1.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Holm, Jennifer L. Penny
from Heaven. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2006.
ISBN 978-0-375-83687-9
2.
PLOT SUMMARY
In the
summer of 1953, life for Penny is split between the mother and grandparents she
lives with and the Italian relatives of her deceased father. On one side, her
mother is very protective and strict and will not allow Penny to swim in a
public pool due to her fear of Penny catching polio. On the other side, her
many uncles, aunts and Nonny will do anything to make up for her father not
being here. Even with all of this, Penny
still wishes for all the people she loves to quit hating each other, her
favorite uncle to stop living in a car and for someone to tell her about her
father. One day, while her cousin Frankie and Penny were searching for their
grandfather’s buried treasure in Nonny’s basement, Penny’s arm accidentally
gets pulled through a wringer. After spending the summer in the hospital, and
overcoming the odds of never using her arm again, Penny learns of the history
between the two families and the truth behind her father’s death.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jennifer Holm beautifully balances fact
and fiction with this high-quality historical fiction. "If I
could ask Mother one question about my father, it would be what he thought of
me. Did he think I was funny? Or smart? Did he love me?"
The family dynamics keep the reader both
laughing and sympathizing with Penny. The scenarios that her cousin Frankie
drags Penny into are very funny until Penny gets hurt. Penny’s relationships
with her various family members are touching and the reader can sense her
longing to heal the rift in her family. The author’s note and family album
included at the end of the story allow us to understand how Holm’s characters
were created. This is an enlightening look at the Italian American culture of
the 1950s.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newberry
Honor Book- 2007
ALA Notable
Children’s Books – Older Readers Category: 2007
From School Library Journal: “Penny and her world are clearly
drawn and eminently believable, made up of seamlessly interwoven details from
everyday life.”
From Publisher’s Weekly: “Holm includes
telling historical details, including information about WWII Italian internment
camps and how Penny's mother will not allow her to swim in a public pool or
visit a movie theater because of the risk of polio.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Gather read-a-like
books to read such as:
Vanderpool, Clare, Moon Over Manifest, ISBN: 978-0-375-85829-1
Williams-Garcia, Rita, One Crazy Summer, ISBN: 978-0-060-76088-5
Gather other Jennifer L. Holm books to
read such as:
Our
Only May Amelia, ISBN: 978-1-439-50269-3
Turtle in Paradise, ISBN: 978-0-375-83688-6
Discuss why the book belongs in the historical fiction genre.
Discuss the internment camps set up by the United States government
during World War II.
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