[LISTENED TO: April 4, 2015] The Penderwicks
Everything about this book feels like it’s an old story–from the cover (which is consistent in all versions as far as I can tell) to the tone. It feels like a book that was set in perhaps the fifties or even the seventies. Until we learn that the father has a computer and you see that the book was written in 2005. Then you realize that Birdsall has simply captured an idyllic moment for a family and that although there are some trappings of modernism, it could be set at (nearly) any time (the computer is not really significant to the story).
Sarah had read the story and really liked it so she brought home the audio book and we all enjoyed listening to it. (How upsetting to have about 30 minutes left in the 6 hour story when we got to the airport for our vacation and had to wait a week to finish). The reader, Susan Denaker had a good selection of voices. Sarah didn’t like her voice for the littlest girl, but I thought it was cute. I was also impressed by her male voices–all similar (since they were from the same part of the country) but with enough different inflections so you could tell them apart.
So what is this story about? Well, it is about the Penderwick Family. Mr Penderwick is a scholar (he says Latin phrases to the girls all the time and they are not translated–so brush up!). He has four daughters: Rosalind (12), Skye (11), Jane (10) and Batty (4). The girls’ mother died shortly after giving birth to Batty (but not because of giving birth to Batty, she had cancer). I always think it’s weird when a parent is dead in a story, especially if it said death is designed just to give the living parent a romantic interest. But that doesn’t happen in this story. Their mother is dead, and the girls have to move on without her, but it also brings them together. Rosalind more or less falls into the mothering role (poor girl) and their mother’s loss is felt throughout the book. (more…)


















