Magic Bone and The Penderwicks (plus, the second giveaway!)
MBH no. 16
Greetings from the dark side! 👹 😱
Kidding, sort of. But we’ve reached the point in the summer where most of the things we looked forward to have come and gone—and it’s 1 billion degrees with a month until school.
Sarah Miller from Can We Read? mentioned that a lot of her readers are feeling a bit low—she suggests both a trampoline and audiobooks—and in her wonderful way, reminds us to cut ourselves some slack—that being ‘good enough’ is definitely good enough! (She’s talking about this in the context of raising readers, but I decided to apply it to ALL areas of my life right now😉)
Today I have a short recommendation for our early chapter book readers—a cute series about another time traveling dog—but the real meat of this issue is in the middle grade section, with a book series we all loved so much that I just had to run another giveaway!
Also, I’d be honored if you’d share The Magic Book House with a friend.
Magic Bone (series), by Nancy Krulik, illustrated by Sebastien Braun (2013-2016)
Sniff, sniff, sniff. Just then, I smell something amazing. Like chicken, beef, and sausage all rolled into one. The smell is coming from the big hole I’ve been digging. I look down, and that’s when I see it. My bone. Buried next to the flower bed. Right where I left it! My bone isn’t just any bone. It has magic powers. It can throw me right out of my yard! No, really. The first time I took a big bite of my magic bone, it took me all the way to London!
Magic Bone is an early chapter book series narrated by a naughty and adorable sheepdog puppy named Sparky. One day, Sparky is “diggety-dig-digging” in his backyard when he uncovers a magical bone. With one chomp of the bone, Sparky goes on exciting adventures all over the world, meeting new friends and causing plenty of mischief.
The books have short, easy-to-read chapters and super cute illustrations. Sparky has just the right amount of “puppy potty humor” to produce giggles. The end of each provides young readers with interesting facts about the places Sparky explores.
Reminiscent of Ranger in Time for the younger set, The Magic Bone series was a huge hit with both of my children.
Recommended for ages 6-8
The Penderwicks (series), by Jeanne Birdsall (2005-2018)
Meet the Penderwicks, four different sisters with one special bond. There’s responsible, practical Rosalind; stubborn, feisty Skye; dreamy, artistic Jane; and shy little sister Batty, who won’t go anywhere without her butterfly wings.
When the series begins, the four sisters and their lovingly absentminded father take a three-week vacation to a rented cottage behind a massive estate. The girls make a fast friend in Jeffery, a lonely boy—and the son of the estate’s snooty owner.
Although the Penderwick sisters quickly learn to avoid Jeffery’s mother (mostly), they still manage to have plenty of summer adventures, filled with ups and downs that strengthen their sisterhood and cement their bond with Jeffery.
As the series progresses, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty navigate the challenges that come with growing up—misunderstandings, rivalries, school problems, and more—but always come back to that first summer and one another.
If I had to choose one realistic fiction series to literally push into the hands of almost everyone I know, The Penderwicks would be it. I read the first book years ago and promptly bought the rest of the series, hoping that my own small children would eventually read these stories and cherish them as much as I do.
This series has a nostalgic feel that makes me wish my kids could have the kind of free-range childhood the Penderwick sisters have. Even though their father is supportive and caring (their mother died when Batty was an infant), the girls have so much independence and are free to solve their own problems.
When the first Penderwicks book was published, it won the National Book Award and became an instant best seller. Critics referred to it as a “modern classic.” Now that almost 20 years have gone by, I’m not sure I’d call this series modern—but that’s a good thing! I’d rather think of the Penderwick books as timeless, the kind of books that will resonate with generations to come.
While I love that children’s literature today doesn’t shy away from the edgier topics and tough experiences that at one time would never have been mentioned, let alone written about—there’s also a place for books like The Penderwicks. And I’d argue that cozy, nostalgic books, ones that emphasize the importance of courage, loyalty, and family, are just the balm many of us need right now.
Birdsall’s characters are so well drawn, each with their own complexities and quirks, with depth and authenticity that make them feel like real friends—the kind that remain in your heart long after the last page is turned.
The Penderwicks Series Books*
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
Recommended for ages 7-12
📚🎉The Second Giveaway!🎉📚
I had a big birthday last week (4-0), and while I don’t love celebrating myself—I DO love celebrating children’s books….so, I’m going to use this milestone as an opportunity for another giveaway.
In honor of the ol’ birthday, I’m giving away a copy of The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy.
No need to fill out a survey this time—simply subscribe to this newsletter (if you aren’t already), then “like” this post or leave a comment below.
Since new readers find me all the time, I’ll run this contest until Friday, August 11th, 2023.
PSA🚨: Please please don’t pass up the Penderwicks—even if you have boys. I don’t love when people talk about ‘boys for boys’ and ‘books for girls’ (more on that another time) but I appreciate that some boys might not want to give this book a shot.
I get it—my 11-year-old son usually gravitates toward sports novels, dystopian fiction, and fantasy. When he pulled the first Penderwicks off our shelf last year, I thought
"Hmm…wonder if he’ll like a “leisurely-paced” story about four sisters.
Especially since he doesn’t really seem to like his own sister.
And then he devoured the entire series. Twice.
(Yes, this is similar to what I thought about my daughter and The Family Fletcher series—so the point is, I try to keep my mouth shut and let my kids choose what they want to read.)
✨Wishing you hours and hours of reading magic✨,
Katie
*As a reminder, I recently created a storefront through Bookshop.org. This awesome organization donates all profits to local bookstores (more on that here).
If you make a purchase through one of my links or by visiting my storefront, I earn a teeny tiny commission, which supports my work on this newsletter.
Yes! Actually, the author said that many of Little Women’s plot points are woven into the books...some without her even noticing. The characters remind me so much of the March sisters.
I guess she was also inspired by Edward Eager and E.Nesbit :)
I can't sing the praises of The Penderwicks series enough! They are such enjoyable books, especially the the first three. I own all of them in paperback.