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bibliomaniac33's review against another edition
4.0
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.
readerlylife's review against another edition
4.0
This is a sweet, old-fashioned book that my two boys (ages 6 and 4) really enjoyed. It brings up the topic of adoption in a simple way that made it easy for my boys to understand. I loved how the mother explains to Penny that he is her really, truly boy. Such a beautiful part of the story that really touched me. Also, my boys laughed so hard when Penny and his friend wore the same Halloween costume. I thought this was a great, simple story that was quite enjoyable.
jamberry5's review against another edition
3.0
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.
meghanlee's review against another edition
3.0
Second time through. Glad I don't have to read it again. I think it has some good opportunities to discuss adoption, but I don't love this book. It would be better as a reader and not a read aloud (although others have pointed out the problematic issues of how adoption is handled which is a good point). There is so much repetition with 'mother said' or 'penny said'. I was getting on my own nerves.
kendranicole28's review against another edition
3.0
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
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
mchoneyb's review
3.0
I read this one aloud to my kiddos at night and they all really enjoyed it. They are ready to go and hunt for the sequel at the library!
I personally found it a little boring, but I think the reason it held my kids' attention is because it's a dated book, more or less about everyday life, which looks much different from our daily lives. I I think they find that fascinating.
I personally found it a little boring, but I think the reason it held my kids' attention is because it's a dated book, more or less about everyday life, which looks much different from our daily lives. I I think they find that fascinating.
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