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Title: The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Author: Jeanne Birdsall
Narrator: Susan Denaker
Series: The Penderwicks
Series Number: 1
Genre: Adventure, Contemporary Fiction, Animals
Audience: Middle Grade
Format: Audiobook
Content Warning: Death of a parent prior to the book’s beginning
My Review:
I listened to this ages and ages ago, but I remember that I loved it. I don’t even recall the sisters’ names, but as I listened they each had a distinct personality and I was easily able to differentiate between them. There is no big plot here, it’s just a series of little adventures that these sisters have on their summer vacation with a couple of new friends, but it took me right back to my own childhood. My childhood stories are similar, and the book itself reminded me of books I loved as a child–Anne of Green Gables, the Betsy-Tacy books, and another series about a little family that I cannot remember the name of. They’re all charming and timeless, exactly as the Penderwicks are. The narrator, Susan Denaker, read appropriately for children without making me feel, as an adult, that I was being condescended to. I listened all the way through just beaming from ear to ear as I drove around.
I highly recommend this for the innocent little girls in your life. If you’re still in touch with your own inner little girl, give it a listen for old time’s sake.
Synopsis from GoodReads:
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they 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. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.
The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will—won’t they? One thing’s for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.
Similar Books:
If you liked The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, you might also like my reviews of
- The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
- Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
- Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Purchase:
Buy The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy from Malaprop’s Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC or
