Here's a Penny: A Classic Chapter Book About Adoption and Family for Children (Ages 6-9)

Penny

by Carolyn Haywood

From Carolyn Haywood, author of the beloved Betsy series, here are four more classics for young readers. These adorable stories of childhood adventures are as fresh today as when they were written more than a half century ago. And now, thanks to dynamic new covers, they're ready to charm a whole new generation of readers.

Penny's name is really William, but when he was adopted as a baby, he had hair the color of a new copper penny. Adopted or not, Penny decides to prove his friend Patsy wrong when she says he doesn't truly have a family!

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Chapter Books, School, Classics, 1st Grade, Family

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

Carolyn Haywood was an American writer and illustrator from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She wrote 47 children's books, most notably the series under the "Eddie" and "Betsy" titles.

Reviews

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we have another of the assigned books from our curriculum (Sonlight). It’s the story of 6-year-old Penny, the endearing adopted son of two doting parents who shepherd him through boyhood problems (unkind friends, the search for a pet, and a desire for a sibling) and shenanigans. Penny’s parents teach him simple lessons about faith, love, and family, and they encounter plenty of humorous moments along the way.

Published in 1942, this is very much a book of its time. The writing is simple, and the stories are innocent, one-dimensional, and moralistic. I didn’t mind the dated stereotypes or stylistic choices, and these were actually a draw for my 6-year-old (who adored this book and is asking to continue with the series)—many modern books try too hard to be relevant, and I’ve found that the older books are often more popular with kids, who don’t need all the bells and whistles we adults presume they want. In that sense, books like this one are exactly what I want my child to be reading.

That said, I struggled with the problematic messaging embedded in this book, particularly around adoption, which it paints in an overly positive light; this could be very misleading for children (especially adopted children) without an adult reading alongside them. I was also concerned with the book’s discussions of faith. (For instance, when Penny is sad that his cat has gone missing, his mother assures him that if he prays for the cat’s return, God will send the cat back—which, of course, does happen. This is not at all in line with how prayer works, and pretending that it is this easy may set young readers up for faith crises in the future.) These are not prominent parts of the book, but they are worth noting. They made for good conversation-starters with my son, but I worry about young readers who do not have a faith-minded parent reading alongside them to help them navigate these prickly topics.

There are far worse books that our children could be reading, and this one does have plenty of redeeming qualities. But with many better reading options out there for young readers, this is not one I would be quick to recommend.

My Rating: 3 Stars. (Charleston’s Rating: 5 Stars)

Book Format: Print

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

My children (boys ages 3.5 and 5.5) really liked this book. It was interesting and easy to follow. However, some of the ideas about adoption bothered me (an adoptive parent). The book presents a very naive picture of adoption. For instance, the parents in the book pick out a red haired baby from among a bunch of babies in a hospital (they go to the hospital looking for a boy with red hair). When the red haired boy gets older, he then decides to pick out a black kitten with white paws (just like his mom and dad chose him). The way the author likens adoption with choosing a kitten did not sit well with me. The mother in the book does explain that "a mother's and father's love" makes a boy really truly their little boy, which seems like a good idea for kids who have not thought about adoption and its implications before. I hope that parents who read this book to their kids (or whose children read it on their own) will take the time to address adoption in a more realistic and sensitive way than the author does.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book best because of who Penny is.

Penny is the nickname of a little boy who's adopted, whose family tells him he's adopted from an early age so that he understands it. What a significant story for the time period this was written in! Told without stigma, the story even includes a bit of nasty spirited teasing about having been adopted that answers the question firmly once and for all that an adopted child is chosen and special and loved. Which to me made this story adopted.

I was adopted in 1970 and though this book was written more than 20 years earlier, my parents felt there was such a shameful stigma on having to adopt a child that the fact was hidden from me until I was an adult. It's a shame that neither of them ever read this book as maybe they would have felt a little differently. I wish they had.

Penny, of course, has lots of other adventures suitable for a six year old, some of which might be a little shocking to the readers of today (my we gave kids a lot of freedom in the past!) The girl next door is at times evil and perfect playmate, which makes her real and interesting, as are all the characters in the book, adults included.

To me, reading these books are a peek back in time, just as much as they're entertainment for kids of today. Told gently with just enough adventure, and easy to read, I cannot recommend these books enough (to be accompanied perhaps with some discussion of what life was like so long ago).

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolyn Haywood introduces us to Penny, an adopted boy and his family and friends. His parents lovingly guide him through various travails. His biggest wish is for a real brother! Perfect read aloud for 5-6 year olds.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a perfectly sweet-as-pie children's novel from the '40s. It has that postwar vintage feel to it, which some people find completely charming while others find it a tad syrupy. For me, this book leaned toward the syrupy side of things, but it did have its redeeming qualities.

We're trying out Sonlight's History-Bible-Literature program this year, and this is one of the read-alouds in the pack. I will say that my boys thought it was entertaining and funny. It wasn't as fulfilling a book for me, as the adult in the room. Thankfully, it was short!

This book is about a boy named Penny, and he's adopted. So, if you're looking for a kids' book that has an adopted protagonist (that's set after 1890, haha) then you might give this a try. The action is very gentle and small in scope, revolving around Penny's personal dramas, which include getting a cat, dressing up for Halloween, selling newspapers, and ruining his overalls. This childlike vibe does have its charm.

I will say that this modern cover is terrible. Penny looks like he has a 5-o'clock shadow, and in the book, he's only 6 years old.

[Mendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless children’s book that brought me to tears multiple times. Such a beautiful story of adoption and acceptance.

[Shofam · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I loved this book!”
“What did you love about it?”
“Everything!”

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The children enjoyed these fun & fictional vignettes of a six year old with the nickname Penny. Getting stuck on a barrel of pitch and having to be removed from your overalls is memorable as well as a six year old who gets to use a pen knife to whittle.

[Laura (Book Scrounger) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to pre-read this book before reading it to my kids, and overall I thought it was cute and often funny, though definitely from a "simpler time," (the 40s) which I think in some cases will require some explanations for kids now. On the one hand, it is nice to see the subject of adoption handled in a children's book, including a very tender moment in which Penny (the main character) is reassured that he is "really truly" his parents' son, no matter what another teasing child may say. There were also some amusing stories of "sticky situations" and daily mayhem that I'm sure families will enjoy reading together.

On the other hand, this was written in a different time, and a few things put up some small red flags for me. I have no personal experience with adoption, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but the way Penny's parents described his adoption rubbed me the wrong way. I have no doubt they love him, but they told him they decided before they met him that they wanted to adopt a child with red hair and freckles, so that's how they knew he was "the one" when they went down to the hospital to look over the available babies. It almost made the adoption process sound like picking out a pet, which is echoed later when Penny decides ahead of time exactly what he wants his cat to look like. I like that he kept the stray cat he found even though it wasn't "perfect," but he still got his "perfect" cat too.

Update: Read this to the three kids, and they mostly liked it. It is definitely a 40s/50s kind of story where everything works out in the end and the protagonist always wins, which might not be for everyone.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful little book! This story begins with the loving adoption of a little boy with freckles and hair the color of a "ripe apricot". His parents named him William, but call him Penny, because "He looks like a brand new copper penny!" Penny is a very loving little boy who loves his parents very much. He also wants to find his own "really truly" kitten and has the patience of Job until he finds just the perfect one. He has lots of fun with his little friend Patsy and his older friend Peter.

I really enjoyed this story and would definitely read it again! It was very well written, with an overall wonderful theme. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys children's literature & to families with adopted children!

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I read any books by Carolyn Haywood! When my now-13-year-old was around 6 or 7, his favorite books were the ones about Eddie, and I also read him some about Penny. Now, I have a 5-year-old who loves stories, and he is loving the stories about Penny just as much. We finished Here’s a Penny a few days ago, and of course he wanted to read the sequel, Penny and Peter.

Read my review here: https://ignitelit.com/heres-a-penny/

[Cassiejoan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I definitely judged this book by its cover and thought it would be lame. But the kids and I loved it! We laughed our loud and I was crying at the end. This is certainly a "vintage" book, set in a culture different from the current one but I don't think that is a bad thing. We can't wait to read the sequel and I will most definitely be reading this with little brother!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

My kids enjoyed this but I was glad we read it aloud because I felt like there were a few things that needed explaining. The way the adoption came about and the way the six year olds went wherever they wanted.

[Jessica Dudenhofer Beery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun, old-fashioned story of a boy, his pets and friends, and the hilarious adventures they have (the illustrations are a bit creepy at times 😂)

[Meagan Mayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. My 6-year-old love it and was excited that the main character was his age. Written in, I think, the 40’s there are some dated concepts. The adopted child representation was nice, especially, I’m sure, for back then. However, it didn’t really accurately depict adoption, at least how it is now. The couple decided they wanted a baby, so they went somewhere and picked the baby they wanted. Basically like shopping for a baby. There was mention of prayer in a “rub the genie” kind of way that I have seen some parents disapprove of. We are a secular family, so it raised my eyebrows for a different reason,
But it was nothing that made me even feel the need to discuss it. I would definitely recommend this as a read aloud.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story about an adopted boy and his wonderful parents that love him to distraction and his little neighborhood friend and their adventures. Written in the mid-twentieth century, I am impressed by the wonderful way they present adoption and equally enjoy the innocent nature of the funny scrapes Penny gets into. There is also a more serious story that ends in such a lovely way that I nearly cried as I read it to my son. Well worth a read aloud to a younger child, for it has such good lessons on compassion and caring about our fellow man.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute stories. I loved that the main character is a boy. My son loved it, but I had a problem reading it to him. It is definitely a product of it's time in the way it approaches adoption. We don't have orphanages anymore, and it's very rare that someone can just go and pick out the child, much less baby that they want. (like the metaphor of picking out kittens that the book uses) It was very insensitive, and I felt the need to have a long talk of damage control with my adopted son and hug him a long time.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of our home school is to have the older girls read to me while I'm preparing lunch. This was Elanor's first assignment.

It was a dear, sweet little book--delightful in every way. I loved how it dealt with Penny's adoption. Elanor and I were in fits of giggles at some of the hijinks. This is a charming book with nothing objectionable and everything darling for any kid who likes slice-of-life fun. I think my second child would love this author, too, and we'll be checking more out from Haywood.

[John]

Penny (and Peter in the second book) are both adopted. So author Carolyn Haywood never has to deal with the perennial question, "Where do children come from?"

I don't remember enough of this to rate it, although I liked the book back then as a child.

The third book, "Penny Goes to Camp", was the major presence of my childhood, as the book featured the summer camp my father and uncles went to, as well as me, my brother, and a couple sons of a cousin.

[James Tetley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable tale of times gone by. I personally found Penny's description as his Mummy's and Daddy's really truly an important message as their adopted child. This also led to his own hunt and care and concern for others, be they cats also charming. A good lesson when he finds Really and Truly that there are hidden things that we may not initially think are for us, but God provides. The reverse lesson happens to the parents who are looking for a baby but find Peter to adopt!!

[LeAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little stories of a little boy who was adopted. Makes a great read aloud for five- or six-year-old boys (or girls) who will find it both funny and exciting. Published in 1944, it is more sexist than modern books. The simpler times mean 6-year-olds are free to go to school and other places on their own.

[Hugo's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this as part of Sonlight A's read alouds. The kids really enjoyed it and would give it five stars, especially my son. I thought it was a bit disjointed in places though and I was not completely on board with some of the ways they discussed adoption, so I would give it three stars, so compromising here with 4. Not sure if we will continue on with the series or not.

[Loretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little book for young children! Penny is a happy and obedient little boy with a loving family and some fun adventures. There are some euphemisms that need to be edited out, but other than that it is a wholesome book with old-fashioned values for young readers to enjoy. My six-year-old loved it, and I look forward to getting more in the series for him.

[Kellista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet story for elementary children to be read aloud to or to read on their own. Simple yet silly at times. Sweet and sets up for good discussions about making good choices. The ending also allows for some deep discussions about families and adoption.

[Sara Hollar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute! Sweet adventures of 2 friends. I actually cried at the end. Although the end isn't incredibly realistic, it was very innocent and sweet. I highly recommend this as a "calm" read-aloud. It's not full of adventure or crazy humor or events, but it is very sweet.

[Erin Hendrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for Sonlight Kindergarten program. Very sweet, old-fashioned story about a little boy who has been adopted, and his adventures with friends and family. I cried at the ending, and my young children really enjoyed it.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and great for a budding chapter book emerging reader. Rascal (8) and I read this for Sonlight A. He struggled with a desire to read it at first but want to read more about Penny and Peter and Betsy when he finished it.

[Darci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this book once before to my children and I really didn’t care for it. This time I read it the part about adopting little boys had me crying while reading. And it hit the kids a different way as well.

[Taren Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

We liked this book. It felt like you were watching an old black and white sitcom like Leave it to Beaver. Since it was about a little boy living out his little boy days my youngest son even enjoyed listening in.

[Crystal Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute wholesome book. Each chapter was its own little story, but in roughly chronological order. It reminded me of a 1950’s style family sitcom. The kids (5 and 11) and I enjoyed reading a chapter or two at night, reminiscent of an evening tv episode.