Penny from Heaven

Since both my sets of grandparents came from Italy, I'm usually wary of books that contain Italian families; they are either ga-ga over the Mafia or do not seem authentic. I was in love with Penny's wonderful Italian family immediately; I knew all these people in my own family. My dad's mother even did her cooking at a gas-converted coal stove in the basement because it was cooler in summer and she didn't want to "mess up" the nice kitchen upstairs! The food (sfogliatelles!), the homes, the loving uncles, the men torn between pleasing their mothers or their wives, the one male cousin who's always in trouble, Grandma dressed in black making homemade macaroni and homemade gravy (not "pasta" and "sauce," which are "Med-i-gone" terms!)...wow, it took me all back. Holm has the early 50s atmosphere down pat...I wished I could open a door and go back to meet all her characters, visit the Sweet Shoppe and the family butcher shop, and listen to "Dem Bums" on the radio. I also was drawn into the growing mystery about Penny's father, which exposes a chapter in history that most people have never heard of. I'm glad I decided to purchase this book; if you are Italian, this is a must have.

Two things struck me as I read Jennifer L. Holm's latest novel, "Penny From Heaven." The first is that I can't believe the 1950s are History (with a capital H). When I was a kid, we dressed up for 50s day or for Halloween to make fun of our parents. To make fun of me, my kids are going to have to dress like Depeche Mode or Madonna or the like. The second thing, most relevant to the following review, is that "Penny From Heaven" is a story that really sneaks up on you. It starts out quietly and then, wow...hang on for the ride! Eleven-year-old Penny's summer begins as most summers have before. She lives at home with her mother and grandparents. The house is quiet, mom works long hours as a secretary, and Penny's grandparents are slightly eccentric. Me-me (Grandma) is kind, but a horrible cook who favors wholesome "American" food like meatloaf and liver. Pop-pop (Grandpa) is given to inappropriate comments and overestimating his plumbing abilities. Fortunately, Penny has her deceased father's siblings, cousins, mothers, nephews, nieces, aunts and uncles to spoil her, feed her, and employ her in the family store. They're a large, Italian-American family with lots of love, food, kids and quarrels. But the Faluccis have something in common with Penny's other family--they won't tell her the secret about her father's death. Everyone--from her mom's family to her father's--gives Penny a vague answer: Penny's father died in a hospital. Penny spends her summer hanging out, playing baseball, and delivering groceries with her cousin and best friend, Frankie, a twelve-year-old boy on the verge of real trouble with the law. She's having a good time until something dramatic happens. Her mother begins dating. And not just anybody...She begins dating Mr. Mulligan, the milkman. All these threads come together in a dramatic conclusion that had me reading over the chaos of three boys stomping and screaming through the house (average age: 6). "Penny From Heaven" is one of those stories that will stay with me a long time. Highly recommended for children ages 8-14.

Penny from Heaven is set in 1953 in a neighborhood somewhere near New York City. It's the story of Penny Falucci, who turns 12 that summer. Penny's story is based on tales from Jennifer Holm's Italian-American relatives, and carries a ring of authenticity. Penny's father died when she was a baby, under mysterious circumstances, and she lives with her mother and "plain old American" grandparents. She also spends time with her father's large, boisterous Italian family. She is especially close to her engaging scamp of a cousin, Frankie, and her reclusive uncle Dominic (who lives primarily in his car, and wears bedroom slippers most of the time). Penny lives in an oddly fractured world. Her life with her mother and grandparents is both different and separate from her time with her father's family. Her father's family is more colorful and lively, and the food that they eat is much, much tastier. And her uncles buy her presents all the time. There's a poignant scene in which her Uncle Dominic gives her Dodgers tickets for the game on her birthday (her first game ever), and she begs off of her mother's carefully planned celebration. What's wonderful about the scene is that Jennifer Holm conveys both Penny's 12-year-old longing and excitement, and her mother's wistful resignation. I'm not generally a fan of stories that are episode driven, rather than being plot-driven. However, I will make exceptions for characters that I really like (e.g Anne of Green Gables), and/or truly excellent writing (e.g. the Melendy books by Elizabeth Enright). Both of these exceptions (engaging writing and characterization) apply to Penny from Heaven. Also, there is an ongoing mystery concerning the death of Penny's father, and some suspense concerning Penny's mother's possible remarriage, and the fate of young Frankie. But what really makes this book special to me is that the characterization is detailed and realistic. I especially enjoyed Frankie, with his schemes and risk-taking, and his hidden vulnerability. Penny's grandfather is also entertaining, burping without restraint, and pretending to be hard of hearing. Her Italian grandmother, Nonny, cooks all the time, fights with her daughter-in-law, only speaks Italian, and always wears black. I can imagine readers thinking that she's a bit of a stereotype, but I personally thought that she was dead on. I also liked the former dancer, Aunt Gina, and the generous, yet powerful, Uncle Nunzio. The other nice thing about this book is that it's a snapshot of life in the 1950s. Penny isn't allowed to swim in the public pool or go to the movies, for fear that she'll catch polio, and end up in iron lung. World War II is still casting a shadow over people's lives. Penny's relatives speak English instead of Italian, because speaking Italian was a mark of suspicion during the war. Her maternal grandfather continues to shed tears over death of his nephew, a pilot shot down during the war. The little things stand out, too: the wa

Penny from Heaven is one of the most comforting books I have enjoyed in a long time. The cover art echoes the time period of the 1950s. Penny is a beloved child. Her father is dead and no one will really explain the circumstances surrounding his death but she is surrounded by an extended family of grandparents, aunts and uncles who love her and care for her. She and her Uncle Dominic share a passion for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Her slightly deliquent cousin Frankie is her best friend. Her dog, Scarlett O'Hara is a un-house-broken-nightmare. When her mother begins dating again, Penny's secure world begins to tilt. A terrible accident brings family secrets to light but then allows Penny and her mother to move on. This is not a novel with sweeping action sequences. It is a warm and gentle read about family. Fans of books like Pam Munoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising and Holm's earlier book, Our Only May Amelia will especially enjoy this read.