The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale

Authors: Jeanne Birdsall

Copyright: 2005

Publisher: Random House, Inc.

Age Level: 8-12 and up

Reading Levels:

o        Fountas & Pinnell – T Fiction

o        Lexile – 800

o        Accelerated Reader – 4.7

Pages: 272 (paperback)

Genre: Fiction /Realistic Fiction

“I found a secret passage.” “A MOOPS was a Meeting Of Older Penderwick Sisters.”
 “The Hound Draw for Order was a time-honored ritual with the sisters.”     

 – from The Penderwicks

Suggested delivery: Read aloud or an independent read

Links:

·   Publisher’s Website

http://www.randomhouse.com/kids

• Publisher’s Website for teachers and educators
• http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers
• Summer Adventure Reading – (Pre Reading/Initiation) http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-episodes/podcast/summer-adventures-30271.html
• Author’s Website
• http://www.jeannebirdsall.com/
• Novel Ties - to The Penderwicks with questions, vocabulary, activities…http://estore.pubeasyschool.com/samples/DDTr/lgls3795s.pdf
• YouTube Author interview and creation of Penderwicks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4xhMWgcKLI

3 teaching suggestions - using the book with students in grades 4-6

1.   Character Study and Character Traits Displayed by each – Graphic Organizer

2.   Science application – botany, horticulture, garden club, Latin plant names

Key Vocabulary:

1.   botany

2.   (faithful) beast 

3.   devour

4.   heroine

5.   jotting

6.   snooty (as all get-out)

7.   tumbledown (house) 

8.   turrets that jutted 

9.   rooted (around the luggage) 

10. native flora 

A writing activity that requires the students to respond to the text to demonstrate inferential comprehension – Write about your best summer adventure and compare it to the Penderwicks; include photos or hand drawn pictures in a scrapbook style presentation.

Awards, Reviews, Honors or Mentions: “Rollicking fun … features characters whom readers will immediately love, as well as superb writing style.” – from School Library Journal, Starred Review

• ALA Notable Books for Children
• Booklist Editor’s Choice
• National Book Award Winner
• Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
• Texas Bluebonnet Award
• New York Times Best Seller
• Starred Reviews: Booklist, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal  

Other Books by the Author or that may follow:

o   The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale was her first book written

o   The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, 2008

o   The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, 2011

o   Currently working on more Penderwick books – to be a total of five

Topics from book: Family Relationships, Friendship, Girl Books, Humor, New England States, Sisters, Single-parent families, Vacations, Botany