Here’s One I Can’t Wait to Read
The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
by Jeanne Birdsall.
“Meet the Penderwicks, four different sisters with one special bond. There’s responsible, practical Rosalind; stubborn, feisty Skye; dreamy, artistic Jane; and shy little sister Batty, who won’t go anywhere without her butterfly wings.
“When the girls and their doting father head off for their summer holiday, they’re in for a surprise. Instead of the tumbledown cottage they expected, they find themselves on a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon the girls are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts.”
Here’s what has me excited: I keep coming across reviews that compare Jeanne Birdsall’s work to some of our tippy-top favorite authors. Like this, from Booklist:
“Birdsall follows in the footsteps of Elizabeth Enright
, Edward Eager
, and Noel Streatfeild
, updating the family story yet keeping all of the old-fashioned charm.”
And from Kirkus:
“Not since the Marches have readers met more engaging girls than the Penderwicks.”
The Marches?! Hello! We are so there. Review to come, after I get my hands on a copy. I’m chomping at the bit…
Other fiction featuring families of whom we are fiercely fond:
The Railway Children, Five Children and It
, The Phoenix and the Carpet
, and a bunch of others by Edith Nesbit
.
All the Swallows and Amazons books by Arthur Ransome
.
The All-of-a-kind Family series by Sydney Taylor
.
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
.
Noel Streatfeild’s Shoes books, especially Ballet Shoes
and Dancing Shoes
. (Gotta love Wintle’s Little Wonders!)
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
.
Half Magic by Edward Eager.
The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright.
Ginger Pye and Pinky Pye
by Eleanor Estes
.
And of course we mustn’t forget The Chronicles of Narnia by our beloved C. S. Lewis
. The Pevensie clan is one of the best families ever.
Cay Gibson says:
Oh, Lissa! I spotted this book yesterday at Bks-A-Million and was VERY tempted. It was an exciting “find” and I put it back on the shelf with regrets. I had a handful of Christmas gifts on hand that had to take precedence over personal wants.
Right now we’re reading “The Golden Goose” by Dick King-Smith (courtesy of the local library). Once finished, I intend to get “The Penderwicks”.
In the meantime, I’ll wait for your review. : )
On December 12, 2005 at 2:54 pm
Jamie says:
We just picked up The Penderwicks at the library — one of those random grabs. My oldest is reluctant to read about families of girls, though. (We are a family of four boys.)
On December 12, 2005 at 3:05 pm
Kelly says:
Oh, I LOVE “Swallows and Amazons” as well (and most of the others on your list).
On December 12, 2005 at 5:53 pm
Cate says:
Way to go on getting Streatfeild’s name right! No one ever does. I love all her books, even the lesser known ones like Thursday’s Child (full of woe) and Gemma. She rocked.
On December 12, 2005 at 7:21 pm
Cay says:
Wellllll….
I was headed to a meeting last night and was passing in front of my library and…
Two chapters into the book, I am. So far, so good!
On December 13, 2005 at 7:35 am