Penelope Crumb Never Forgets

December 1, 2012
Penelope Crumb is back with the same spunk and quirky narration that won readers over in her eponymous debut (2012). Still struggling with the reality that her dad is Graveyard Dead, Penelope must also contend with a rival for her best friend Patsy Cline's attention. New on the scene is perpetually-in-pink Vera Bogg, who wants to be Patsy's new BFF. When Penelope realizes that Patsy might actually prefer being Vera's best friend instead of hers, she finds herself coping with another potential loss. Grandpa Felix, dealing with some changes in his own life, dispenses wisdom such as "Nothing is forever" and "Sometimes you just have to let go." Inspired by a school field trip and fueled by her need to hold onto some part of all the people she loves, Penelope empties out her closet and makes it into her "Ultra Museum of Forget-Me-Notters." Kids will completely understand the odd items she chooses to include: her lost teeth (some with blood still on them!), strands of Patsy Cline's hair, her dad's shoehorn, her mother's self-portrait, her brother's drawings and Grandpa Felix's beloved camera, Alfred. Unfortunately her good intentions are misinterpreted as thefts or worse. But Penelope stays true to herself and learns how to fix what she can while adjusting her expectations for the future. Readers will root for and relate to this fresh-voiced young heroine who joins the likes of Ramona, Judy Moody and Clementine. (Fiction. 7-10)

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March 1, 2013

Gr 3-5-Penelope again embarks on adventures that are both troublesome and outlandish. Since her father passed away, she has had a fascination with what she calls Graveyard Dead. On the school field trip to the town museum, where the other kids are more interested in the gift shop than in the artifacts, Penelope becomes enraged and vows to never let the important people in her life be forgotten. She also becomes jealous when her best friend, Patsy Cline, shares in the tradition of wearing best-friends-forever necklaces with Vera Bogg. Later, Patsy loses her necklace and Penelope finds it and adds it to the museum she has created in her closet so she will never forget. Penelope then goes about collecting things that are very important to the living people in her life. Now she is in trouble and relies on her older friend Littie to help her out of this predicament. While the writing and character development are very good, Penelope Crumb is just a little too quirky. With an unresolved ending between Penelope and Patsy and the fact that this fourth grader goes all over town alone, the book is less than satisfying. The occasional line drawings add little, and children unfamiliar with Penelope Crumb (Philomel, 2012) will have trouble connecting all the dots in this one. Purchase only if the first book is popular.-Nancy Jo Lambert, Ruth Borchardt Elementary, Plano, TX

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2012
Grades 2-4 This time out, the preoccupation with Penelope's large nosea big deal in Penelope Crumb (2012)gives way to the preoccupation with the possible loss of her best friend, who is becoming annoyingly attached to another fourth-grade girl. With Penelope's dad Graveyard Dead, as she puts it, another loss would be difficult to bear. Trying to figure out how to honor people and to fix the best-friend situation, Penelope takes action, not always wisely but always divertingly. Stout again provides Penelope with a lack of social savvy but at least gives her enough sympathetic adults to balance out the few, including her teacher, who don't appreciate Penelope's eccentricities.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)