Jennifer L. HolmPenny from Heaven

Read aloud to my 7 and 10 yo boys. Coming from families that are of German and Italian decent, this touching story really hit home. Jennifer Holm does a wonderful job of weaving in history providing context that makes explaining today's crazy world a little more (sadly) understandable. We giggled at Me-Me's cooking, related to the importance big family meals, understood the hope you put into your favorite baseball team, wondered where the treasure might be, and appreciated the hospitality behind some free ham from Uncle Paulie's butcher shop. Knowing where you come from helps get you going. Highly recommend!!

I was looking for a calm, touching read about life in the mid-20th century and this book did not disappoint. The Italian family compare and contrast to the WASP family made it all the more enjoyable. The treasure hunt and Penny's accident were the suspenseful highlight of the story. Holm digs a few inches into the struggles of Italians (and her father's death) but not so deep that it overshadows the feeling of happiness in other areas of Penny's life. If you home school your children this would be a great resource for your mid-century history lessons.

Read this book for the first time when I was in 5th grade and loved it. Now, I am reading to the same age range and they are loving it just as much as I did. Even the boys in my class are into it and loving it just as much as the girls. Don't hesitate whether or not you should buy, just hit the button, you won't regret it!

My son read the series of books, he can’t get enough of this author, Alan Gratz and David Wallams. He really enjoyed this book and series, couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend these books.

Great book for upper middle elementary students and middle school students because it gives lots of historical information about growing up in America in New Jersey in the late 40's. Easy to feel the empathy for families that have suffered loss from war and social discrimination, while enjoying the story of a young girl growing up.

This book has a poodle dying and it is probably a bit too sad for someone under the age 6. - says the kid.

This delightful piece of historical fiction set in New Jersey in the 1950's explores the life of "Penny" who lives with a single mother and grandparents, but who has a whole other life on Sundays with her father's family, a large Italian American one with uncles who dote on her. The mystery that threads itself through this story is that no one will talk about her father, and how and why he died. Or, why the families do not intereact, except through her.Strong writing, a strong female protagonist, and interesting sub-plots all make for a delightful coming-of-age story, very appropriate for the upper elementary and middle school audience.

This book was Heaven sent in pristine condition. Definitely worth all the pennies for this gem!

Über die Boston Jane Serie habe ich die Autorin kennengelernt und weiß ihren Schreibstil sehr zu schätzen. Ihre Bücher sind detailreich so dass es einem nicht schwer fällt sich in die Zeit zu versetzen. Ihre Hauptpersonen sind immer so dargestellt, dass man mit ihnen fühlt und mein ganz genau zu wissen wie es ihnen geht. Hier geht es um die 11-jährige Penny, die in New Jersey in den 50ern aufwächst. Ihr Vater war Italiener und ist unter mysteriösen Umständen gestorben (zumindest will bis zum Schluss niemand Penny erzählen wie er denn nun tatsächlich gestorben ist), ihre Mutter fängt eine Beziehung mit dem Milchmann an und Penny steht mittendrin und weiß nicht was sie von allem halten soll. Da ist die chaotische italienische Großfamilie auf der einen Seite, die übervorsichtige Mutter auf der anderen Seite - Penny fühlt sich bei der italienischen Verwandtschaft wohler, speziell das sie von der Mutter so "verraten" wird - wie kann diese einen anderen Mann auch nur in Erwägung ziehen? Und dann ist da noch ihr Cousin Frankie, der eine brilliante Idee nach der anderen hat...während er z.B. nach dem Schatz des Großvaters sucht, verletzt sich Penny schwer - wird sie ihren Arm behalten?Ein wunderbares Stück Zeitgeschichte - da mir allerdings das klitzekleines bisschen fehlt was mich daran gehindert hätte das Buch zwischendurch aus der Hand zu legen, bekommt es nur 4 Sterne.

A really touching story about the life of a young girl and the discrimination of the Italian people. It is worth buying. You can read this book for fun 😊

Wonderful Story for older children and adults.