The Penderwicks (The Penderwicks, 1)

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Nonetheless, my daughter loved the story, and, after we finished it, she reminded me that reading can be ADVENTUROUS. Skye, 11, an adventurous girl whose blunt, occasionally ill-considered words sometimes get her in trouble; 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.

Although Jo and Amy have a difficult time getting along throughout the novel, they are the sisters who are most alike. Both are highly independent and determined, and even Amy has some tomboyish aspects to her character. In personality, Beth and Meg are similar as well. Moral questions are brought up often, particularly when one or a few of the sisters have done something they know they shouldn't. But there is usually a dismissal of conscience or a justification of their actions and not often a realization of their wrong-doing. Ah. Yes. That's why we read, right? Or, it's at least one of the reasons. Adventures. Escapism. Entertainment. Borrowed Joy. 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.So does this mean that Batty is Amy? I’m more inclined to link Batty to Beth—both are sweet, quiet pianists who love animals. Batty has little common with Amy, save being the youngest of four sisters and eventually winding up with the Jeffrey/Laurie character. (Also notice the fact that Batty and Beth share an initial.) Even with their flaws and the mistakes they make, what makes readers adore them is the way that they support one another and Jeffrey, their friend. This is while they save a boy they hardly know from a tough situation, proving themselves to be fantastic role models for young kids.

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. I’ll admit I approach award-winning children’s books with some trepidation. All too often, children’s literature awards denote books that appeal to adult librarians and book critics rather than to children. The books are like brussel sprouts on the literary table. We are told to read them because they are supposedly good for us, not because we will enjoy them. I recently reread Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. When I first read this book two years ago, in February 2018, I immediately added it to my list of treasured favorite novels. I couldn’t put the book down once I started it, and I found the same to be true even in rereading. There’s something so compelling about this age-old classic, something that has clearly transcended the decades and continues to delight generations of readers. Religious & Supernatural - 6 Incidents: “Skye held Hound, whispering her name in over and over in his ear, trying to hypnotize him.” Mentions a book called Magic by the Lake. A girl is playing vampires with her dog. A girl reads a story with a genie. “The gods of fate may be kind.” The only downsides were that I didn't feel that this book had quite the same endearing charm and fanciful feeling as the first, and a few of the plot points were pretty predictable. However, I did find my self intrigued by the story and the storytelling. And just as the first book, it is so wonderful to have a story where siblings not only get along, but love each other and help each other, and where parents and children talk to each other like equals and honestly respect and care about each other.It was only when I recently watched the newest Little Women movie and reread the P. series that I connected the dots! Reply i intend to try to read the rest of the books in this series, mostly because i can't remember if i've read them before. i'm very excited.