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The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall – review

This article is more than 9 years old
'They set their Dad up with dates he won't get on with, he himself goes on pretend dates and all the while, they're getting to know their lovely next-door neighbour Iantha and her son Ben'
Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street
Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

Sometimes new people join your family and even when they are lovely it can be tricky to adjust. This book, the second in the best-selling Penderwick series, is about how the four sisters cope when their Dad starts going on dates. The story starts with a letter and a dip into the past.

We find out that the girl's mother did want her husband, Mr Penderwick, to try and meet someone new, after a while. Aunt Claire is the keenest to make this happen. Rosalind, who knew her mother the best, finds it incredibly hard and the others don't much like it either but each of the sisters reacts in a different way because they are all different.

In true Penderwick style, they hatch the 'Save Daddy Plan'! They set their Dad up with dates he won't get on with, he himself goes on pretend dates and all the while, they're getting to know their lovely next-door neighbour Iantha and her son Ben.

Iantha and Ben turn out to be the perfect people to join the family and once everyone realises this, there's a lot of happiness. Lots of other stories go on too, Batty and Ben are onto the mysterious Bug Man, Rosalind is feeling differently about her friend, Tommy Geiger, and Skye and Jane do each other's homework with exciting results. I love the play that Jane writes! The ending is super happy, Jeffery turns up again and the whole thing makes you want to jump into the air.

Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop

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