Done!
Swoon.
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette was every bit as wonderful as I’d hoped…and I’d been hoping for a very long time. I put in a library request for this book when I first heard it was being published—literally, about a year ago—and when I received the book—FINALLY!—from the library, it was so new that some of the pages hadn’t been cut completely.
Bliss.
Note to readers: The Penderwicks is a series that begins with The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. Next in line is The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, followed by The Penderwicks at Point Mouette.
Also worth noting is that the audio books are every bit as wonderful! We are just finishing up our (third? fourth?) listen to the first book in this series, which has become a start-of-the-summer tradition for my family.
Finally, here is something that makes me (foolishly) happy:
(And on Les Paul’s 96th birthday!)
(Jeffrey would be proud.)
Final Final Note: Ever one to be anal and over-analytical, I feel compelled to add one last postscript (a caveat, if you will) after beginning a discussion with Sarah in the com-box. (Spoiler alert! A plot discussion is taking place.) Anyway, here it is: there is some talk of kissing in these books! It’s very mild and fairly sweet in its approach, but it does gnaw at me a little bit (thus, the postscript) because the oldest Penderwick daughter is only 12.
My concerns may have you nodding in agreement…or thinking that I’m a total prude. I accept that. When I was 12, I was kissing boys…and I’m neither proud of this fact nor desirous of a similar fate for my daughters. Why? Because I believe—with all the hindsight that my pre-conversion lifestyle affords me—that the first kiss should be saved for when you’re older…and (if possible) for “the one”.
So there. I’ve said it.
I still like these books—very much, indeed!—and I like that these references to kissing have led to discussions on purity with my girls.
Phew! That’s quite a postscript! Still, I’m glad I got that off my chest.
Happy summer reading, everyone!!
I downloaded the first audio book, after you informed me that it is a series (ha!) and after you said you enjoyed listening to it in the van. I am excited to start this series with my children!
And that thing that makes you foolishly happy is very cool, Margaret! So is that guitar on the Google masthead!
Happy day!
Yay! My only caveat, Sarah, is that near the end of this book, the oldest Penderwick daughter (she's 12) daydreams about getting kissed by a boy.
It's a real–very human–scenario, and one *I* certainly went through at 12, but not something I want my 12-year-old girl to worry about.
It prompted a good discussion last night with my daughters. We talked about not giving that first kiss away–about how precious it was…and how it should be saved for "the one".
An important discussion in these times, don't you think?
SPOILER ALERT!!!! LOOK AWAY IF YOU DON"T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING!!!
Are you talking about in the third book when Jane actually does get kissed in the park by the skater boy, Dominic (the quick peck on the lips)? Because I thought that was very well done in showing the negative consequences of that decision based on Jane's reaction (giving him the "love poem") and then in his response when he tells her later "it meant nothing." We had a wonderful conversation about how misplaced affection and infatuation really doesn't mean the same thing as real love. When you see the problems it creates and how it affects Jane, it's not presented in a favorable light. And how the secular world does think it's OK for 12 years to date and exchange affection but if those things are supposed to be reserved for finding the person God has made for you to marry, then 12 really is a silly age to be participating in those things since no 12 year old is even close to being ready to marry. It was an opportunity for discussion just like the bad family situation presented in Jeffrey's life.
I was initially hesitant to give these books to my kids because of the divorce factor (thinking they would be too sensitive to it because of my parents being divorced and remarried). While we love and honor their grandparents, I never want them to think that divorce is something we encourage or think is just another OK part of life. When you really do a character study of Jeffrey and his family through all of the books, you see that the divorce and remarriage situation is most difficult on the child and has far reaching ramifications. I can see where some people might be disappointed that those elements are in a children's story, but I look at how they are presented and dealt with before I determine if they are inappropriate.
I was hoping you'd chime in on this discussion, Charlotte! I agree with your assessment of Jane's kiss and will add it to *my* discussion with the kids when we read Point Mouette together.
Spoiler Alert!!!
(They also talk about Rosalind kissing Tommy in the third book. Jane asks her about it and Rosalind says, "It's none of your business.")
I don't remember that scene specifically between Rosalind and Jane in the third book, but it doesn't surprise me because from the very beginning Jane is fixated on love and romance. It's very obvious even though she presents it as research for her latest Sabrina Starr story (which I believe is the character of Jane's subconscious). So, most likely inspired by her father's new "situation", these ideas of love and romance have entered Jane's awareness and she is mulling them over the best way she knows how… via her writing.
I think it could be used as an excellent example and caution to young girls to not allow themselves to become captivated by an unrealistic idea of romance. I've known one too many young girls, myself included, who's infatuation with "romance" led them to make stupid decisions most of which ultimately lead to a "broken heart". I want my daughters to have a correct understanding of romance in it's proper place and age!
What a good discussion! Thanks, ladies, for your honesty. I would not have known to be ready for this, if it wasn't for you! At this point, though, I think I will have to preview these books first, before allowing my girls to listen in. They are still a bit too young, IMO, for these conversations. Although it seems like the context is perfect for such conversations, I just don't know if I'm ready for them yet! I still really look forward to reading these with my children, whether that's this summer or in the future.
That's what I thought, Sarah, given the ages of your girls.
Charlotte, MOST excellent analysis!
You know, Sarah, you bring up a wonderful point; one I just had to remind myself of the other day. When someone makes a recommendation (especially online), we do oftentimes forget to check their family situation instead of just assuming they are like us. I was talking to a friend about a show that my husband and I enjoyed watching and when she said she was familiar with it and her oldest son watched it with them, I was at first shocked because I couldn't imagine letting my oldest watch this show (nothing raunchy just references and murders). Then I had to remind myself that her oldest is almost 16 and mine is not yet 13 1/2. It's only three years but there is a difference.
Anyway, I wanted to add one more point here about the kissing stuff and the conversation it inspired which might be helpful if you have a boy child reading these books. I posted about it over at my place too:
We also discussed the pressure that Dominic was responding to from his older brothers who had bound him to the dare in the first place. Wouldn't it have been more virtuous to have stood up to them instead of fold under their influence? Perhaps his encounter with Jane would be enough to help him see girls are people with real feelings not playthings or scores to be tallied.
The mention of kissing and the young character's image of romance leads me exactly where my 13 (about to be 14) year old is. NOT that she is doing any of the things mentioned. But this is what our 'talks' are about.
We have had lovely talks about protecting her heart. The beauty of romance from 'the one'; how more special it can be when her own heart is at it's best kept for that moment.
She seems to get it and we've talked about the consequences of dating and such. So after I read the book first this sounds perfect for her too.
Thanks for all the feedback on the subject ladies!
I love that you posted the Google page with your blog in the results. I remember the first time I goggled something and unexpectedly my own blog popped up. I thought I was SO COOL until I realized that it was because no one else had written about the strange and obscure thing I'd written about. (Not that I'm saying your book review falls into this category!). It's still fun to get a kick out of!