Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/15/2011 *Starred Review* In this third installment of the saga, the Penderwick family is off to Point Mouette, Maine, for a summer vacation. But not all of them—and therein lies the rub. Mr. Penderwick, his new wife, and her toddler are honeymooning in England, while Rosalind, getting some much-deserved time off as the OAP (oldest available Penderwick), hands that duty over to a nervous Skye. As in the previous books, it’s not so much what happens here (though unrequited love, a discovery of a breathtaking talent, and a few close calls do play roles) as the way Birdsall tells it. Drawing readers right into the vacation, she enlivens everyday happenings with excitement and her characters with so much individuality it’s as though she’s erased the word generic from the dictionary. Particularly outstanding are her descriptions: the tiny Maine town of Point Mouette, with its rocky shores and heaven-kissed sunsets, is so lovingly portrayed that readers will be longing to vacation there themselves. A plot twist for Jeffrey, the girls’ honorary brother introduced in the first book, is magnificently soap opera–ish and might bring a tear to the eyes of readers, just as it does to the sisters. At the book’s conclusion, the newly blended family is together once more. This new configuration has many possibilities and, happily, should lead to many more Penderwick moments. - Copyright 2011 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2011 The irrepressible Penderwicks (The Penderwicks, BCCB 9/05; The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, BCCB 7/08) are parting ways for the summer: Mr. Penderwick is taking his new wife and her young son to England for a working honeymoon, oldest daughter Rosalind is going to the beach with her best friend, and the rest-Skye, Jane, Batty, and family friend Jeffrey-will be heading to a quiet cottage in Maine with Aunt Claire. Though Rosalind is grateful for the well-deserved respite from her duties as OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick), none of the girls is quite comfortable with Skye assuming that role, especially Skye herself. When Aunt Claire sprains her ankle in a fall, the crew decides they won’t tell Rosalind unless things get really bad, which of course they do by turns, mostly because the girls are all gifted with active and divergent imaginations that turn first crushes, lost lists, and solemn wishes into high drama that reads like gentle comedy. With the help of a friendly neighbor, they discover new talents and manage to survive the great many adventures that befall them in their two weeks away from their firmest supports, but then that neighbor himself becomes their most important adventure of the summer in ways they could never have imagined. Traversing ground tenderly and lovingly mapped by the likes of Alcott and Montgomery, Birdsall elegantly pulls off a manifestly improbable twist worthy of her predecessors in this genre; readers will thrill to the idea that life might perhaps organize itself so that chance meetings can prove providential and all the right people get their happy endings. Those new to the series will want to pick up the other two titles to catch up on the established personalities that are in full force here, while established Penderwick fans will delight at watching old friends grow in rich and satisfying ways. KC - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 07/01/2011 Gr 5–8—With Father and Iantha and little stepbrother Ben off to England for a honeymoon, and Rosalind away at the Jersey shore, Skye is feeling the heavy responsibility of being the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) as she, Jane, Batty, and their friend Jeffrey head to Maine with Aunt Claire for two weeks. Disaster strikes early on when Aunt Claire severely sprains her ankle. Fortunately, a kindly and interesting neighbor, Alec McGrath, and his friend Turron Asabere, both musicians, step in to help. Nevertheless, Skye is still feeling stressed and inadequate, concerned about Batty's safety near the water and exasperated by Jane, who is struggling with her latest Sabrina Starr novel, intended to be a love story requiring a survey on the subject from everyone she meets. Jane's own first love is an annoying skateboarder, Dominic, whose only saving grace is his endearing little sister, Mercedes. But, as Jeffrey is drawn to Alec and his piano, and Batty, too, discovers her own budding musical talent, the vacation is progressing nicely until Jane's chopping off her hair in response to Dominic's rejection sets off a chain of events with dramatic and heart-wrenching consequences. The plot pivots on an almost incredible coincidence, but Birdsall's skillful handling so engulfs readers that it comes across as entirely possible, and the resolution is totally satisfying. This continuation of the Penderwick family saga has all the fine qualities of the previous books: well-drawn, distinctive characters; humor, both subtle and hilarious; rich language; and an engrossing, well-paced narrative. While it stands alone, readers will eagerly look forward to the next installment.—Marie Orlando, formerly at Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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