I’d seen Jeanne Birdsall’s The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (Book #50 for 2009) on bookstore shelves for some time already without really wanting to pick it up, until my officemate Andi gave me a hardbound copy (thanks Andi!) as an early Christmas present, along with a glowing recommendation. The book was shrink-wrapped, and there was no blurb at the back so I decided to look it up online to find out more about it.
I was surprised to find out it won the 2005 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (among a plethora of awards, making it Book #9 for the FFP Diversity Challenge, award-winner) and I was so curious about the book that I moved it up my TBR list.
The story revolves around the adventures (and misadventures) of the Penderwick sisters Rosalind (12), Skye (11), Jane (10), and Batty (4) — together with Dad (a widower) and faithful dog Hound — on their summer holiday in the countryside, in a quaint rental cottage on the grand estate of Arundel.
I like the Penderwicks because although it’s set in modern time, it’s throwback to the family classics, reminding me of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Sidney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind family, and even a bit of Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle. There are no fantastic creatures, no magic powers, no slam-bang special effects — just a very charming, feel-good family story.
It’s great how Birdsall took care to make the characters distinct; usually the pitfall of family stories, especially those with lots of kids, is that only one or two personalities stand out, and the rest fade into the background. I like the sensitivity towards fleshing out each sister — you can easily tell them apart, like Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy in Little Women.
Rosalind, the eldest, is the serious, responsible one. She’s patient with her siblings, although she loses her patience once in a while, and has that take-charge / surrogate mom attitude. Losing their mom at a young age, she’s had to fill in some large shoes in taking care of her sisters, and she often comes across as quite mature for her age. It comes as a relief, though, that she hasn’t grown up too fast — she gets her first taste of unrequited love in that summer, and it’s amusing and poignant at the same time.
Skye is the tempestuous sister. While you wouldn’t say she’s the wild child, she’s definitely no lamb either. Adjudged to be the family beauty (she’s the only one with blue eyes and silky blonde hair like their mom, the rest have brown eyes and curly brown hair), Skye is a no-frills tomboy and a loudmouth to boot, but is fiercely protective of their family.
Jane is the writer, the dreamer, often with her nose buried in the notebook into which she writes her Sabrina Starr stories. With a fertile imagination and a creative spirit, Jane is much given to building great adventures out of everyday experiences, and breaking into lyrical speech whenever an opportunity presents itself.
Little Batty, the baby of the family, is the shy soul, often obscuring herself in the shadow of her sisters, but acutely perceptive of her surroundings, and truly a bit batty, as her name suggests. She is also an animal lover, with Hound often following close at her heels.
It is truly an idyllic summer for the sisters in the country side, where the cast is rounded out by the handsome gardener Cagney, the generous cook Churchie, Harry the tomato-grower, the snooty Mrs. Tifton and her boyfriend Dexter Dupree, and the spirited Jeffrey, who soon becomes initiated as an honorary Penderwick.
The novel’s simplicity is its charm, and there very few children’s books in this day and age that dare strip down to good, old-fashioned fun because it is almost inconceivable, but Birdsall manages quite gracefully, and bags a National Book Award while she’s at it.
The Penderwicks is a must-read for tween girls; it’s a great introduction to the classic Little Women. And there’s a sequel, too: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, which I mean to read soon (just as soon as I get some plastic cover on it!)
Here’s a little doodle :)
My copy: hardcover, with dust jacket
My rating: 4.5/5 stars