The Penderwicks in spring

Review by Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Welcome back, Penderwicks! And also welcome back all those in the Penderwicks' circle, including honorary brother Jeffrey (messing with the family dynamics by having fallen for Skye); Nick, on leave from fighting overseas and as idolized by the kids as ever; assorted friends and neighbors; a couple of dogs; and a new music teacher. It's the latter who makes a surprising impact on 10-year-old Batty's life, telling her that she has a rare and beautiful voice. And it is with utter shock that Batty realizes she does indeed. But she doesn't want her family to know until she talks with Jeffrey, her musical mentor. But Jeffrey's crush and a devastating family secret overheard by Batty mix everything up and keep Batty silent in several different ways. Besides being chock-full of all the qualities fans love (humor, heart, and the honest exploration of emotions), the compelling story line examines the guilt that Batty feels over both the death of her mother and her inability to keep the family dog, Hound, alive and it does so in touching ways. Batty is the narrator most of the time, but younger Ben takes over on occasion, and 2-year-old Lydia is an eccentric presence. The Penderwicks have a strong bench, so, happily, expect more. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The first Penderwicks book won the National Book Award, the quality of the stories remains high, and fans remain legion. They'll be waiting for this one.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2015 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In the fourth installment to the Penderwick family series, fifth grader Batty Penderwick is doing her best to be a good big sister to siblings Ben and Lydia, while mourning Hound, her beloved dog. A new music teacher at school discovers Batty's wonderful singing voice, and Batty is anxious to tell her honorary brother Jeffrey (a beloved friend of the family) and perhaps arrange a grand concert for her family on the occasion of her upcoming 11th birthday. Then Batty overhears an argument between her sister Skye and Jeffrey, and all her birthday plans are scrapped as she tries to cope with the enormous emotions the argument brought to light. Birdsall's excellent prose is tremendous and enjoyable, especially when read by Denaker, who gives each of the siblings related yet distinct voices-maternal and grown-up for the eldest, Rosaline; dreamy for Jane; no-nonsense for Skye; and quiet and shy for Batty. Little brother Ben has a nasal twang, and toddler Lydia singsongs her way through life. Hearing Denaker perform them all is a delight. Most impressively, Batty's enormous anguish is embodied in Denaker's assured performance. Ages 8-12. A Knopf hardcover. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-7-The Penderwick family is back in the fourth book of Birdsall's popular series. With the addition of younger sister Lydia and the recent death of beloved dog Hound, the cast of characters has changed a bit. Though told from the perspectives of Batty and Ben-the younger brother added to the clan in The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (Knopf, 2008)-this is truly Batty's story. Rosalind is in college, and Skye and Jane are both in high school. In this volume, Batty discovers that she has a talent for singing, which she keeps a secret from the rest of her family so that she can plan a Grand Birthday Concert. Jeffrey, their family friend, will be visiting for Skye's birthday, and Batty wants to ask him to be her mentore. She also takes on a job walking dogs to pay for voice lessons. She's conflicted about this because she believes that it was her fault that Hound died and she doesn't want to "curse" any more dogs. Fans of the series may find the time jump jarring-Batty, who was only four during the first book, is now 10-and the lack of OPS (Older Penderwick Sisters) dismaying. Throughout the series, Birdsall has demonstrated considerable skill at crafting a modern classic, merging modern-day wit with an old-fashioned charm. Birdsall is a master at making the everyday exciting. VERDICT This latest addition to the beloved series ends on a satisfying note, and readers will eagerly await the final book.-Jessica Ko, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Horn Book Review

In this fourth Penderwicks book, time has passed and the family landscape has changed. Mr. Penderwick has married the lovely Iantha; Rosalind is away at college; and Skye is fending off best friend Jeffrey's romantic advances. (Aspiring author Jane, however, is as dreamy as ever.) And Batty, the impish little girl with butterfly wings, is now ten and the "senior member of the younger Penderwick siblings" -- stepbrother Ben (seven) and half-sister Lydia (two). The story mostly belongs to Batty: already an accomplished pianist, she's discovered a talent for singing. To raise money for (secret) voice lessons, she starts a neighborhood odd-jobs business. She's employed as a dog walker, which sadly reminds her of her dear departed Hound. There's a lot of melancholy (and some melodrama) in this book, with poor Batty suffering benign neglect from favorite-sister Rosalind (temporarily boy-crazy, and an insufferable boy at that) and bearing the brunt of some particularly hurtful words from Skye. On the plus side, Ben and Lydia, in their cheering-up efforts, emerge as formidable Penderwicks; across-the-street neighbor Nick (on leave from the army, older brother of Rosalind's true love Tommy) provides no-nonsense advice; best friend Keiko remains true blue; and lovelorn Jeffrey finally snaps out of it enough to resume his role as Batty's musical mentore. And at her climactic Grand Eleventh Birthday Concert, Batty rewardingly finds her voice. elissa gershowitz (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A new and darker installment in the acclaimed series about the loving and bustling family.Several years have passed since the events of the third title, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette (2011). This latest stars Batty, nearly 11 and youngest of the four original sisters, and two newer siblingsBen, son of Mr. Penderwick's second wife, whom he married at the end of Book 2, and Lydia, the 2-year-old born of this marriage. Batty studies piano passionately, and a new music teacher at school discovers that she sings beautifully, too, so the girl undertakes a dog-walking business to earn money for voice lessons. Then Batty overhears a sister's comment that, shockingly, betrays long-held, deeply festering anger and resentment toward her. Sensitive Batty keeps the new revelation to herself and takes an emotional nose dive. How or whether this is resolved will keep readers turning pages. Newcomers to the series are assisted by explanations of characters and past events. Longtime fans will enjoy it, too, while feeling Batty's pain and rooting for her recovery. They'll also forgive what have become stock series trademarks: some improbable turns of events; almost-too-perfect familial and neighborly relationships; and nonchildlike dialogue issuing from the mouth of the babe. Not only is toddler Lydia's speech beyond her years (as was Batty's in the earlier books)save for referring to herself in the third personbut she effortlessly communicates in several languages. Not without some flaws, but overall, another charmer that will generate smiles, tears and fuzzy feelings. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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Spring Only one low mound of snow still lurked in Batty Penderwick's yard, under the big oak tree out back, and soon that would be gone if Batty continued to stomp on it with such determination. "Spring can't get here until the snow's all melted," she explained to her brother, Ben, who was celebrating the end of winter in his own way, by digging in the dirt for rocks. Rocks were his passion. "Ms. Lambert said that spring came in March." Ben was in second grade and still believed everything his teacher told him. "It's April now." "Officially spring came in March, but it can't really be here unless the snow is gone and the daffodils are in bloom. Dad said so." Having made it all the way to fifth grade, Batty had learned to be wary of teachers, but her father was much more trustworthy. "And since one of Mrs. Geiger's daffodils bloomed yesterday, if I can just get rid of--" She was interrupted by a clunk--Ben's shovel had struck metal. "Gold!" he cried. Batty looked up from her stomping, but before she could explain the unlikelihood of finding gold in their yard, she caught a flash of red in an upper window of the house. "Duck and cover!" she cried to Ben. He didn't need to be told twice. He threw himself against the house and crouched, out of sight of that window. And just in time, too. The flash of red had resolved itself into a wild mop of curls atop a little girl, her nose pressed against the screen. This was two-year-old Lydia, the youngest of the Penderwick family, who was supposed to be napping. Recently she'd discovered that by standing on a pile of the toys in her crib, she could get a better view of the world. The family verdict was that it wouldn't be long before she figured out how to climb out of the crib altogether. Lydia, so cherubic up there in her window, now roared like a furious foghorn. "BEN!" Batty called up to her. "Go back to sleep, Lydia." "Lydia is done," came the reply. "No, you're not done, because nap time isn't over for another fifteen minutes." Wobbling atop her precarious pile, Lydia pondered this, then went back to her original thought. "BEN!" In his hiding place, Ben was whispering no, no, no at Batty. She sympathized. Lydia loved everyone she'd encountered in her short life--never had a Penderwick been so pleased with the human race--but she loved Ben most of all. This was a burden no boy should have to bear. And, too, it was important that Lydia not get her own way all the time. Batty shook her head at the window and said, "Ben is busy, and you have to rest some more." "But--" Mid-protest, Lydia fell off her pile of toys and disappeared from sight. "Is she gone?" asked Ben. "I think so. Stay where you are for a minute, just in case she pops up again." Lydia was the most recent addition to the Penderwick family, bringing the total to eight. For the first half of Batty's life, there had been only five: Batty, her father, and her three older sisters, Rosalind, Skye, and Jane. Five had been a good number. Then Mr. Penderwick had married Ben's mother, Iantha, making seven, and seven had been an even better number, because everyone was so fond of Ben and Iantha. And now, eight--eight was a lot, especially when the eighth one was Lydia. Batty glanced back up at the window. It was still empty, which meant that either Lydia had gone back to sleep or she was rebuilding her pile of toys from scratch. Batty had watched her do it once or twice, and it was no easy project. "All clear for now," she told Ben. "Then come see what I've found." He went back to where he'd been digging, scrabbled around with his shovel, and brought to light a flat piece of metal encrusted with rust and dirt. Although his previous non-rock finds had been worthless--a tiny and ancient glass bottle, various chunks of broken plastic, and a ring full of keys that opened nothing--Ben never gave up hope of discovering riches untold. "It's only an old door hinge," said Batty. "Definitely not gold." "Rats." "Well, it's not like there were ever pirates burying treasure in western Massachusetts." "I know that." He plunged his shovel back into the dirt. "Somebody else could have, though, like a banker, and maybe not just gold. Diamonds are possible, or mortgage bond fidelity securities." Batty had a feeling he'd made up mortgage bond fidelity securities. It didn't matter. There wouldn't be any of them in their yard, either. Good thing Ben was so fond of the rocks he did find. And also mud, because he was covered with it now. "How did you get mud on your head?" She went at him with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, rubbing off the muck obscuring his hair, the same bright red as Lydia's. "Stop that," said Ben. She gave him one last scrub, made sure Lydia hadn't reappeared at the window, and went back to stomping on her pile of snow. Excerpted from The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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