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Penny
Penny and Peter: A Classic Story About Adoption and Brotherhood for Children (Ages 6-9)
When Penny's parents decide to adopt Peter, the two new brothers decide to do everything they can to help their parents. From painting the bedroom blue, to going fishing or getting a sweet surprise, the boys get into twice as much trouble--but they also have twice the fun!
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
About the author
Carolyn Haywood
65 books87 followersCarolyn Haywood was an American writer and illustrator of children’s books, best known for her beloved “Eddie” and “Betsy” series, which captured everyday childhood with warmth and authenticity. Raised in a supportive, middle-class Philadelphia family, she developed her artistic talents early, studying art and later working as a teacher, an experience that inspired her to write for young readers. After formal training in fine arts and travel in Europe, she worked on murals before turning fully to books. Her debut, “B” is for Betsy, appeared in 1939, launching a prolific career built on close observation of children’s lives and feelings, continuing for decades.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 29, 2019
Oh. my. funny-bone!
Parents, if you're looking for an early reader that surpasses the going entertainment level you've seen in many of the titles floating around, here's a great one! Say good-bye to dry sessions of reading and hello to enthusiasm and giggles.
Penny and Peter are hilarious! They are well meaning, old-fashioned boys that, well, just happen to get themselves into the funniest of situations. Like painting themselves into a corner, or taking a bunch of crabs on a train ride with them ... it's a good time!
Many illustrations throughout too!
Reading Level: 1st - 3rd
Ages: 4 - 9
Content Considerations: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
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Parents, if you're looking for an early reader that surpasses the going entertainment level you've seen in many of the titles floating around, here's a great one! Say good-bye to dry sessions of reading and hello to enthusiasm and giggles.
Penny and Peter are hilarious! They are well meaning, old-fashioned boys that, well, just happen to get themselves into the funniest of situations. Like painting themselves into a corner, or taking a bunch of crabs on a train ride with them ... it's a good time!
Many illustrations throughout too!
Reading Level: 1st - 3rd
Ages: 4 - 9
Content Considerations: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
November 15, 2018
I think my favorite character is Patsy, the talkative little girl next door. My favorite episode here is probably the bit with Tootsie and the Christmas tree... but you'll have to read it to understand because if I said anything it would be much too spoilery!
Ah, the old days, when an ordinary family could have a (apparently live-in) cook, and a summer cottage, and etc.... But they're good folks and work hard and don't squander, so I guess they deserve it.
I'm a bit concerned about the dialect of the cook, but it's surely realistic. And there are no other signs of racism, not even a description or illustration of her.
Ah, the old days, when an ordinary family could have a (apparently live-in) cook, and a summer cottage, and etc.... But they're good folks and work hard and don't squander, so I guess they deserve it.
I'm a bit concerned about the dialect of the cook, but it's surely realistic. And there are no other signs of racism, not even a description or illustration of her.
November 29, 2010
Nicely written and a very pleasant book, full of '40s charm. Probably 3 stars for me now, but I gave it 4 because I think I'd have loved it as a little kid.
September 11, 2019
Penny's family has expanded and now he has an older brother who takes him on a series of all new adventures. The two boys together work hard to make things nice for their family, who then in turn go and do nice things for them. :) All in all this is a sweet story about what it means to love one another and take care of those we love told with humor and gentleness, at the same time inviting the reader into a world of long ago. Love this series!
August 14, 2023
Another perfect read aloud for Kindergarteners from Carolyn Haywood. No one else captures childhood so charmingly and creates real families with which a child can empathize and be at home. We laughed out loud a lot- super sweet story of an adopted boy and his adopted older brother. Nice to see wise and understanding parents.
January 8, 2014
A but of a dated book, but a very sweet story, nevertheless. I read this to my kids as a bedtime story, and they loved it.
Peter is the cutest of characters, being adopted into the family (as well as Penny) he fits right in, and seems to instantly bond with them all. He's a kid with a good work ethic and a compassionate heart, which makes him such a good role model for young boys!
This is a great book for boys, in my opinion. I don't know if they'd have the patience to read it through themselves, since there are a lot of references to the way life was lived back in the time period it was written. There are probably things that would need to be explained to understand, which is easy to do when you are reading it aloud.
Peter is the cutest of characters, being adopted into the family (as well as Penny) he fits right in, and seems to instantly bond with them all. He's a kid with a good work ethic and a compassionate heart, which makes him such a good role model for young boys!
This is a great book for boys, in my opinion. I don't know if they'd have the patience to read it through themselves, since there are a lot of references to the way life was lived back in the time period it was written. There are probably things that would need to be explained to understand, which is easy to do when you are reading it aloud.
December 4, 2016
When my second son was around six years old, Carolyn Haywood was his favorite author. I found a number of her books at the library, and read them all to him. I had forgotten about her in the years since then, but when I recently read Here’s a Penny to my fifth son, I was reminded of how my older boy had loved them. And, when I started reading Penny and Peter to the younger boy, the older one made sure, if at all possible, that he was around to hear these delightful stories again—even though he is now fourteen!
Read my full review here.
November 21, 2016
Just in case you needed to know before reading, Penny is a boy. That's not even his actual name. Don't ask me why.
July 29, 2024
My children, ages 6 and nearly 12, both enjoyed it as a read aloud. More episodic, than linear, in plot I think it may work better as an independent read than read aloud. Particularly due to repetitive use of said ______ & _____ said. It didn’t flow smoothly like other chapter books we've read together.
Penny and Peter by Carolyn Haywood is an easy chapter book for young readers. Featuring two adopted boys, ages 6 and 8, they have a lot of amusing adventures. Escaping crabs, their neighbor acquiring a dog, fun at a cabin in the woods, and Christmas tree trimming are all part of the old time charm of this story.
Considerations:
It comes across as a bit dated (telegraph wires, separate beds for the mom and dad) and with the UK “Mummy” instead of mom/mommy
Pg 57 “Hanged if I know!”
Pg 100 Peter, age 8, “decided that he wouldn’t say anything about his paper route. He would just go out after school and see if he could get some customers.” He explains to his parents later he was gone because he was working and gives his earnings to his father.
Pg 113 “Well, I am keeping it a secret from Mother,” said Daddy, “because I thought it would be nice to have it a Christmas surprise. But I’ll tell you, if you think you can keep it a secret.”
Penny and Peter by Carolyn Haywood is an easy chapter book for young readers. Featuring two adopted boys, ages 6 and 8, they have a lot of amusing adventures. Escaping crabs, their neighbor acquiring a dog, fun at a cabin in the woods, and Christmas tree trimming are all part of the old time charm of this story.
Considerations:
It comes across as a bit dated (telegraph wires, separate beds for the mom and dad) and with the UK “Mummy” instead of mom/mommy
Pg 57 “Hanged if I know!”
Pg 100 Peter, age 8, “decided that he wouldn’t say anything about his paper route. He would just go out after school and see if he could get some customers.” He explains to his parents later he was gone because he was working and gives his earnings to his father.
Pg 113 “Well, I am keeping it a secret from Mother,” said Daddy, “because I thought it would be nice to have it a Christmas surprise. But I’ll tell you, if you think you can keep it a secret.”
Read
September 6, 2021I read this one as a kid. It's generally adorable in typical Haywood fashion: loosely connected stories about Penny, Peter, and their neighbour Patsy as they paint themselves into a room trying to help Father, play with Patsy's dog, and go to a cabin in the woods.
One thing did make me cringe: the family cook is a Black woman whose dialogue is written the way Black dialogue is usually written in old books (I don't know if there's a word for this). She's mostly in chapter one.
One thing did make me cringe: the family cook is a Black woman whose dialogue is written the way Black dialogue is usually written in old books (I don't know if there's a word for this). She's mostly in chapter one.
September 29, 2017
Read a long, long time ago.
March 1, 2018
We enjoyed this. P asked me to get the next book about these characters, but there isn't one.
January 14, 2021
My 6 year old and I loved this continuation of the “Here’s a Penny” book.
January 4, 2023
Sweet and old-fashioned, i think kids would still like the "heile Welt" of the well-off family, the little scrapes the boys get into.
June 9, 2016
I read this book to my daughter, and we both enjoyed it. It was fun to hear continuation of Penny and Peter's story, and I particularly appreciate the way the characters interact and respect one another.
Read
December 14, 2009Penny and Peter by Carolyn Haywood (1946)
December 15, 2009
5 yo ds really enjoyed this book - read w/ Dad.
June 8, 2015
This book talks about two brothers and how they have fun. I like the book because it is funny and creative.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews