The Penderwicks at Point Mouette [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

As a mother who screens everything her 11-year-old daughter reads, I've often found myself rummaging among my old Enid Blyton, Alison Uttley and E. Nesbit books for heart-warming stories written in proper sentences, and not like they were movie scripts. Like many other sentimental parents, I found Jeanne Birdsall's "The Penderwicks" series to be a godsend in that direction: the adventures of the Penderwicks sisters (and now one baby brother), read like updated, hipper versions of "Little Women", "Swallows and Amazons" and "Famous Five." If Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy were to go on vacation, their summers would make equally engrossing reading. Those who have also enjoyed "The Penderwicks" would also like "The Callahan Cousins" by Elizabeth Doyle Carey.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on "The Penderwicks at Point Mouette" the day it was released - my only complaint is that said daughter devoured it in less than two hours, but that is surely an indication of what a good story the author tells. The first two Penderwicks books are as thumbed-through as my own childhood books were, as many times as I've re-read them. I expect this third book to share the same fate. Definitely one for the Kindle as well! In the words of said daughter:

"The book, `The Penderwicks at Point Mouette' by Jeanne Birdsall is the perfect third book in `The Penderwicks' series.

"For the first time in all their lives, the Penderwicks are to be separated: Rosalind is going to New Jersey; Ben, Iantha and Mr. Penderwick are off on Iantha's and Mr. Penderwick's honeymoon in England; and, finally, Skye, Batty, Hound, Jane and Jeffrey are going to stay with the Penderwicks' Aunt Claire. But still, with Skye as the Oldest Available Penderwick, my favorite holiday family is back in a summer full of love and romance, boys on skateboards, Fire Gods, moose, concerts, pianos, crutches, odes to kisses, seals, life jackets, short hair and shorter tempers, melt-downs, blow-ups, a strangely-familiar Alec, a bad dog called Hoover and golf balls!

"The characters in Jeanne Birdsall's books are great, but I personally liked Jeffrey and Skye the best. Skye is very stubborn and brave, qualities which I admire; and Jeffrey is sweet and smart. I also liked Jane. Jane is really talented and I love her Sabrina Starr books - even though, if I was her sister, I would probably be like Skye and hate them too. Of course, Hound and Batty are cute and funny, and along with Mercedes, they are like the little sisters I don't have.

"My favorite part was when Jane cuts off half of her hair to the Fire God and makes wishes for Dominic to die because he broke her heart. Then, Mercedes, Skye and Batty all cut their hair as well to commiserate with her!

"I would give the book five stars: two stars for the plot, two stars for the characters and one star for the humor. My only objection is that it took a long while for this book to arrive at my doorstep! I hope there is another Penderwick book on the way."

In this, the third, installment in the PENDERWICKS series, the three youngest sisters, Skye, Jane, and Batty (along with Hound) summer vacation with their aunt in a small house on the coast. While this means that there's very little of Rosalind (a character I did miss) it meant that Skye had to be the OAP (oldest Penderwick available) which was a delightful plot arc! Skye must deal with her OAP responsibilities and worries. Jane must deal with writer's block and love (both for Sabrina Starr and, perhaps, herself). And Batty must deal with being without Rosalind, her parents and Ben, and her new favorite collection: golf balls.
Things begin to progress when Jeffery finally arrives, and the Penderwicks meet their new neighbors (which include a very nice man with a very exhuberant little dog, Hoover, and a brother and sister just about the Penderwicks ages).

I always love the classic feel of the Penderwick books, the loyalty and love of the sisters and their parents and new little brother (and even Jeffery) and how they are able to play and entertain themselves in almost purely technology-free environments and play so much outdoors. This is all done in a beautiful, non-dogmatic fashion that feels effortless and is a pleasure to read.
The only downside of this, is that I do feel Birdsall gives her characters too much freedom. While I wish we lived in a world where it was okay to let your 11 year old niece walk by herself to the grocery store, I don't think we do, and I feel it's a little unfair to allow the characters such freedom when a parent is going to have to explain to their young reader that "even though Jane/Skye/Batty did such-and-such, you really can't do it, too."

I did have to adjust my "expectations" when I started, remembering that the Penderwick books are much more character focused and that sometimes the chapters aren't going to be very epic (something that is part of the sweetness of the books, that a whole chapter can be devoted to "looking for golf balls.") I do think the book was a little slow in the beginning, but the events and unexpected turns of the last third more than made up for it, and I found myself wanting more by the end.

So, all in all, I still love this series, and based on this ending, I will be seeking out the next installment.

This third book is every bit as warm and cozy as the first two - all of the humor and endearing characteristics as the first two, though this is the first of the books to make me cry. Ms. Birdsall writes with such tenderness, and no soggyness, equally well for both her girl and boy characters.

I actually finished it before my 11 year old daughter - the first chapters were harder for her to get through as they were mainly setting the stage, but after that she would stop reading only long enough to say, "I love this book!" and "I wish I were a Penderwick!" - or she would stop to read a passage out loud to me.

This is reading at it's best - I wish Ms. Birdsall all speed towards the fourth book. It won't take us long to re-read the first three and then we will be desperate!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 32 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars