276°
Posted 20 hours ago

The Penderwicks (The Penderwicks, 1)

£3.995£7.99Clearance
ZTS2023's avatar
Shared by
ZTS2023
Joined in 2023
82
63

About this deal

I really liked how the plot meandered from one adventure to the next. It's nice to get those slice of life books sprinkled here and there. Birdsall manages, yet again, to write a charming, timeless tale about family, honesty, friendship, and love. As I was reading, I had to keep reminding myself that the story is contemporary, that it doesn't take place in the 1950s or the 1820s. That's because the characters don't watch television, they're polite to adults, they care about their education, and they use their imaginations to fuel their leisure activities. They're awesome. i love these four sisters, and their friend Jeffrey, and their dad and their dog Hound. i love this setting and this summer. i could read this book again and again (and in about an hour. it is very short. so on top of everything, my reading challenge loves it too).

The girls have many adventures, some planned, many accidental. The plot is fairly predictable-- in a book this sweet we know it will all turn out OK in the end. But it is Birdsall's characters that make this book something special.

Did we miss something on diversity?

Rosemary, this bit's for you. This book pays homage to books of the past. In one scene, Jane calls to characters from books by C.S. Lewis and Edward Eager, and there's a surprise appearance by a character from Sense and Sensibility. It completely captured the essence of childhood. Honestly, the book was such a sensitive and touching portrayal of childhood. It made me tear up more than once as I really saw the characters in such a raw, honest way. They felt so real and relatable. As much as I love the film, it still doesn’t quite capture the nuances of the story and characters that I love best. The March sisters are extraordinarily multidimensional, a fact that tends to get lost in adaptations that have to compress the story to adhere to a shorter length.

The fictional setting is more modern than Alcott's or Nesbit's, although not clearly contemporary with Birdsall's writing. The style is similar to Alcott's books, like Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys, Under the Lilacs and Rose in Bloom. There are different leading characters throughout the series, like in the Sarah, Plain and Tall or Narnia series. Birdsall often refers to elements from classic literature, such as Emily of New Moon by Lucy Maud Montgomery. In my mind, films and radio dramas and audiobooks and illustrations—and yes, even sequels—are complementary aspects to the books themselves. They enhance and allow you to look at the story in a new way. But they can never take the place of the story itself. This story is one of the finest, and therefore, one of the hardest to improve upon. Eons ago (at least, it feels that way now), I wanted a fun summery read and was recommended this (thanks, THT!). Unfortunately, as these go, by the time I bought it, I wasn't itching for a summer read - and it went unread for 3 years. Now, I was traveling and I just HIT that vein where I wanted to read short, fun books and weed through my collection of books such as this. Mrs. Tifton can’t really be compared to Mr. Lawrence because she is so awful, but at first, they are scared of Mr. Lawrence too. I see a parallel when Lydia says that she doesn’t dislike Mrs. Tifton and when Beth goes to thank Mr. Lawrence for the piano.

The Penderwicks Quiz

This book had the magic of summer to it. That time when the world feels right and life feels easy and the world is waiting to be explored. The sisters were a whole lot of fun to get to know. They sure did give Jeffrey's mother a difficult summer, but maybe she needed that. I see why this is such a popular series. I don't know if I will go on, but I am glad I read this first one. It's a wonderful book in the middle grade genre for kids and anyone young at heart. Jane is a writer, also like Jo, and a good soccer player. She is imaginative and has a tendency to "live in her own world." Melissa Patenaude- Skye's archenemy at school. She is the captain of Skye's rival soccer team. She crushes Pearson and is jealous of Skye. But in the end, it seems like that both become friends. I found this book a fun read, though at times, it sent my eyes a'twitchin'. Don't get me wrong; this was a fun, light-hearted read, and it felt like those books I would read as a child - a classic "any time period" feel where kids acted goofy and silly and sometimes dumb, where summer was full of adventure and possibility. Even though that are some bad or negative aspect from this book, but this book still has positive messages. Some of them are about being courageous, pursuing your dreams, loyalty to family and friends, kindness, and forgiveness. In this book tell about the four sisters each of them have a unique, strong personality to which tween girls will easily relate. Rosalind is kind and responsible. Skye is independent, hot tempered, and smart. Jane is a creative, aspiring writer. Batty is a dreamy animal lover.

Asda Great Deal

Free UK shipping. 15 day free returns.
Community Updates
*So you can easily identify outgoing links on our site, we've marked them with an "*" symbol. Links on our site are monetised, but this never affects which deals get posted. Find more info in our FAQs and About Us page.
New Comment