Charming is a perfect word to describe this book, from the setting to the characters to the conflicts that they face. It begins with the Penderwick family on their way to three weeks in a Berkshire summer cottage. The family includes the dad, a somewhat “absent-minded professor” of botany, his four very different daughters and their rambunctious dog, Hound. The oldest, 12 year-old Rosalind, is the responsible one, taking care of the others in the absence of their mother. Then there is Skye, the fiery blond who is also the smartest, Jane, the romantic writer, and Batty the four year-old tag-along. They arrive at Arundel to find that their summer cottage is on the property of an actual mansion and to make things even more fun there is a young boy their age, Jeffrey, living there. They befriend him and enjoy three weeks of fun and games, playing soccer, exploring the beautiful gardens and discovering forgotten treasures in the mansion’s attic. They make a few other friends along the way, including the kind housekeeper, Churchie and the handsome young gardener, Cagney. Rosalind has a serious crush on Cagney and Batty falls in love with his pet bunnies, Yaz and Carla. While they always have good intentions, the girls do seem to encounter their share of trouble. They lose track of Batty, lose Cagney’s bunny, spar with Jeffrey’s stuck up, controlling mother, and even encounter an angry bull. The story lasts until the rental agreement runs out and when the Penderwicks leave for home, we say good bye to our new friends. It is a summer vacation these girls will not soon forget, and neither will the reader.

As a parent, I loved this book. It reminded me of books from another era. A time, before everything had to have an edge – or a half dead creature like a vampire or zombie - and before cell phones made our kids accessible 24/7. It is engaging, the characters are generally good-natured and there is an element of innocence to everything they do. They’re not perfect, but the mistakes they make are generally age appropriate and benign. The sisters try to watch out for each other, take great pride in their family and have aspirations to do great things. They’re generally polite and are kind and caring to others. I picture them with wide eyes, constantly amazed by the world around them. There are some lessons learned and there are examples of good and bad behavior. In many ways, they are excellent role models for young readers. While I loved this book in so many ways, there were a few disappointments. As a reader, I thought that it moved a little slowly at times. I also felt that the father could have played a stronger role and that the ages of the characters didn’t always make sense. Rosalind acted older than she was and there seemed like there should have been more of an age difference between the three older girls. Finally, their tendency to momentarily forget themselves and as a result encounter some sort of trouble, became a little predictable after awhile. These minor issues definitely do not outweigh the magic of this tender story and the solace that readers will find when they enter The Penderwicks world, leaving behind the burdens of modern-day life.