The Penderwicks (The Penderwicks, 1)

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Although I rated it 3 stars, this is not me hating on the book! It is me saying it was "Okay". A book I would definitely recommend, but not want to pursue further books in the series. 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.

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. This is a story that will never ever get old. It's a slice of childhood--the book equivalent of comfort food. It was refreshing to read a book that I could share with my most innocent students or my nine-year old daughter.But over all, it's a really sweet story about family and sisterhood and friendship, and it filled my heart with rainbows. I'm excited to read the other books in the series. 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.

My youngest child has had a very difficult month. I won't be getting into the details here, but suffice it to say that no 12-year-old should ever face the trials that she has. Four sisters--Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty--are vacationing in the country with their father. They've taken over a cottage on a large estate, and they meet Jeffrey, the owner's son. They do have some adventures, but they're the normal kind you probably had when you were a kid, the kind that happen without magical intervention or time travel or monsters.Skye pursues a rather masculine career, or at least it would have been in Louisa May Alcott’s time, of being an astrophysicist. Jo being a writer is also rather unusual for the time period. If I can point my finger to something positive that has happened, since her last ordeal, I would say that she has a greater appreciation for her family and, interestingly, a deeper appreciation for stories.

In the second half of the book, the chapters about Meg feel disconnected from the rest of plot. Jo’s, Beth’s, and Amy’s stories weave seamlessly together, but Meg’s do not. I wish Meg’s subplots had been more vital to the overall plot. Another aspect of the Skye/Jo parallel is their hair. Both are mentioned to have beautiful hair, and Amy even says that Jo’s is her “one beauty.” Both are rather careless with their hair as well. Nonetheless, my daughter loved the story, and, after we finished it, she reminded me that reading can be ADVENTUROUS. Then, another negative aspect of the book: the name-calling from the children. Skye, the 11 years old, has a bad temper and is the worst culprit, saying bad things like: “Darn that Dexter. Double darn that lousy rotten no-good creep.” She also calls her littlest sister a stupid idiot and midget. However, there is a character development about her learning she needs self-control: “She sat up and swung her arms around wildly. This controlling her temper wasn’t going to be easy.” The 10 years old, Jane, calls names such as “fish head” and “silly git” playfully while practicing soccer. This is portrayed as meant merely in fun.

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Books like Little Women don’t come along every day, and I am endlessly glad now that I didn’t read it until I was old enough to truly appreciate the story. The National Book Award citation compares the novel to Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and E. Nesbit's The Story of the Treasure Seekers. [3] 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.