The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy [NOOK Book]

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Overview

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. ...
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Overview

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.

Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.


From the Hardcover edition.

Winner of the 2005 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
Jeanne Birdsall's 2005 National Book Award-winning debut novel possesses a timelessness that many writers seek but few achieve. The eventful summer of the four motherless Penderwick girls (ages 12, 11, 10, and 4) is spent in Arundel, a sprawling estate in the Berkshires. During their vacation, each of the youthful Penderwicks learns a relatively painless life lesson as the reader saunters with them, hoping the experience will never end.
Sunny and carefree as a June morning, this old-fashioned story takes readers along on one family's unforgettable summer vacation. The four Penderwick sisters and their father rent a cottage on a Massachusetts estate-home to a kind teenage gardener; a lonely boy named Jeffrey; and his fearfully snobbish mother, who disdains her renters and threatens to send her son to military school. Crisp, witty dialogue and supple storytelling propel this happy celebration of sisterhood, individuality, and the simple pleasures of summer. (ages 8 to 12)
Child magazine's Best Children's Book Awards 2005
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
From The Critics
Ah, summertime and the living is easy-even if it's off to a rough start-in this sprightly audio edition of Birdsall's debut novel, which won the National Book Award. The Penderwick family, consisting of four daughters, their widower dad and family pet Hound, are at a loss when the cottage they routinely rent on Cape Cod each summer is sold. They luck into a new situation, however, staying at a cottage on the grounds of a mansion in the Berkshires, and their adventurous holiday provides the plot here. Mrs. Tifton, owner of the manse is rather chilly to the Penderwick clan, but her son Jeffrey proves to be an ideal playmate. Listeners fond of gentle stories of closely-knit families and innocent fun will flock to this recording. Denaker is perfect in the role of kindly narrator, though she's less so in the sometimes grating voices of little sister Batty and Latin-spouting Mr. Penderwick. Nonetheless, her performance captures the appealing, timeless nature of the tale. Ages 8-12. (Jan.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780307541345
  • Publisher: Random House Children's Books
  • Publication date: 1/16/2009
  • Sold by: Random House
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 272
  • Sales rank: 21,879
  • Series: The Penderwicks
  • File size: 2 MB
  • Items ship to U.S, APO/FPO and U.S. Protectorate addresses.

Meet the Author

Jeanne Birdsall
Jeanne Birdsall
Jeanne Birdsall lives in Massachusetss with her husband, four cats, a rabbit, a puppy, and a pet snail. She is working on another book about the Penderwick sisters.

Read an Excerpt

A Boy at the Window
For a long time after that summer, the four Penderwick sisters still talked of Arundel. Fate drove us there, Jane would say. No, it was the greedy landlord who sold our vacation house on Cape Cod, someone else would say, probably Skye.
Who knew which was right? But it was true that the beach house they usually rented had been sold at the last minute, and the Penderwicks were suddenly without summer plans. Mr. Penderwick called everywhere, but Cape Cod was booked solid, and his daughters were starting to think they would be spending their whole vacation at home in Cameron, Massachusetts. Not that they didn't love Cameron, but what is summer without a trip to somewhere special? Then, out of the blue, Mr. Penderwick heard through a friend of a friend about a cottage in the Berkshire Mountains. It had plenty of bedrooms and a big fenced-in pen for a dog--perfect for big, black, clumsy, lovable Hound Penderwick--and it was available to be rented for three weeks in August. Mr. Penderwick snatched it up, sight unseen.
He didn't know what he was getting us into, Batty would say. Rosalind always said, It's too bad Mommy never saw Arundel--she would have loved the gardens. And Jane would say, There are much better gardens in heaven. And Mommy will never have to bump into Mrs. Tifton in heaven, Skye added to make her sisters laugh. And laugh they would, and the talk would move on to other things, until the next time someone remembered Arundel.
But all that is in the future. When our story begins, Batty is still only four years old. Rosalind is twelve, Skye eleven, and Jane ten. They're in their car with Mr. Penderwick and Hound. The family is on the way to Arundel and, unfortunately, they're lost.
"It's Batty's fault," said Skye.
"It is not," said Batty.
"Of course it is," said Skye. "We wouldn't be lost if Hound hadn't eaten the map, and Hound wouldn't have eaten the map if you hadn't hidden your sandwich in it."
"Maybe it's fate that Hound ate the map. Maybe we'll discover something wonderful while we're lost," said Jane.
"We'll discover that when I'm in the backseat for too long with my younger sisters, I go insane and murder them," said Skye.
"Steady, troops," said Mr. Penderwick. "Rosalind, how about a game?"
"Let's do I Went to the Zoo and I Saw," said Rosalind. "I went to the zoo and I saw an anteater. Jane?"
"I went to the zoo and I saw an anteater and a buffalo," said Jane.
Batty was between Jane and Skye, so it was her turn next. "I went to the zoo and I saw an anteater, a buffalo, and a cangaroo."
"Kangaroo starts with a k, not a c," said Skye.
"It does not. It starts with a c, like cat," said Batty.
"Just take your turn, Skye," said Rosalind.
"There's no point in playing if we don't do it right."
Rosalind, who was sitting in the front seat with Mr. Penderwick, turned around and gave Skye her oldest-sister glare. It wouldn't do much, Rosalind knew. After all, Skye was only one year younger than she was. But it might quiet her long enough for Rosalind to concentrate on where they were going. They really were badly lost. This trip should have taken an hour and a half, and already they'd been on the road for three. Rosalind looked over at her father in the driver's seat. His glasses were slipping down his nose and he was humming his favorite Beethoven symphony, the one about spring. Rosalind knew this meant he was thinking about plants--he was a professor of botany--instead of about his driving.
"Daddy," she said, "what do you remember about the map?"
"We're supposed to go past a little town called Framley, then make a few turns and look for number eleven Stafford Street."
"Didn't we see Framley a while ago? And look," she said, pointing out the window. "We've been past those cows before."
"Good eyes, Rosy," he said. "But weren't we going in the other direction last time? Maybe this way will do the trick."
"No, because all we saw along here were more cow fields, remember?"
"Oh, yes." Mr. Penderwick stopped the car, turned it around, and went back the other way.
"We need to find someone who can give us directions," said Rosalind.
"We need to find a helicopter that can airlift us out of here," said Skye. "And keep your stupid wings to yourself!" She was talking to Batty, who, as always, was wearing her beloved orange-and-black butterfly wings.
"They're not stupid," said Batty.
"Woof," said Hound from his place among the boxes and suitcases in the very back of the car. He took Batty's side in every discussion.
"Lost and weary, the brave explorers and their faithful beast argued among themselves. Only Sabrina Starr remained calm," said Jane. Sabrina Starr was the heroine of books that Jane wrote. She rescued things. In the first book, it was a cricket. Then came Sabrina Starr Rescues a Baby Sparrow, Sabrina Starr Rescues a Turtle, and, most recently, Sabrina Starr Rescues a Groundhog. Rosalind knew that Jane was looking for ideas on what Sabrina should rescue next. Skye had suggested a man-eating crocodile, who would devour the heroine and put an end to the series, but the rest of the family had shouted her down. They enjoyed Jane's books.
There was a loud oomph in the backseat. Rosalind glanced around to make sure violence hadn't broken out, but it was only Batty struggling with her car seat--she was trying to twist herself backward to see Hound. Jane was jotting in her favorite blue notebook. So they were both all right. But Skye was blowing out her cheeks and imitating a fish, which meant she was even more bored than Rosalind had feared. They'd better find this cottage soon.
Then Rosalind spotted the truck pulled over by the side of the road. "Stop, Daddy! Maybe we can get directions."
Mr. Penderwick pulled over and Rosalind got out of the car. She now saw that the truck had TOMATOES painted in large letters on each of its doors. Next to the truck was a wooden table piled high with fat red tomatoes and, behind the table, an old man wearing worn blue jeans and a green shirt with Harry's Tomatoes embroidered across the pocket.
"Tomatoes?" he asked.
"Ask if they're magic tomatoes," Rosalind heard. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Skye hauling Jane back in through the car window.
"My younger sisters," said Rosalind apologetically to the old man.
"Had six of 'em myself."
Rosalind tried to imagine having six younger sisters, but she kept coming up with each of her sisters turned into twins. She shuddered and said, "Your tomatoes look delicious, but what I really need is directions. We're looking for number eleven Stafford Street."
"Arundel?"
"I don't know about any Arundel. We're supposed to be renting a cottage at that address."
"That's Arundel, Mrs. Tifton's place. Beautiful woman. Snooty as all get-out, too."
"Oh, dear."
"You'll be fine. There are a couple of nice surprises over there. You're going to have to keep that blond one under control, though," he said, nodding toward the car, where Skye and Jane were now leaning out of the window together, listening. Muffled complaints could be heard from Batty, who was being squashed.
"Why me?" called Skye.
The man winked at Rosalind. "I can always spot the troublemakers. I was one myself. Now, tell your dad to go down this road a little ways, take the first left, then a quick right, and look for number eleven."
"Thank you," said Rosalind, and turned to go.


From the Hardcover edition.

Table of Contents

1 A Boy at the Window 1
2 A Tunnel Through the Hedge 14
3 The MOOPS 29
4 The Apology 38
5 A New Hero 51
6 Rabbits and a Long Ladder 67
7 Borrowed Finery 80
8 The Birthday Dinner 94
9 Shocking News 112
10 A Bold Escape 124
11 Another Rescue 145
12 Sir Barnaby Patterne 155
13 The Piano Lesson 175
14 A Midnight Adventure 191
15 The Shredded Book 204
16 The Runaway 221
17 The Next-to-Last Day 235
18 Good-bye for Now 250
Customer Reviews
Average Rating 4.5
( 127 )

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 25, 2008

    Young summer love and parents who just don't get it.

    The Penderwicks was an amazing book. When I first read the long title, I thought, how in the world with all that fit together to make an interesting story. I really enjoyed the sisters and their 'love' interests. Rosalin and Cagney planning ways to meet each other, Jeffrey and Skye or Jane just playing together and having fun. Mrs Tifton, Jeffrey's mother, was a huge snob just because the girls were not as rich as herself. The adventures these characters find themselves in truely makes you feel as if you are a character in the background participating. The soryline is certainly one that keeps you trying to figure out what could possibly happen next.

    5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 10, 2008

    A realistic, awesome story!

    This book is one of my all-time favorites! I loved the plot, with its unexpected twists and turns. It reminded me a lot of a modern Little Women, and it was such a pleasant book. I loved the way the characters were developed, Rosalynd with her motherly attitude and her love of cooking, Skye with her fiery temper and a tomboy, Jane with her imagination and love of writing stories, and Batty with her playfulness and cute butterfly wings. I liked their little adventures, like when they were being chased by the bull, burning brownies, spying on Mrs. Tifton and Dexter, and trying to catch the rabbits. After reading the book, it just gives you a cozy, familiar feeling. I thought it was very realistic, and it wasn't a story that was too perfect, like things went wrong, and then everything is alright again. Awesome book!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 16, 2010

    Fantastic Book

    Alot of stories have terrible tragedy, but this was a wonderful break from stories of sadness. It is pure playfullness.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 23, 2012

    LOVE IT

    OMG I'M IN LOVE WITH THE PENDERWICKS. I READ THIS BOOK IN SCHOOL AND I ABSOLUTLY LOVED IT!!!!!!!!! BEST BOOK EVER!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 19, 2012

    ENJOYABLE!!!""""!""""!""!!""!!!¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

    This deservese billions of stars********************-*******************+++++++++++++++++++++

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 18, 2011

    The best book in the world!!!:)

    The Penderwicks is the best book in the world! You need to read this book its sooo good!!!All the Penderwick sisters(Rosalind,Skye,Jane and cute Batty with her wings) and Jeffrey had an awesome summer together!! But Jeffrey's mother is a big blob becuse she doesn't really like the sisters just because they are not rich like her:(. But Jeffrey is good friends with the sisters. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK IT IS SOOOOO GOOOD READ IT NOW, TODAY SOMEDAY READ IT ITS SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!:):):)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 1, 2011

    Great book!

    The Penderwicks is a really good book! It is filled with adventure. The Penderwicks is never boring. Everybody should read it!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 24, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Everyone should read this book!!!

    I really enjoyed this book because it was full of adventure. It was a really fun book. I might read it again and again and again. I hope all the readers will like this book too!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 5, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    They should make it a movie

    This is a book about four girls who spent a few weeks in the summer at this place called the Arundel where Skye, one of the sisters, finds a boy named Jeffrey. And soon all the sisters become friends with him, but his mother doesn't like the girls. This book was very good!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 20, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    children and adults will enjoy

    My son and I read this for battle of the books last year. We enjoyed it so much we have given it twice as gifts. We are waiting to see what else this author does.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 13, 2007

    A reviewer

    Purchased this book to give to my 11 year old niece. Liked the basic story, but was disappointed that the author chose to use words like 'murder' and 'serial killer' in her book. One character talks about going insane and murdering her siblings, then later tells her sister to get out of her room or she'll kill her. Then at the end of the book the kids talk about how one of the characters could have been a serial killer. Just found it odd that in this book that type of language was really necessary to get the author's point accross. I'm sure some kids might talk that way, but just didn't think such negative words/images needed to be used in a children's book. I gave it to my niece, but not without some hesitation.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 27, 2012

    The penderwicls

    LOVE IT!!!!!! ACCTUALLY!LOVE THE WHOLE SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!! The penderwicks, the pender wicks at point monuette, and this one!!!!!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 23, 2012

    Read this Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I love this book sooooooooo much! You have to read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 29, 2011

    I liked it:D!!!7

    I liked this books. I think its cute:D!!!7

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 26, 2011

    Family book of the century

    My family and I love the book and I have my name is used as one of the charater in the book!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 26, 2011

    Flawless!

    This book was highly entertaining. I loved reading about all of the wonderfully creative and original Penderwick girls. And I can not forget Jeffery, who I believe is one of the better literature characters ever developed. Well done!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 26, 2011

    My daughter's thoughts

    Great! Awesome for ages 7-14, really a great book!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 25, 2011

    Best book evver Best book!

    Amazing book ever
    Lots of adventure

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 14, 2011

    Ash

    Perfect!

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  • Posted November 9, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Some room for improvement ...

    After ignoring Jeanne Birdsall¿s Penderwick series library visit after library visit, I finally gave in and picked up the first book: The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. The title was intriguing, a shiny National Book Award Winner sticker was slapped proudly on the cover and I was indeed curious about the sisters, rabbits and the interesting boy. This Little-Women-meets-The-Boxcar-Children saga details the adventures of Rosalind, Jane, Skye and Batty Penderwick during their summer vacation at Arundel with their widowed father and the family dog, Hound. Rosalind is the eldest, girly and a romantic; Jane dreams of becoming a writer; Skye is a spunky tomboy, and Batty, the youngest, encapsulates childhood innocence. While the Penderwick sisters try to avoid the snooty owner of Arundel cottage, Mrs. Tifton, they make friends with her son, Jeffrey, and the gardener, Cagney. Summer adventures of lost rabbits, dinner parties, unrequited love, and child vs. adult expectations ensue, tensions between the free-spirited Penderwicks and the rigid Mrs. Tifton develop, and the fate of Jeffrey¿s education lingers tumultuously in the hands of Mrs. Tifton¿s detestable fiancé, Dexter. The technical form of the book appears to fit the 8-12 age range perfectly ¿ straight forward writing, short chapters, defined characters ¿ and I initially thought this a wonderful children¿s read. I could relate to the characters, the writing was smooth and the plot evoked my own childhood memories. But that¿s an adult opinion from an adult perspective. What would a child¿s opinion be from a child¿s perspective? Quite frankly, my eight-year-old self would have found the story dull. It¿s written from an adult perspective with too many adult references that evoke adult memories. I can¿t imagine that my younger self would have enjoyed a book about a family vacation with undeveloped characters, minimal conflict and random Latin phrases (that are never translated) because many of the underlying themes I had yet to experience. Yes, parents undoubtedly find this story wholesome and a good family read and my third grade teacher has probably assigned this story in her reading class (as stated above: straight forward writing, short chapters and defined characters), but I doubt that I would have picked this story up for entertainment. It¿s too plain and too safe. As noted previously, The Penderwicks is a series. I¿ve decided to read the next book in line, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, in hopes that Jeanne Birdsall was just warming up with her first story and that the next will take some risks on the safe groundwork she has already laid. At least that¿s what my eight-year-old self is hoping. A Coffee and Pages Review

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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