Every time I come home from college, one of my favorite things to do is sit down on my bed and look at my gigantic collection of books. Reading is one of my many hobbies, but it's one I care quite possibly the deepest about. Very rarely have I ever met a book I didn't like. I don't have specifically one favorite genre, but instead, I prefer a collection of many. I like Romance, YA Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Medieval literature, children's books and novels, and much, much more. Today in particular, my eyes landed on the baby blue and soft yellow cover of The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, and I was flooded with happy childhood memories, which is why I decided to write a book review on it!
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy is a a children's fiction book (I first read it when I was eleven), but personally, I think any age would love this sweet story. I have reread it probably a dozen times since I first got it, and I still continue to reread it because I adore the story and characters that much! There are so many incredible themes in this book like the importance of family, dealing with the loss of a mother, first crushes, new friendships, and adventure. When my mom first got this book for me (almost nine years ago), I was so against reading it, but as soon as I picked it up, I couldn't put it down, and I instantly fell in love with all of the characters and the story line.
The Penderwicks follows the four Penderwick sisters known as Rosalind (12), Skye (11), Jane (10) and Batty (4), their loving father Mr. Penderwick and their gigantic dog Hound as they go on a summer vacation at a cottage in the Berkshire Mountains. Rosalind, the eldest, plays the mother figure role, constantly clucking after her younger siblings and trying to act as mature as humanly possible. Skye is feisty, has a temper, and has a passion for math, especially word problems. Jane on the other hand, is a blooming novelist, constantly obsessing over her books and and her main character known as Sabrina Starr. Finally, there's little Batty, whose best friends consist of a dozen stuffed animals and the family dog, Hound; she also has a favorite accessory: her butterfly wings. When the Penderwick daughters learn that their normal vacation is unavailable, they have to stay in a cottage on the grounds of a mansion owned by a snooty heiress known as Mrs. Tifton. Throughout their vacation spent in the cottage, the girls make a mysterious and brilliant new friend, Batty finds two rabbits, Rosalind learns to be young again, Skye finds her sweet side, and Jane shows off her wildly imaginative writing skills and alter ego.
One of my favorite things about this book, was that it was realistic. I didn't have to work super hard to imagine the things that happened in this story, happening in real life. I also loved how Jeanne Birdsall had a wide variety of characters, all with different personalities and styles, that way anyone who read her book could relate with one or multiple of her characters. There is humor, there is imagination, emotions, and realistic ideas throughout her book.
If I had to pick something I didn't like about this book, I just couldn't pick it. I fell in love with every aspect of this sweet story and Rosalind, Hound, Mr. Penderwick, Skye, Jane, Batty and other characters (who I don't want to mention because I don't want to spoil the story!). Plus, if you're like me and can't read just one book, Jeanne has three other books that follow the Penderwick family, all taking place after The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy.
One of my favorite quote in The Penderwicks is, "...even a tiny bit of deceit is dishonorable when it's used for selfish or cowardly reasons." - Mr. Penderwick
The Penderwicks is most definitely in my top ten favorite childhood books, and I hope that after reading this, you will be inspired to read this story too. You can find it here, on Amazon, as well as the three other books that revolve around the Penderwick sisters: http://www.amazon.com/Penderwicks-Summer-Sisters-Rabbits-Interesting/dp/0440420474/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457673433&sr=8-1&keywords=the+penderwicks
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