“For a long time after that summer, the four Penderwick sisters still talked of Arundel.”

From Jeanne Birdsall’s The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy.

When Mr. Penderwick loaded up twelve-year-old Rosalind, eleven-year-old Skye, ten-year-old Jane, four-year-old Batty, and the family dog, Hound, he never expected the new vacation home to change their lives so much.  Since their normal rental home had already been booked, Mr. Penderwick booked a three-week stay at Arundel, a guest cottage in the mountains.  When they arrive at the estate, they meet the young gardener, Cagney, and Churchie the housekeeper.  While the workers are kind, the homeowner, Mrs. Tifton, is far from it, and the girls expect the same from her son, Jeffrey.   However, when Jeffrey saves Batty from a bull, the youngest Penderwick declares him to be an honorary Penderwick and their friendship only grows.  While each sister has incredible adventures with Jeffrey during their vacation, they also fun individually, except for Rosalind who has been focused on getting to know Cagney better when not keeping her sisters in line.  Skye loves math, Jane loves writing books about a young heroine she created, and Batty is especially thrilled to meet Cagney’s pet rabbits (Carla and Yaz) who instantly take to the shy girl.  The Penderwick girls and Jeffrey have lots of fun, but when the children overhear Mrs. Tifton’s overbearing plans for Jeffrey, things quickly go wrong and situations seem to spiral out of the Penderwicks’ control.

Birdsall’s story is sweet, funny, and well-developed in an appealing manner for readers of all ages.  Each sister is unique, but similar enough to keep the characters connected.  The adventures developed in the story build the reader’s connection to the characters, while also making it a quick, easy read.  The power of family is the driving force in The Penderwicks, which makes it a not-to-be-missed captivating read.