Title: The Penderwicks at Last
Author: Jeanne Birdsall
Series: The Penderwicks, book 5
Major Themes: Friendship, Weddings, Family
Synopsis: Rosalind is getting married, which gives Lydia the chance to get to know the famous Arundel estate!
For over a year now, we have been slowly working our way through The Penderwicks series. When we read a series aloud, we like to break it up by reading other books in between. I was borrowing the books from a friend, and when some of my children went on a trip for a month, they didn’t want me to read about the Penderwicks until they got home, so…it’s taken a while! We finally made it through The Penderwicks at Last, though. What a satisfying ending to the series!
Publisher’s description:
Lydia’s oldest sister, Rosalind, is getting married, and in the most perfect setting—Arundel! Now the entire family is going back to the spot where they met their “honorary brother,” Jeffrey, and had endless adventures!
And sure enough, the adventures do not stop. There are close calls involving almost too many dogs to count, dances at bus stops, and the reappearance of a longtime enemy. But most of all, there are six siblings with a bond that’s as unshakable now as it ever was.
The Penderwicks at Last may be the end of the cherished series, but the family we love will never be forgotten.
My thoughts:
This was not our favorite book in the series, but it was still very good. Each of the five books focuses on a different sister, and The Penderwicks at Last is Lydia’s story. In this book, she is now 11 years old, and for the first time, she gets to visit the legendary estate, Arundel, which she has heard stories of all her life. She was not expecting to run into Mrs. Tifton, though! We loved reading about her explorations of Arundel with her new friend Alice, who is determined to outdo her brother’s adventures. As usual, the interactions between the sisters were fun to read about.
We found a lot of humorous things in this story. From rescuing spiders to reading aloud to sheep, making alien movies to fitting wedding dresses, we enjoyed following Lydia around from one adventure to another. Then there was Skye’s sudden about-face from the beginning to the end of the book, and Lydia trying to choreograph a dance for the wedding procession.
The Penderwicks at Last is a delightful story about friendship and sibling relationships. Lydia loved her brother Ben dearly—but struggled with pleasing him, since he wanted her to act out dying so often! She loved spending time with Jane and Batty, and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Alice. But how could she leave Arundel after less than two weeks in that wonderful spot? You’ll have to read the story to find out!
WARNING: Chapter 1: Knocking on wood. Chapter 2: “Marriage is an outmoded social construct.” Chapter 3: I swear. Chapter 6: Girls wondering if someone killed people, ghosts in the cellar. Chapter 12: What the heck, holy bananas.
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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