessors' footsteps and did something unforgiveable: she made it look easy. Nothing could be worse. Imitators weren’t immediate, but as time has gone by they’ve cropped up like so many unwanted dandelions. Now librarians must wade through the lot of them in the desperate hope that maybe one or two will be worth recommending. It’s no good to say a book is “the next Penderwicks� or “Penderwicks meets [blank]�. Nothing quite compares to the original and that stands true with this, the third Penderwick chapter. The Penderwicks at Point Mouette takes readers slightly out of their comfort range but not so far that they feel adrift. Everything you expect out of a Penderwick novel is here. It just happens to be done better by this author than any other you might name.
“The Penderwick family was being torn apart.� Nuff said. Maybe torn apart is a bit of an exaggeration. You see, with the recent marriage of their father to that perfectly nice Iantha, the family suddenly finds itself going in three different directions. The parental Penderwicks are going to England on a honeymoon for two weeks while Rosalind goes to New Jersey during that time with a friend. That leaves the remaining three girls to join their Aunt Claire at Point Mouette, in a lovely little coastal cottage. Their pleasure at the thought is daunted somewhat by the discovery that their best honorary brother Jeffrey will not be joining them. More shocking still, with Rosalind out of the picture, Skye is automatically the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) and she is not pleased with the responsibility that entails. Fortunately there are enough dog related mishaps, skateboarding cool guys, musicians, golf balls, moose, and more to distract the remaining Penderwicks from their problems. Particularly when a friend needs their help.
Part of the lure of the Penderwick books is the fact that when you dive into one of them you are verily engulfed in a kind of instantaneous flood of words that feel (forgive me but there’s no other way of saying this) classic. You could read a Penderwick novel after a book by , say, or and the sole blip on your radar might be to notice that the language in the Penderwick book sounds less outdated than in the others. There is no effective way of replicating this feel in a novel. Lord knows it's been attempted before and the results are almost always lamentable (the acoustical equivalent of celebrities trying to write picture books that sound like Dr. Seuss). Ms. Birdsall pulls it off without ever sounding forced or precious. And yet you never feel like the books take place in the past. Cell phones exist in this world but they do not take precedence. Each sister here reads (respectively) by Annie Barrows, and (quite exciting) by N.D. Wilson, as well as the books of (causing me to wonder why Mr. Tyson hasn’t gotten into the world of publishing science books for kids). Even the twist in this book, one that the adults may see coming, works. I say this with some surprise since before the reveal I thought about it and then said to myself, “Nah. That couldn’t be what's going to happen. You couldn’t get away with that kind of thing.� Well get away with it the author does. I’m not entirely sure how, since it’s a coincidence straight out of a Shakespearean play, but if you buy it when the Bard does it, why not buy it when the Birdsall does?
Since it’s been three years since Ms. Birdsall released the last Penderwick title, I wondered if I’d be able to plunge headlong back into that world without perusing the previous books to remind me of the pertinent details. I needn’t have worried. Standing entirely on its own, Point Mouette manages in the span of two or three pages to catch the reader up perfectly. The characters are so crisp and clear on the page that it’s a wonder they don’t physically pull themselves out of the book and strut about a bit. However, with this novel I began to notice aspects of their personalities I hadn’t really picked up on before. For example, it’s fun to sit down and notice how many characters mention that they don’t want to discuss their innermost problems with Skye. Having a sister like Skye is infinitely useful (particularly when facing unwanted persons) but you don’t always want to face her dead-on honesty when your heart is feeling low. I also noticed some insights into the character of Rosalind, though she is hardly even a part of this book. Her departure, actually, felt a bit like one of the later Narnia books, where Peter and Susan were too old for the adventures. But even without her presence, the mere implied existence of the eldest Penderwick led me to believe that many people know a Rosalind of their own. The kind of person you hide information from so that they won’t worry their good little hearts out about it. Also the kind of person who creates rules for their absent boyfriends “though she knew better than to give them to him.�
Which sort of naturally leads into the ways in which Ms. Birdsall manages to give deep insightful glimpses into character while still remaining true to their ages and personalities. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Jane is trying to come up with a good boy name for one of her characters. She thinks Dylan would be nice name but remembers that Batty has a beef with it. Says Jane, � ‘Sorry. That’s the name of the boy who poured glue on you at day care, right?� ‘He poured glue on everybody,� said Batty darkly.� There’s something about a very small child saying something darkly that just amuses me considerably.
There’s nothing like having your expectations so high that a book can’t live up to them . . . and this is nothing LIKE having your expectations so high that a book can’t live up to them. Sure there’s a bit of a lull halfway through in the action, which may cause the reader to wonder where exactly the story is going. Lulls are fine, though. They pass. In this case, quite thoroughly. If you’ve someone who’d like to be introduced into this world for the first time or someone who’s been reading the books straight through, it makes no difference. Both will enjoy this newest Penderwickian challenge. Both will be intrigued and pleased. Both will love it. You will too for that matter. There is something infinitely satisfying about seeing someone working at the top of their game. Ms. Jeanne Birdsall could well be the poster child for that satisfaction. A fun fun book.
For ages 8-12.
“The Penderwick family was being torn apart.� Nuff said. Maybe torn apart is a bit of an exaggeration. You see, with the recent marriage of their father to that perfectly nice Iantha, the family suddenly finds itself going in three different directions. The parental Penderwicks are going to England on a honeymoon for two weeks while Rosalind goes to New Jersey during that time with a friend. That leaves the remaining three girls to join their Aunt Claire at Point Mouette, in a lovely little coastal cottage. Their pleasure at the thought is daunted somewhat by the discovery that their best honorary brother Jeffrey will not be joining them. More shocking still, with Rosalind out of the picture, Skye is automatically the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) and she is not pleased with the responsibility that entails. Fortunately there are enough dog related mishaps, skateboarding cool guys, musicians, golf balls, moose, and more to distract the remaining Penderwicks from their problems. Particularly when a friend needs their help.
Part of the lure of the Penderwick books is the fact that when you dive into one of them you are verily engulfed in a kind of instantaneous flood of words that feel (forgive me but there’s no other way of saying this) classic. You could read a Penderwick novel after a book by , say, or and the sole blip on your radar might be to notice that the language in the Penderwick book sounds less outdated than in the others. There is no effective way of replicating this feel in a novel. Lord knows it's been attempted before and the results are almost always lamentable (the acoustical equivalent of celebrities trying to write picture books that sound like Dr. Seuss). Ms. Birdsall pulls it off without ever sounding forced or precious. And yet you never feel like the books take place in the past. Cell phones exist in this world but they do not take precedence. Each sister here reads (respectively) by Annie Barrows, and (quite exciting) by N.D. Wilson, as well as the books of (causing me to wonder why Mr. Tyson hasn’t gotten into the world of publishing science books for kids). Even the twist in this book, one that the adults may see coming, works. I say this with some surprise since before the reveal I thought about it and then said to myself, “Nah. That couldn’t be what's going to happen. You couldn’t get away with that kind of thing.� Well get away with it the author does. I’m not entirely sure how, since it’s a coincidence straight out of a Shakespearean play, but if you buy it when the Bard does it, why not buy it when the Birdsall does?
Since it’s been three years since Ms. Birdsall released the last Penderwick title, I wondered if I’d be able to plunge headlong back into that world without perusing the previous books to remind me of the pertinent details. I needn’t have worried. Standing entirely on its own, Point Mouette manages in the span of two or three pages to catch the reader up perfectly. The characters are so crisp and clear on the page that it’s a wonder they don’t physically pull themselves out of the book and strut about a bit. However, with this novel I began to notice aspects of their personalities I hadn’t really picked up on before. For example, it’s fun to sit down and notice how many characters mention that they don’t want to discuss their innermost problems with Skye. Having a sister like Skye is infinitely useful (particularly when facing unwanted persons) but you don’t always want to face her dead-on honesty when your heart is feeling low. I also noticed some insights into the character of Rosalind, though she is hardly even a part of this book. Her departure, actually, felt a bit like one of the later Narnia books, where Peter and Susan were too old for the adventures. But even without her presence, the mere implied existence of the eldest Penderwick led me to believe that many people know a Rosalind of their own. The kind of person you hide information from so that they won’t worry their good little hearts out about it. Also the kind of person who creates rules for their absent boyfriends “though she knew better than to give them to him.�
Which sort of naturally leads into the ways in which Ms. Birdsall manages to give deep insightful glimpses into character while still remaining true to their ages and personalities. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Jane is trying to come up with a good boy name for one of her characters. She thinks Dylan would be nice name but remembers that Batty has a beef with it. Says Jane, � ‘Sorry. That’s the name of the boy who poured glue on you at day care, right?� ‘He poured glue on everybody,� said Batty darkly.� There’s something about a very small child saying something darkly that just amuses me considerably.
There’s nothing like having your expectations so high that a book can’t live up to them . . . and this is nothing LIKE having your expectations so high that a book can’t live up to them. Sure there’s a bit of a lull halfway through in the action, which may cause the reader to wonder where exactly the story is going. Lulls are fine, though. They pass. In this case, quite thoroughly. If you’ve someone who’d like to be introduced into this world for the first time or someone who’s been reading the books straight through, it makes no difference. Both will enjoy this newest Penderwickian challenge. Both will be intrigued and pleased. Both will love it. You will too for that matter. There is something infinitely satisfying about seeing someone working at the top of their game. Ms. Jeanne Birdsall could well be the poster child for that satisfaction. A fun fun book.
For ages 8-12.
November 8, 2024
"Spending the last days of summer with a good book is twice as enjoyable."
I love early summer mornings, the fresh new aromas they always carry with each sunrise. When the world is still hushed and I sit in the sun and read around 40 pages or so. My mind feels emotionally receptive around that time, especially in the summer. And it makes the biggest difference in my mood throughout the day to start it early and read a bit. I usually tend to read in the evening, as that's when I've got time to myself, but when June arrives, I have much more spare time and it looks like all the mornings to myself :D
The Penderwicks series is the perfect summer choice for me - love this series so much, and The Penderwicks at Point Mouette is my second favourite book after A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy :)
There're too much new books on my summer reading list, but I hope to pick these stories up for my usual summer re-read and have the most amazing time with these "time in the sun" books!
22 August '22
This was a great last read of the summer! This time around I enjoyed it more than my favourite, the first book - I think, it's a tie? :)
The illustrations by Djamila Knopf (1) and by - (2)
I love early summer mornings, the fresh new aromas they always carry with each sunrise. When the world is still hushed and I sit in the sun and read around 40 pages or so. My mind feels emotionally receptive around that time, especially in the summer. And it makes the biggest difference in my mood throughout the day to start it early and read a bit. I usually tend to read in the evening, as that's when I've got time to myself, but when June arrives, I have much more spare time and it looks like all the mornings to myself :D
The Penderwicks series is the perfect summer choice for me - love this series so much, and The Penderwicks at Point Mouette is my second favourite book after A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy :)
There're too much new books on my summer reading list, but I hope to pick these stories up for my usual summer re-read and have the most amazing time with these "time in the sun" books!
22 August '22
This was a great last read of the summer! This time around I enjoyed it more than my favourite, the first book - I think, it's a tie? :)
The illustrations by Djamila Knopf (1) and by - (2)
May 11, 2023
This is book #3 of The Penderwicks series, and my 12-year-old is sticking to her five star rating. Her exact summary of the experience: I like it exactly the same as the other two.
Okay, so 5 stars again!
This was probably my favorite of the series, thus far; just about any story set on a beach gets bumped up by a star by this perpetual beach bum.
I still can't be sold on things like 10-year-olds inquiring of an adult: “[Your wife]? She's in good health?� That came right out of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, not any child's mouth, ever.
And, why is the editor never bothered (as I am) by sentences like these:
But did a newly found father that the son wouldn't talk to have more rights than either of those?
(All three books in the series are filled with awkward sentences like this one. I've just about run out of post-it notes that have savage explanation points on them, but my daughter has cautioned me to behave).
Nonetheless: we prevail! We are off to the library to pick up book #4 today.
Okay, so 5 stars again!
This was probably my favorite of the series, thus far; just about any story set on a beach gets bumped up by a star by this perpetual beach bum.
I still can't be sold on things like 10-year-olds inquiring of an adult: “[Your wife]? She's in good health?� That came right out of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, not any child's mouth, ever.
And, why is the editor never bothered (as I am) by sentences like these:
But did a newly found father that the son wouldn't talk to have more rights than either of those?
(All three books in the series are filled with awkward sentences like this one. I've just about run out of post-it notes that have savage explanation points on them, but my daughter has cautioned me to behave).
Nonetheless: we prevail! We are off to the library to pick up book #4 today.
April 27, 2022
this book is so integrally a part of my childhood that i basically did go to maine for summer vacation with my sisters rosalind, skye, jane, and batty.
don't try to tell me otherwise.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
don't try to tell me otherwise.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
December 31, 2015
This one took me a while for some reason, even though when I set my mind to reading more than just a few chapters the pages would fly by. I think maybe I had grown used to Rosalind's voice and wasn't exactly ready for so much Skye and Jane (though Batty is still delightful.) I also enjoyed Jeffrey becoming a much more well-rounded character which I think came about because we didn't have to deal with his "family" (much.)
Near the middle of the book I started enjoying the story a lot more and it even made me long for a family trip to the beach with an open fire to roast marshmallows over. If you enjoy middle grade, this is the perfect summer read.
But oh, how my heart broke around the 70% point. Most of the story is light-hearted, even Jane's lovey dovey subplot, but things get decidedly more serious as the novel comes to an end. Even as a kid some things can be devastating and inexplicable, but did a wonderful job having the children react in a realistic way (even counting Jane's melodrama.)
Sure, some things probably get tied up a little too neatly in the end, but this isn't a dark tale of woe. I would love to see the Penderwicks as a movie since these books remind me of films I watched when I was younger, like and maybe even a little bit. The plots of the Penderwick books are nothing like those movies, but they bring out some of the same feelings.
I'm nowhere near the age demographic for these books but I do feel they're written for, and can be enjoyed by, anybody. I've been told the covers make these books look boring but they're really anything but. Try these out sometime if you're looking for something light and fun and full of kids just being kids.
Near the middle of the book I started enjoying the story a lot more and it even made me long for a family trip to the beach with an open fire to roast marshmallows over. If you enjoy middle grade, this is the perfect summer read.
But oh, how my heart broke around the 70% point. Most of the story is light-hearted, even Jane's lovey dovey subplot, but things get decidedly more serious as the novel comes to an end. Even as a kid some things can be devastating and inexplicable, but did a wonderful job having the children react in a realistic way (even counting Jane's melodrama.)
Sure, some things probably get tied up a little too neatly in the end, but this isn't a dark tale of woe. I would love to see the Penderwicks as a movie since these books remind me of films I watched when I was younger, like and maybe even a little bit. The plots of the Penderwick books are nothing like those movies, but they bring out some of the same feelings.
I'm nowhere near the age demographic for these books but I do feel they're written for, and can be enjoyed by, anybody. I've been told the covers make these books look boring but they're really anything but. Try these out sometime if you're looking for something light and fun and full of kids just being kids.
April 17, 2018
// Re-Read April 2018 //
Just what I needed right now. *happy sigh* <3
///
It's official: I am completely and utterly in love with the Penderwicks.
*sighs contentedly and hugs book*
I just love everything about these books--the characters (Jeffery, Jane, Batty...basically all of them ;D), settings, and cozy feeling I get whenever I curl up with one of the books. Even though the stories take place in modern times, I can't help getting the feeling that they take place in another time period. The delightful writing style seems to perfectly capture how the joys, struggles, and adventures of childhood transcend time.
In any case, I loved this book and cannot wait for more adventures with the Penderwicks in book four!
Just what I needed right now. *happy sigh* <3
///
It's official: I am completely and utterly in love with the Penderwicks.
*sighs contentedly and hugs book*
I just love everything about these books--the characters (Jeffery, Jane, Batty...basically all of them ;D), settings, and cozy feeling I get whenever I curl up with one of the books. Even though the stories take place in modern times, I can't help getting the feeling that they take place in another time period. The delightful writing style seems to perfectly capture how the joys, struggles, and adventures of childhood transcend time.
In any case, I loved this book and cannot wait for more adventures with the Penderwicks in book four!
July 8, 2021
8 July 2021
Reading them altogether this time, I am even more aware of the romance. It's all age-appropriate, and really just another aspect of traveling and meeting new people and having adventures, part of a continuum from making a new friend to living happily ever after.
It's interesting to see Skye as OAP, and Jane, figuring out all the logistics of shopping and meal-planning and cooking and cleaning, none of which they had ever really noticed before. How many books have I read in which orphans and/or castaways have to figure all that out? And why is that fascinating in a book and unbearably tedious in real life?
***
28 May 2011
It's vacation time and the Penderwicks are splitting up. The parents and baby Ben are out of the way in the UK. Rosalind is having a vacation off in New Jersey at the shore with her best friend. That leaves Skye to be the Oldest Available Penderwick, in charge of herself, Jane, Batty, Jeffrey, and Hound at the coast in Maine with Aunt Claire who is quickly disabled to give the kids both a responsible adult around and the freedom to take action. It's marvelous. Each child is free to pursue his or her own interests and to meet new people and have new adventures. Birdsall's great strength is showing how important relatively small adventures are to kids, and the book is charmingly old-fashioned without being fake old-timey.
Reading them altogether this time, I am even more aware of the romance. It's all age-appropriate, and really just another aspect of traveling and meeting new people and having adventures, part of a continuum from making a new friend to living happily ever after.
It's interesting to see Skye as OAP, and Jane, figuring out all the logistics of shopping and meal-planning and cooking and cleaning, none of which they had ever really noticed before. How many books have I read in which orphans and/or castaways have to figure all that out? And why is that fascinating in a book and unbearably tedious in real life?
***
28 May 2011
It's vacation time and the Penderwicks are splitting up. The parents and baby Ben are out of the way in the UK. Rosalind is having a vacation off in New Jersey at the shore with her best friend. That leaves Skye to be the Oldest Available Penderwick, in charge of herself, Jane, Batty, Jeffrey, and Hound at the coast in Maine with Aunt Claire who is quickly disabled to give the kids both a responsible adult around and the freedom to take action. It's marvelous. Each child is free to pursue his or her own interests and to meet new people and have new adventures. Birdsall's great strength is showing how important relatively small adventures are to kids, and the book is charmingly old-fashioned without being fake old-timey.
December 12, 2018
UPDATE, 12/11/18: Now that we're reading the Penderwick books in order as a family for bedtimes, this is still five stars. Just wonderful through and through. Best of the series so far.
_________________
By a stroke of luck, I happened to be in the car for about 80 percent of the time this wonderfully whimsical audiobook was playing in our car, and now I very much wish I had grown up a Penderwick. Birdsall creates such realistic and likable characters and sends them on such fun and heartwarming adventures that you can't help but fall in love with the whole lot of them. In our case, Susan Denaker's narration was also a treat, and all of us � from ages 5 to 35 � didn't want the story to end.
_________________
By a stroke of luck, I happened to be in the car for about 80 percent of the time this wonderfully whimsical audiobook was playing in our car, and now I very much wish I had grown up a Penderwick. Birdsall creates such realistic and likable characters and sends them on such fun and heartwarming adventures that you can't help but fall in love with the whole lot of them. In our case, Susan Denaker's narration was also a treat, and all of us � from ages 5 to 35 � didn't want the story to end.
July 23, 2020
This might be my favorite one yet! Love this family of sisters so much.
July 24, 2011
The third story in the Penderwicks series (I won’t say “trilogy� as I hope there will be more!) is perfect for summer as, once again, we find the young Penderwicks enjoying their summer vacation in a beautiful natural setting, skillfully removing them from the everyday world of the present day and installing them in a tiny coastal area in Maine called Pointe Mouette. Surrounded by the surf, rocky cliffs, pine forests and the occasional seals, moose and seagulls, the girls and their friend Jeffrey enjoy many timeless adventures. However, things are different this time as Mr. Penderwick and his new wife Iantha are on their honeymoon in England (along with the girls� step-brother little Ben) and big sister Rosalind gets a vacation from being the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) to spend two weeks in New Jersey with her friend. The remaining Penderwick lasses spend their two weeks in a sweet little beachside cottage in Pointe Mouette with their Aunt Claire. But, Skye is OAP with Rosalind gone and she is extremely nervous about her duties—especially when the list of all the things to do to take care of Batty (the littlest Penderwick) gets wet their first day at the cottage, Aunt Claire sprains her ankle, and Jane suffers from a severe case of writers� block and begins mooning over a handsome young skateboarder whom Skye feels is not at all worthy of a Penderwick’s affections. Their kindly neighbor Alec makes things better by helping to look in on Aunt Claire (after all, it was his little dog that knocked her over and caused the sprain) and offering the piano in his cottage for Jeffrey’s enjoyment whenever he feels like playing music. But soon, things get more complicated than Skye could have imagined. When her two weeks at Pointe Mouette are over, will she miss the time in the woods or simply be incredibly glad to relinquish her role as OAP!?
I love the timeless charm of the Penderwick books. While there is certainly nothing to stop them from being contemporary (the girls use cell phones, ride in cars, etc.) it’s also entirely possible to imagine them enjoying a childhood in the 1980s or even 1950s. But, it’s not the 1950s and the only thing that I do feel is a little bit irresponsible on Birdsall’s part is that she allows the Penderwick girls to traipse around Pointe Mouette by themselves. One of the girls even accepts a ride from a man she has never met before, though he claims he is a friend of Alec. This being the sweet and happy Penderwick world, everyone is safe, but I certainly would never let my girls do such a thing and I do think it presents a problem for parents who might need to explain to children that they are not allowed to do that and why. I have to dock a star for this, and also for the fact that the first 1/3 of the book dragged a bit for me—there are never bells and whistles in a Penderwick book, but this one just felt especially slow.
However, things really pick up and once all the little conflicts fall into place, I felt things moved along beautifully and I was emotionally captivated. The reactions of the characters all felt quite honest and while I am not sure I would have reacted in a same way, or even fully understood/appreciated a few of the responses to some situations, I felt they worked okay within the story. The setting of Pointe Mouette is wonderful and this is a perfect summertime read! It’s great to read about a family that really gets along and loves one another, not because they have to but because they really do appreciate one another and cherish the friendships they have. And, as a writer myself, I really loved Jane’s struggles with writing her first romance novel for Sabrina Starr! ;-p
I love the timeless charm of the Penderwick books. While there is certainly nothing to stop them from being contemporary (the girls use cell phones, ride in cars, etc.) it’s also entirely possible to imagine them enjoying a childhood in the 1980s or even 1950s. But, it’s not the 1950s and the only thing that I do feel is a little bit irresponsible on Birdsall’s part is that she allows the Penderwick girls to traipse around Pointe Mouette by themselves. One of the girls even accepts a ride from a man she has never met before, though he claims he is a friend of Alec. This being the sweet and happy Penderwick world, everyone is safe, but I certainly would never let my girls do such a thing and I do think it presents a problem for parents who might need to explain to children that they are not allowed to do that and why. I have to dock a star for this, and also for the fact that the first 1/3 of the book dragged a bit for me—there are never bells and whistles in a Penderwick book, but this one just felt especially slow.
However, things really pick up and once all the little conflicts fall into place, I felt things moved along beautifully and I was emotionally captivated. The reactions of the characters all felt quite honest and while I am not sure I would have reacted in a same way, or even fully understood/appreciated a few of the responses to some situations, I felt they worked okay within the story. The setting of Pointe Mouette is wonderful and this is a perfect summertime read! It’s great to read about a family that really gets along and loves one another, not because they have to but because they really do appreciate one another and cherish the friendships they have. And, as a writer myself, I really loved Jane’s struggles with writing her first romance novel for Sabrina Starr! ;-p
May 29, 2018
This series continues to be delightful, in that Eager/Enright-ish way. I appreciated how Birdsall changed things up this time by having the eldest Penderwick, Rosalind, absent, so that the dynamics among the rest were different. Also, I was pleased to see Jeffrey back and have more of his personal story resolved.
April 16, 2019
Jeffrey's back!!! He's the best 12 year old boy ever.
November 26, 2020
This series gets better and better with each book. The older the Penderwick sisters get, and the more their exciting and often stressful adventures pile up, the more attached to them I become. I just love them so muuuuch. <3 Rosalind with her maturity and softness (although she wasn't present for the majority of this book, seeing as she was in New Jersey for vacation and we focused solely on the rest of the sisters for their vacation at Point Mouette), Skye with her love for black holes and science and her extreme concern as the OAP in Rosalind's absence, Jane with her Love Survey and her extravagant vocabulary and her newest Sabrina Starr book, and Batty with her attachment to absent Rosalind and her harmonica and her newfound love for music in general.
And we can't forget the other beloved characters, including the new people introduced in this installment. Aunt Claire is the best aunt you could ask for, successfully keeping the children sane even after injuring herself. Jeffrey is an absolute ANGEL, doing things like taking Skye to see moose and giving Batty music lessons. When he had a rough time of it in the last quarter-ish of the story, my heart ached for him the whole way through. Mercedes was a fun addition to the squad, although her brother Dominic was... less so. Turron was a bit bland as a character simply because we don't have time to explore him, but ALEEEEEEEC. Alec is amazing - just as much an angel as Jeffrey.
My favorite scene has to be when Jeffrey plays his clarinet for some seals on a nearby island. They completely ignored him, but it was a haunting melody that had the Penderwick sisters enthralled, so it enthralled me too. XD
This is the type of book that doesn't have much of a plot but instead follows a series of fairly random (but exciting and stressful, like I mentioned above) happenings, some of which extend through large chunks of the book. The fact that it isn't plot-driven doesn't mean it doesn't have any shocking twists, though. Above all, it focuses on the characters' growth and relationships and is heart-warming beyond words. I can't wait to read the next one!
And we can't forget the other beloved characters, including the new people introduced in this installment. Aunt Claire is the best aunt you could ask for, successfully keeping the children sane even after injuring herself. Jeffrey is an absolute ANGEL, doing things like taking Skye to see moose and giving Batty music lessons. When he had a rough time of it in the last quarter-ish of the story, my heart ached for him the whole way through. Mercedes was a fun addition to the squad, although her brother Dominic was... less so. Turron was a bit bland as a character simply because we don't have time to explore him, but ALEEEEEEEC. Alec is amazing - just as much an angel as Jeffrey.
My favorite scene has to be when Jeffrey plays his clarinet for some seals on a nearby island. They completely ignored him, but it was a haunting melody that had the Penderwick sisters enthralled, so it enthralled me too. XD
This is the type of book that doesn't have much of a plot but instead follows a series of fairly random (but exciting and stressful, like I mentioned above) happenings, some of which extend through large chunks of the book. The fact that it isn't plot-driven doesn't mean it doesn't have any shocking twists, though. Above all, it focuses on the characters' growth and relationships and is heart-warming beyond words. I can't wait to read the next one!
October 15, 2022
I justðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
These books kind of take you in and sweep you through the whole expanse of human emotions in the most charming and ordinary stories.
Also, I'm just such a fan of the way Jeanne Birdsall depicts children.
These books kind of take you in and sweep you through the whole expanse of human emotions in the most charming and ordinary stories.
Also, I'm just such a fan of the way Jeanne Birdsall depicts children.
May 14, 2011
Review originally posted .
There are some authors you can just always count on. You know that they will not disappoint or let you down. Even if they have in some way changed their style or grown, like an old friend, you know they are going to still fit you. For me Jeanne Birdsall is one such author. I have read many books I haven't enjoyed all that much in the past few weeks so when her latest novel, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, arrived at my door yesterday I was positively gleeful. Because I knew that I was holding in my hands a book that I could wrap myself in and find comfort, a book I would love.
"The Penderwick Family was being torn apart."
With that dramatic line the next segment in the story of the Penderwick sisters and Jeffrey begins. The girls' father and stepmother are off to England for their honeymoon. Rosalind is going to New Jersey with her best friend for two weeks. Skye, Jane, and Batty are off to the beach in Maine with their Aunt Claire where they will be met by Jeffrey. This makes Skye the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick). She is not at all happy about this and her sisters are a bit wary themselves. But the adults know what they are doing. They know that Rosalind needs a break, time to be just a 13 year old girl with no responsibility. They know that Skye needs the responsibility and the opportunity to prove to herself she can handle it. They know Batty needs to learn to function and be a person of her own without Rosalind to guide her.
And so a new summer of adventure begins. A summer that includes marshmallow roasts on the beach, soccer on the beach, music on the beach, searches for golf balls, Moose watches at dawn, and a naughty troublesome dog that introduces them to a new friend. Skye survives her stint as the OAP, barring one brief coup that gives the title to Jeffrey, with grace and new knowledge. Batty discovers she can defeat monsters without Rosalind ,and that she has a talent that no one expected that makes her unique from all her sisters. Jane learns a lesson about boys and romance that every girl needs to learn at some point. Jeffrey comes away from the summer with more new knowledge than he ever expected.
This third installment comes with everything I loved about the first two books. Birdsall knows how to write children well. She writes families and relationships well too. She can capture the magic in the world that is always there when you are young beautifully. The book, like the other two, is timeless in how any person of any generation could read it and identify. Anyone who has read the first two books will be in a familiar place within the pages of this one despite the change in setting. It is not just more of the same though. The girls and Jeffrey are growing and changing. I love this. Birdsall is not allowing them to stagnate. She is moving them forward and giving them experiences that will change them forever. Just as Rosalind was not the same person at the end of the second book, Skye and Batty are not the same at the end of this one. I liked watching Skye be a little unsure of herself and a little lost in her new role. It forced her to be less selfish and see all her sisters differently. Batty found her voice and place in this book in a way I was really not expecting. She has always been the cute little one, but now is becoming a defined character of her own.
Rosalind is present in the story only in the first and last chapter. I thought I would miss her presence in the book more than I did. As an oldest sister myself, she has always been the Penderwick I understood the most. With her not there I really enjoyed the other three more than I had before. I am interested in going back and seeing if it changes my reading of the first two books any.
If you enjoyed The Penderwiicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy and The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, you will feel like you have been reunited with old friends. If you haven't read those books you should get on that. Right now.
There are some authors you can just always count on. You know that they will not disappoint or let you down. Even if they have in some way changed their style or grown, like an old friend, you know they are going to still fit you. For me Jeanne Birdsall is one such author. I have read many books I haven't enjoyed all that much in the past few weeks so when her latest novel, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, arrived at my door yesterday I was positively gleeful. Because I knew that I was holding in my hands a book that I could wrap myself in and find comfort, a book I would love.
"The Penderwick Family was being torn apart."
With that dramatic line the next segment in the story of the Penderwick sisters and Jeffrey begins. The girls' father and stepmother are off to England for their honeymoon. Rosalind is going to New Jersey with her best friend for two weeks. Skye, Jane, and Batty are off to the beach in Maine with their Aunt Claire where they will be met by Jeffrey. This makes Skye the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick). She is not at all happy about this and her sisters are a bit wary themselves. But the adults know what they are doing. They know that Rosalind needs a break, time to be just a 13 year old girl with no responsibility. They know that Skye needs the responsibility and the opportunity to prove to herself she can handle it. They know Batty needs to learn to function and be a person of her own without Rosalind to guide her.
And so a new summer of adventure begins. A summer that includes marshmallow roasts on the beach, soccer on the beach, music on the beach, searches for golf balls, Moose watches at dawn, and a naughty troublesome dog that introduces them to a new friend. Skye survives her stint as the OAP, barring one brief coup that gives the title to Jeffrey, with grace and new knowledge. Batty discovers she can defeat monsters without Rosalind ,and that she has a talent that no one expected that makes her unique from all her sisters. Jane learns a lesson about boys and romance that every girl needs to learn at some point. Jeffrey comes away from the summer with more new knowledge than he ever expected.
This third installment comes with everything I loved about the first two books. Birdsall knows how to write children well. She writes families and relationships well too. She can capture the magic in the world that is always there when you are young beautifully. The book, like the other two, is timeless in how any person of any generation could read it and identify. Anyone who has read the first two books will be in a familiar place within the pages of this one despite the change in setting. It is not just more of the same though. The girls and Jeffrey are growing and changing. I love this. Birdsall is not allowing them to stagnate. She is moving them forward and giving them experiences that will change them forever. Just as Rosalind was not the same person at the end of the second book, Skye and Batty are not the same at the end of this one. I liked watching Skye be a little unsure of herself and a little lost in her new role. It forced her to be less selfish and see all her sisters differently. Batty found her voice and place in this book in a way I was really not expecting. She has always been the cute little one, but now is becoming a defined character of her own.
Rosalind is present in the story only in the first and last chapter. I thought I would miss her presence in the book more than I did. As an oldest sister myself, she has always been the Penderwick I understood the most. With her not there I really enjoyed the other three more than I had before. I am interested in going back and seeing if it changes my reading of the first two books any.
If you enjoyed The Penderwiicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy and The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, you will feel like you have been reunited with old friends. If you haven't read those books you should get on that. Right now.
August 14, 2011
In this, the third, installment in the PENDERWICKS series, the three youngest sisters, Skye, Jane, and Batty (along with Hound) summer vacation with their aunt in a small house on the coast. While this means that there's very little of Rosalind (a character I did miss) it meant that Skye had to be the OAP (oldest Penderwick available) which was a delightful plot arc! Skye must deal with her OAP responsibilities and worries. Jane must deal with writer's block and love (both for Sabrina Starr and, perhaps, herself). And Batty must deal with being without Rosalind, her parents and Ben, and her new favorite collection: golf balls.
Things begin to progress when Jeffery finally arrives, and the Penderwicks meet their new neighbors (which include a very nice man with a very exhuberant little dog, Hoover, and a brother and sister just about the Penderwicks ages).
I always love the classic feel of the Penderwick books, the loyalty and love of the sisters and their parents and new little brother (and even Jeffery) and how they are able to play and entertain themselves in almost purely technology-free environments and play so much outdoors. This is all done in a beautiful, non-dogmatic fashion that feels effortless and is a pleasure to read.
The only downside of this, is that I do feel Birdsall gives her characters too much freedom. While I wish we lived in a world where it was okay to let your 11 year old niece walk by herself to the grocery store, I don't think we do, and I feel it's a little unfair to allow the characters such freedom when a parent is going to have to explain to their young reader that "even though Jane/Skye/Batty did such-and-such, you really can't do it, too."
I did have to adjust my "expectations" when I started, remembering that the Penderwick books are much more character focused and that sometimes the chapters aren't going to be very epic (something that is part of the sweetness of the books, that a whole chapter can be devoted to "looking for golf balls.") I do think the book was a little slow in the beginning, but the events and unexpected turns of the last third more than made up for it, and I found myself wanting more by the end.
So, all in all, I still love this series, and based on this ending, I will be seeking out the next installment.
Things begin to progress when Jeffery finally arrives, and the Penderwicks meet their new neighbors (which include a very nice man with a very exhuberant little dog, Hoover, and a brother and sister just about the Penderwicks ages).
I always love the classic feel of the Penderwick books, the loyalty and love of the sisters and their parents and new little brother (and even Jeffery) and how they are able to play and entertain themselves in almost purely technology-free environments and play so much outdoors. This is all done in a beautiful, non-dogmatic fashion that feels effortless and is a pleasure to read.
The only downside of this, is that I do feel Birdsall gives her characters too much freedom. While I wish we lived in a world where it was okay to let your 11 year old niece walk by herself to the grocery store, I don't think we do, and I feel it's a little unfair to allow the characters such freedom when a parent is going to have to explain to their young reader that "even though Jane/Skye/Batty did such-and-such, you really can't do it, too."
I did have to adjust my "expectations" when I started, remembering that the Penderwick books are much more character focused and that sometimes the chapters aren't going to be very epic (something that is part of the sweetness of the books, that a whole chapter can be devoted to "looking for golf balls.") I do think the book was a little slow in the beginning, but the events and unexpected turns of the last third more than made up for it, and I found myself wanting more by the end.
So, all in all, I still love this series, and based on this ending, I will be seeking out the next installment.
May 14, 2011
I want to be an honorary Penderwick! The third Penderwicks installment is even more charming, even more lovely, and even more hilarious. Here are the things I love about this book:
1) I read it during a very stressful few days and this book comforted me when I thought my head would explode.
2) Skye may be my new favorite Penderwick (she's quickly edging out Batty). Skye, I feel ya - the overwhelming responsibility thing stinks. Too much pressure! But she handled it with aplomb.
3) Oceanside setting. I am a sucker for beach houses.
4) Multiple descriptions of delicious pie.
...and I could go on. This was an awesome book with which to launch my summer pleasure reading.
1) I read it during a very stressful few days and this book comforted me when I thought my head would explode.
2) Skye may be my new favorite Penderwick (she's quickly edging out Batty). Skye, I feel ya - the overwhelming responsibility thing stinks. Too much pressure! But she handled it with aplomb.
3) Oceanside setting. I am a sucker for beach houses.
4) Multiple descriptions of delicious pie.
...and I could go on. This was an awesome book with which to launch my summer pleasure reading.
April 21, 2018
These are the sweetest books ever! I LOVE THIS SERIES!
August 24, 2019
Another delightful installment. Better than the second book in the series (although I still loved the second!) and almost as good as the first! I love these sisters, individually and together.
June 29, 2022
Good, but just not as good as the previous two - I think I missed the presence of Rosalind. I will release a ranking of all 5 once I finish the series (won't be long now haha)
March 25, 2025
Review April 2018: I think this one is my favorite of the series (so far). I just love Skye and I am glad that we got to see a big portion of the book from her POV. Also, another thing I like in this series is the adults. They are actual real adults who actually care and take care of the kids (even if these kids have a lot more freedom than the kids I know in real life) and not enough middle school books have those kinds of adults depicted. So kudos on that.
Review March 2015:I will admit, I missed Rosalind in this book. It felt different having her be away but at the same time, I loved getting to know the other girls better. Skye, Jane and Batty got more fleshed out in this book and I adored that. I love how nervous Skye was about being left as the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) and how she was terrified she was going to kill young Batty who left in her charge. The scene Skye came into her own in this book and I loved that.
Jane was adorable, I loved her fascination with This two week vacation was done really well and while I was happy to see all the Penderwicks reunited at the end, I was sad because it meant this series is over for me until my library gets book four in. COME ON BOOK 4!
Review March 2015:I will admit, I missed Rosalind in this book. It felt different having her be away but at the same time, I loved getting to know the other girls better. Skye, Jane and Batty got more fleshed out in this book and I adored that. I love how nervous Skye was about being left as the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) and how she was terrified she was going to kill young Batty who left in her charge. The scene Skye came into her own in this book and I loved that.
Jane was adorable, I loved her fascination with This two week vacation was done really well and while I was happy to see all the Penderwicks reunited at the end, I was sad because it meant this series is over for me until my library gets book four in. COME ON BOOK 4!
November 8, 2016
I read this and back to back, drinking in how delightful these stories are. I was a little taken aback to discover that half the Penderwicks are absent from this book, Martin and Iantha and baby Ben off on a sort-of honeymoon, and Rosalind on vacation with her friend. But Skye, Jane, and Batty make up for this absence with their own brand of hilarity. Having their old friend Jeffrey along made everything that much better.
I'm not sure how I feel about this plot (which I'll have to spoiler-tag):
Overall, there's the usual assortment of wild schemes, near-catastrophes, misunderstandings, and a first kiss that leaves much to be desired. I really love this series and am looking forward to the next book.
I'm not sure how I feel about this plot (which I'll have to spoiler-tag):
Overall, there's the usual assortment of wild schemes, near-catastrophes, misunderstandings, and a first kiss that leaves much to be desired. I really love this series and am looking forward to the next book.
December 21, 2019
This series is so cute! The adventures are realistic and ones lots of kids can relate to.
Content: praying/sacrificing to “fire god,� one crude sexual term
Content: praying/sacrificing to “fire god,� one crude sexual term
July 7, 2011
I tried, I really did try, to adore this entry as I did the other two books in the Penderwicks series, but this one didn't engage me as the others, and I'm not really sure why. All three are rather leisurely paced and the writing and those sisters are as charming as ever, but I could not get into this one as much. There's also a twist near the end that hinges on quite a coincidence that even the soapiest of soap operas would have trouble pulling off.
Not that there aren't qualities to love. Birdsall still has that timeless quality in her writing that allows these books to deservedly sit alongside the classics of children's literature while still remaining relatable to today's young readers by fully developing the Penderwicks and adding hints of current technology. And I love that the girls and the writing seem wholesome but still have a tinge of edginess and bite to them.
In short, a solid effort but the magic wasn't there for me this time.
Not that there aren't qualities to love. Birdsall still has that timeless quality in her writing that allows these books to deservedly sit alongside the classics of children's literature while still remaining relatable to today's young readers by fully developing the Penderwicks and adding hints of current technology. And I love that the girls and the writing seem wholesome but still have a tinge of edginess and bite to them.
In short, a solid effort but the magic wasn't there for me this time.
May 3, 2018
Reread 5/3/2018:
WOW, this book is still so great! It's absolutely hilarious. Skye is actually a fairly decent OAP. ;P Also, no, Batty is not going to blow up. xD Honestly, that still cracks me up in my second read-through ... as do Jane's adventures. Goodness, girl!
The subplot with Jeffery, though. :-/ :"( Happy sad?
WOW, this book is still so great! It's absolutely hilarious. Skye is actually a fairly decent OAP. ;P Also, no, Batty is not going to blow up. xD Honestly, that still cracks me up in my second read-through ... as do Jane's adventures. Goodness, girl!
The subplot with Jeffery, though. :-/ :"( Happy sad?
March 8, 2015
Honestly, I didn't like this book as much as the first and second ones. It was a pretty good read but I wouldn't recommend it nearly as much as the first and second ones. It was a good read though.
March 29, 2019
THIS WAS AMAZING AHHHHH!
December 27, 2024
Wie hervorragend darf ein dritter Band sein? So so lieb und so bewegend und ach, ich lieb die Penderwicks.
September 28, 2019
The Penderwicks are once again on holiday in this third novel devoted to their adventures, following upon
and
. This time around, Mr. Penderwick, Iantha and young Ben are off to England; Rosalind is at the New Jersey shore with her best friend Anna; and Skye, Jane, Batty and Hound are off to Point Mouette, Maine with their Aunt Claire. As Skye frets about being the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) for the first time, Jane falls in love with an unworthy skateboarder, and Batty discovers her unexpected musical talent, it is Jeffrey - who is staying with the Penderwicks at Point Mouette - who experiences the most surprising thing of all, meeting . This last development dominates the latter portion of the story, which concludes with the Penderwicks reunited...
I enjoyed The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, although perhaps not as much as its two predecessors. The first half of the book is a lighthearted holiday adventure, while the second veers off into drama. Given my fondness for vintage children's books, and the fact that Jeanne Birdsall's work self-consciously echoes some of those books, I was expecting that we would meet at some point in the series, so this development didn't surprise me, and was actually quite entertaining. That said, the depiction of Jeffrey's reaction to his new situation - he is - felt somewhat off to me. It's not that his initial emotional reaction was unrealistic - after all, he is a child, and wants the adults to behave like adults, and protect him from hurt - it's more that his anger feels like it is being justified and vindicated by the narrative, even though it should be clear that the only one to blame is , and that is also a victim. It's not so much that I wanted Birdsall to "correct" Jeffrey's position, but I found it odd that none of the other characters even once considered mentioning how unfair it was to blame for the fact that . Perhaps we're meant to think that, as a child, Jeffrey is too young and vulnerable to be expected to think ethically? If so, I find that odd, as I would certainly have considered such issues myself, as a child.
Leaving aside the issue of Jeffrey's reaction to his changed circumstances, I did enjoy this third foray into the world of the Penderwicks, and had no sooner finished it than I was reaching for the fourth, . That is surely a strong recommendation.
I enjoyed The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, although perhaps not as much as its two predecessors. The first half of the book is a lighthearted holiday adventure, while the second veers off into drama. Given my fondness for vintage children's books, and the fact that Jeanne Birdsall's work self-consciously echoes some of those books, I was expecting that we would meet at some point in the series, so this development didn't surprise me, and was actually quite entertaining. That said, the depiction of Jeffrey's reaction to his new situation - he is - felt somewhat off to me. It's not that his initial emotional reaction was unrealistic - after all, he is a child, and wants the adults to behave like adults, and protect him from hurt - it's more that his anger feels like it is being justified and vindicated by the narrative, even though it should be clear that the only one to blame is , and that is also a victim. It's not so much that I wanted Birdsall to "correct" Jeffrey's position, but I found it odd that none of the other characters even once considered mentioning how unfair it was to blame for the fact that . Perhaps we're meant to think that, as a child, Jeffrey is too young and vulnerable to be expected to think ethically? If so, I find that odd, as I would certainly have considered such issues myself, as a child.
Leaving aside the issue of Jeffrey's reaction to his changed circumstances, I did enjoy this third foray into the world of the Penderwicks, and had no sooner finished it than I was reaching for the fourth, . That is surely a strong recommendation.
January 25, 2022
I'm filling in the blanks leading up to the last book's release and so far nothing's lived up to The Penderwicks in Spring. This is delightfully written, and old-fashioned, and charming, and I believed not a word of it.
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