About this title: In this middle-grade novel, a summer of exciting new experiences awaits the lively Penderwick sisters at a summer rental cottage on the large Berkshire estate of Mrs. Tifton, a snobby heiress. With a spacey but loving botanist father, 12-year-old Rosalind is often in charge. Her younger sister, Jane, age 11, is a writer with a dramatic flair. Skye, 10, is fond of exploration. And Batty, the littlest at four, favors Halloween-colored butterfly wings at all times. Along with the owner's musically talented son, Jeffrey, and their trusty dog, Hound, the girls undertake all manner of adventures. ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date Published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780375831430ISBN:0375831436
Description: Fine. No dust jacket. Minor shelf and edgewear. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 262 p. Penderwicks (Hardback). Audience: Children/juvenile. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date Published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780375831430ISBN:0375831436
Description: Very Good. BOOK IS LIKE NEW! ! No dust jacket. GoodwillnyBooks is committed to providing each customer with the highest standard of customer service. You may return new items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Yearling
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780440420477ISBN:0440420474
Description: Good. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dustcover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "from the library of" labels. ******PLEASE NOTE****** Orders placed after Dec. 7 cannot be guaranteed delivery before Christmas unless you select EXPEDITED shipping! Thank you & Happy Holidays! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:9780375831430ISBN:0375831436
Description: Good. Purchasing this book supports the King County Library System Foundation. Thriftbooks and KCLSF have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:9780375831430ISBN:0375831436
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Purchasing this book supports the King County Library System Foundation. Thriftbooks and KCLSF have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Acceptable. Former Library book. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Former Library book. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. Former Library book. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date Published: 2005-06-14
ISBN-13:9780375831430ISBN:0375831436
Description: Like New. May be shiny, in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, no damage to binding, may have a remainder mark. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date Published: 2005-06-14
ISBN-13:9780375831430ISBN:0375831436
Description: Very good. Very minimal damage to the cover (no holes or tears, only minimal scuff marks), in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, minimal to no highlighting/under. read more
"This is a beautiful modern book with a slow, old-fashioned feeling to it. If it weren't for one mention of a computer toward the latter half of the book, it could easily have taken place in any point in much of the 20th century. It has all the feel of lazy summer adventures like I had during certain summers of my childhood (although these sisters get up to much more than I ever did!).
I really liked that there was a wide spectrum of ages for these characters, allowing the adventures to be seen from the perspective of a 4-yr-old on up to a girl on the cusp of adolescence. There is adventure, danger, scariness, fun, hints of romance and it is all done in a gentle manner.
This is a great book for kids who have run through the "classics" and don't know what to read next. And it has the bonus of modern language, as opposed to the older books that can sometimes put off kids with mannerisms and language that seem unusual to them and get in the way of the stories.
Well deserving of the National Book Award. I would strongly recommend this book. For grades 4-6."
"I found this book at through a review at www.bookslut.com. It is the exact sort of book that I would have adored when I was growing up. It is the story of four sisters who go with their father on vacation to the Berkshires and the adventures they have while there. It reminds me of a modern version of Elizabeth Enright's Melendy family, or of Anastasia, or Edward Eager. I don't mean to suggest that book is old-fashioned, or twee - it is definitely a modern story, in the way the sisters interact, in the way the book deals with their mother's death, in the way that it depicts Rosalind's feelings for Cagney, or Mrs. Tifton's snobbery and aspirations for her son. But it manages to take modern topics and sensibility, and weave it into the kind of book that I loved growing up - the kind that is so engrossing that you can sink into and become part of its world. I loved, loved it and was thrilled that it won the National Book Award. I await more from Ms. Birdsall, and I look forward to reading the sequel (which I have bought, but not quite got to yet)!"
"This book was a pleasant way to spend a flight home. It was also rather refreshing to read a children's book whose plot doesn't rely on magic. Not a lot happens, but I enjoyed this sweet slow moving little story about 4 sisters on summer vacation with their father. I am glad to add it to my personal children's library and will likely collect the sequels as well. But I have to say that given all the praise heaped upon this book I wasn't quite as delighted as I thought I would be. Please, don't hate me Kathryn and Ann!
It may have to do partially with the fact that I didn't grow up with siblings and didn't find that aspect of the book very relatable. But it's also that I felt the book wasn't entirely original as I was hoping and seems to be very much populated with stock characters and situations.
First the Penderwicks: there is the wise and gentle widowed father - an obvious nod to Atticus Finch. One of the characters even mentions having watched the movie To Kill A Mockingbird (why not the book!?!?) But any tribute to my very favorite novel of all time does win a few points. Then there is Rosalind - the pretty oldest sister who has assumed the maternal role (even though Skye and Jane are respectively only 1 and 2 years younger). Rosalind has the archetypal summer experience of falling in love with an older teenage boy. Skye is the snarky smart one and for me was the least relatable - she likes math for goodness sakes! I can only assume Skye is angry about having lost her mother, but her bad attitude in the book is never really fully explained. Jane is the dreamy, creative, sensitive one who is constantly dreaming up ideas for her latest book. Since she's the character who is most likely channeling the author herself she's the most fleshed out and fully realized character. And then there is shy little Batty - the four year old 'baby' sister. Since I have a child around this age I watched this character carefully. It's not that she gets it all wrong, but enough so that it's fairly clear she's not completely familiar with small children.
Then there is their new friend Jeffery - the son of the owner of their vacation rental. I actually quite liked his characterization and have little to complain about. He's a sweet sensitive boy and it was quite easy to see how the girls would fall into a fast and easy friendship with him. It's his mother and her boyfriend that were the biggest problem for me. They were just too over the top for me to be in any way believable.
I don't want to give away what little plot details there are in this book, but I will say I didn't find it entirely realistic. But it is a children's book afterall and in such books children get to have more authority and freedom and power and do more and be more than they are permitted in real life and that's what makes them fun to read!"
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