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A review by kendranicole28
Here's a Penny by Carolyn Haywood
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