Maw Books

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I read Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm as part of one of my “life reading goals” and that is to read all of the Newbery Award Winners and Honor Books. So far I have enjoyed every one that I’ve read. Penny from Heaven is an Newbery Honor book from 2007.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a fun read. Set in 1953, Penny Falucci spends her summer vacation by splitting her time at home with her mother and grandparents and her father’s large Italian family. Her father died when she was little, and although each family supports Penny spending time with the other side, the families don’t talk to each other, for reasons we find out later. I loved the huge differences between each family. Penny’s maternal grandmother Me-Me can’t cook worth anything so Penny tries to eat most of her meals with her paternal grandmother Nonny who cooks up amazing Italian feasts. This book made me hungry. She also has a ton of Italian Aunts and Uncles and I thought it would be so fun to be dotted upon like she was.

The book recounts her summer adventures with her cousin Frankie, outings with her eccentric uncle Dominic (who happens to live in his car), trying not to be embarrassed by her always burping grandfather, dealing with the fact that her mother is dating the milkman, recuperating in the hospital from an accident, all the while trying to find out how her father died because nobody will tell her, and then to top it off, the dog dies.

Penny, who’s real name is Barbara, is nicknamed Penny from the Bing Crosby song, Pennies from Heaven and also in part to her father’s dying words, which I won’t share here, so I don’t spoil everything for you. Holm’s share’s the lyrics to the song in her preface:

Every time it rains it rains
Pennies from heaven.
Don’t you know each cloud contains
Pennies from heaven.
You’ll find your fortune falling
All over town.
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down.
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers.
If you want the things you love
You must have showers.
So when you hear it thunder
Don’t run under a tree.
There’ll be pennies from heaven for you and me.
– Pennies from Heaven by Johnny Burke and Arthur Johnston

You may listen to the song here (after an hour of playing with this player, I’ve given up, it won’t play for me by clicking on play now – it just keeps buffering, rather to play it click on the left hand button or click on download to open a new window, and it will play immediately. I wish I was more technical sometimes!).

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This was a cute story partially based on Holm’s own large Italian family and her grandmother Penny. The book has plenty of depth though and teaches us how Italian-Americans were treated during WW II. I will read more of Jennifer Holm, especially Our Only May Amelia.

Another great review I enjoyed was over at Into the Wardrobe.
Visit Jennifer Holm’s website.

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