Poor Jenny, Bright as a Penny

by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Fifteen-year-old Jenny Middle struggles to hold her family together despite poverty, constant moves, the jail sentence and drunkenness of her mother, and a sister tragically involved with drugs.

The title has been changed to UNSETTLED on the ebook edition, issued in 2011. This timeless story of growing up forty years ago will be as relevant and moving to girls of today as it was to those who read it when first published.

Genres: Fiction

174 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Shirley Rousseau Murphy is the author of over 40 books, including 24 novels for adults, the Dragonbards Trilogy and more for young adults, and many books for children. She is best known for her Joe Grey cat mystery series, consisting of 21 novels, the last of which was published when she was over 90. Now retired, she enjoys hearing from readers who write to her at her website www.srmurphy.com, where the reading order of the books in that series can be found.

Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. After attending the San Francisco Art institute she worked as an interior designer, and later exhibited paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows. "When my husband Pat and I moved to Panama for a four-year tour in his position with the U. S . Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write," she says. Later they lived in Oregon, then Georgia, before moving to California, where she now enjoys the sea and views of the Carmel hills.
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Reviews

[Paige Layno Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book when I was in 6th grade. I'd like to re-read it eventually. I remember it was pretty dark and depressing.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid. I haven't read it since then and I want to find it to see if it still holds up.