Penny from Heaven (Newbery Honor Book)
by Jennifer L. Holm
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 313)
Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
Teenagers
i really like this book i thought it was an adventure to see what people in the 1950s did and everything but first to me i thought thought the book was a little odd of how it was written but more i read into it the more it became fun!!!
so what this book is about is well here it is...
Penny has heard two different theories about her name. One is that her father's favorite song was Bing Crosby's "Pennies from Heaven." The other is that Penny, whose real name is Barbara, was cal...more
so what this book is about is well here it is...
Penny has heard two different theories about her name. One is that her father's favorite song was Bing Crosby's "Pennies from Heaven." The other is that Penny, whose real name is Barbara, was cal...more
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Read in July, 2008
It is the summer of 1953, and Penny Falucci lives with her mother, Ellie and grandparents, Me-Me and Pop-Pop. Her father died when she was a baby. Everyone is hush-hush about the reason for her father's death, but thankfully for Penny, she has a wonderful relationship with the numerous Italian aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents on her father's side of the family. She has a special relationship with her Uncle Dominic. He is a little eccentric: he lives in his car, wears slippers, and he love...more
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Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
PENNY FROM HEAVEN, a new offering by author Jennifer L. Holm, is an excellent pick for middle grade readers. Set in the early 1950's, it tells a story of everyday life and rich Italian heritage.
Penny lives with her mother and her grandparents. At the start of the novel, she's almost twelve. Most of her time is spent hanging out in the neighborhood with her cousin and best friend, Frankie.
Bike riding would be...more
PENNY FROM HEAVEN, a new offering by author Jennifer L. Holm, is an excellent pick for middle grade readers. Set in the early 1950's, it tells a story of everyday life and rich Italian heritage.
Penny lives with her mother and her grandparents. At the start of the novel, she's almost twelve. Most of her time is spent hanging out in the neighborhood with her cousin and best friend, Frankie.
Bike riding would be...more
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Read in March, 2008
Newbery Honor Book 2007
In the early 1950s, Penny is living with her widowed mom and maternal grandparents in New Jersey. Her father's large Italian family is close by and Penny spends a lot of time with them. There is a huge contrast between the two families, her mom's family is kinda boring and overprotective while her father's family is a loud and boisterous Italian family, but neither side will talk to Penny about her father.
You know there is a story there about Penny's father but there i...more
In the early 1950s, Penny is living with her widowed mom and maternal grandparents in New Jersey. Her father's large Italian family is close by and Penny spends a lot of time with them. There is a huge contrast between the two families, her mom's family is kinda boring and overprotective while her father's family is a loud and boisterous Italian family, but neither side will talk to Penny about her father.
You know there is a story there about Penny's father but there i...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
Ages 10-15
I checked this book out because it was by the same woman who wrote "Our Only May Amelia." I enjoyed it a lot, though it wasn't as good as "Amelia."
Penny is growing up in New Jersey in the early 50s. Her Italian father died when she was small, and the two sides of her family have nothing to do with each other. Still, her mother allows her to maintain a steady relation with the Falucci relations, including Sunday dinners with Nonny, working at her Uncle's butcher shop, and...more
Penny is growing up in New Jersey in the early 50s. Her Italian father died when she was small, and the two sides of her family have nothing to do with each other. Still, her mother allows her to maintain a steady relation with the Falucci relations, including Sunday dinners with Nonny, working at her Uncle's butcher shop, and...more
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Read in November, 2007
Penny Falucci lives in a small town in New Jersey in a two story house. Her maternal grandparents live up stairs and her and her mother live downstairs. Her father is dead, but she imagines he was a lot like her uncle Dominic. Except he wouldn’t live in a car and only wearing bedroom slippers. Penny from Heaven follows Penny through the summer as she turns twelve, her mother starts dating the milkman, her cousin and best friend Frankie gets in trouble with the law, and she finds out the truth ...more
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Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm.
[Read with Brooklyn accent]
Kids usually look forward to summer, but not me. That’s because I can’t go swimming, ‘cause mom thinks I’ll catch the polio going around. My name is Penny, really it is Barbara Ann Falucci but my dad always called me Penny and it stuck, which is a good thing, ‘cause he died when I was little. I miss him a lot but my mom won’t talk about him; she’s just sad all the time, when she’s not working.
We live in...more
[Read with Brooklyn accent]
Kids usually look forward to summer, but not me. That’s because I can’t go swimming, ‘cause mom thinks I’ll catch the polio going around. My name is Penny, really it is Barbara Ann Falucci but my dad always called me Penny and it stuck, which is a good thing, ‘cause he died when I was little. I miss him a lot but my mom won’t talk about him; she’s just sad all the time, when she’s not working.
We live in...more
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Read in May, 2008
Set during 1953, this story follows Penny, an 11-year-old girl who gains insight about herself, the death of her father, and the two sides of her family who don't get along.
Penny Falucci and her mother live on the first floor and her maternal grandparents live on the second floor of a house in a small town in New Jersey. Penny From Heaven follows Penny the summer of 1953 as she turns 12, her mother stars dating the milkman, her cousin and best friend, Frankie, gets in trouble with the law, a...more
Penny Falucci and her mother live on the first floor and her maternal grandparents live on the second floor of a house in a small town in New Jersey. Penny From Heaven follows Penny the summer of 1953 as she turns 12, her mother stars dating the milkman, her cousin and best friend, Frankie, gets in trouble with the law, a...more
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Read in February, 2007
Penny is growing up in 1950s northern New Jersey and is torn between her mother and grandparents (whom she lives with) and her nearby Italian family of her deceased father. The two sides of the family don't talk to each other and even though Penny's mother would never tell her not to see her Italian family, it's obvious she doesn't like all the time she spends with them.
Summer is hard, even without the family drama. Penny's mom won't let her go swimming in fear she might catch Polio and then...more
Summer is hard, even without the family drama. Penny's mom won't let her go swimming in fear she might catch Polio and then...more
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Read in June, 2008
For some ungodly reason I keep reading Newberry books. At one point I wanted to be the Newberry specialist, but instead I became hooked on them since I figured out the formula. I'm especially surprised that this was nominated though. While it contained one of the three elements that secretly qualified it for what is ALWAYS ine a Newberry book (war) it wasn't that interesting and frankly the 50-isms would go over kids heads. Heck most of that crap was just foreign to me, if I didn't recall my mot...more
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Read in March, 2008
In 1953, 11-year-old Penny spends the summer hanging out with her large, eccentric Italian-American family. This warm-hearted story has tons of historical detail and a wacky, but loveable cast of characters. Penny tries to get someone to tell her exactly how her father died, but no one will. And when Penny's mother starts dating the milkman, it drives a wedge even further between them. Penny's one consolation is her Italian father's side of the family - a host of uncles who give her presents at ...more
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Read in January, 2008
Penny Falucci is eleven years old and living in Brooklyn with her widowed mother and maternal grandparents during the 1950's. Her father passed away a long time ago but no will talk about it not even his large Italian family who she sees a lot of and who spoil her rotten but whom her mother never talks too. It is during this summer that she learns a lot about herself and the relationships of those that surround her through some fun times rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers to a horrible accident ...more
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Penny Falucci, 11, lives with her widowed mother and maternal grandparents. Her life is anything but exciting. Her father's family seems so much more alive, but no one will talk of her father's death; not her mother, not her grandparents, and no one from her father's family. Yet soon life begins to change for her as her mother begins dating the milkman. The threat of polio is everywhere in this early 1950's story, but it is the wringer on a washing machine that takes Penny's life in a differe...more
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Read in March, 2008
Typical Newbury Book of the past few years. Somewhat historical, set in the 1950s, a story about a girl from a mixed Italian and whatever else heritage. She is the bridge between her deceased father's family and her mother. Through various summer experiences she finds out a family secret, learns to love her family over again and grows up in the process. It was sweet and tear jerking which I liked. The odd array of family characters were my favorite, everyone was odd in a very normal way and Penn...more
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Read in July, 2008
I very much enjoyed reading the story of Penny, a 12-year-old girl living in New Jersey during the summer of 1953. Many of the details and events come from Jennifer Holm's own family history. I especially loved Penny's very distinct voice throughout the book. When she goes back to school after an accident with her arm, she says that everyone asks how much it hurt. Her answer: "'A lot,' I always say, and watch their eyes go round with awe and something else--admiration. I want to tell ...more
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Read in June, 2008
Penny (11) spends the summer of 1953 listening to Dodger baseball games, working with her cousin at her uncle's meat shop, and spending time with her extended and sometimes eccentric family. Her biggest challenge, however, is figuring out just how her father died and why the two sides of her family aren't speaking.
Better than I expected. Picked up speed after a few chapters; lots of background information is given throughout. Informative about the treatment of Italians during WWII. Appre...more
Better than I expected. Picked up speed after a few chapters; lots of background information is given throughout. Informative about the treatment of Italians during WWII. Appre...more
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Read in January, 2008
Grade: B+
It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did I enjoyed it. It's a historical book, set in 1950s. For a long while you're not sure what the book is about, and keeping all of the characters straight sometimes gets confusing (big italian family - the author must have had fun plotting out that family tree). The further along that we get the more we see where our character is heading and the battles she'll have to face (every day life things). That and the main character ...more
It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did I enjoyed it. It's a historical book, set in 1950s. For a long while you're not sure what the book is about, and keeping all of the characters straight sometimes gets confusing (big italian family - the author must have had fun plotting out that family tree). The further along that we get the more we see where our character is heading and the battles she'll have to face (every day life things). That and the main character ...more
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recommends it for:
anyone
It’s 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing’s that easy in Penny’s family. For starters, she can’t go swimming because her mother’s afraid she’ll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her Nonny cries every time her father’s name is mentioned. And the two sides of her family aren’t speaking to each other! I just read this book and it was amazing hope you like it!...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
children's literature readers
This book is about a young girl growing up in New Jersey in the fifties caught between her dead father's traditional Italian family and her mother and her mother's parents who are non Italian, non recently immigrated to the US, white people. I found the first 100 or so pages a little monotonous and uneventful, but the plot line that focuses on her father's death and the rupture between her father's family and her mother is pretty interesting. Enjoyable overall.
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Read in February, 2007
recommends it for:
grades 4 and up.
This book was funny, uplifting, and emotional. I really loved reading this and enjoyed all the writing styles of Holm. I think the main character, Penny held such a dynamic and interesting outlook on her big Italian-Catholic family. Each member in the large, extended family was so different and you could understand the development of the characters as they related with each other. I would recommend this title to just about anybody.
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