Summer is here and it's off to the beach for Rosalind . . . and off to Maine for the rest of the Penderwick girls with their old friend, Jeffrey. That leaves Skye as OAP (oldest available Penderwick) - a terrifying notion for all. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage, but can Skye hold it together? Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion? Is Batty - contrary to all accepted wisdom - the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune? And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls . . . these girls who are his second, and most heartfelt, family? It's a rollercoaster ride as the Penderwicks continue their unforgettable adventures in a story filled with laughs and joyful tears!

Balancing the novel's comedy is an affecting, neatly crafted subplot that builds up to the emotionally charged revelation . . . From start to finish, this is a summer holiday to savor * Publishers Weekly, starred review *
It's not so much what happens here (though unrequited love and a few close calls do play a role) as the way Birdsall tells it. Drawing readers right into the family, she enlivens the everyday matters and endows 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 as well * Booklist, starred review *
If you've someone who'd like to be introduced into this world for the first time or someone who's been reading the books straight through, it makes no difference. Both will enjoy this newest Penderwickian challenge. Both will be intrigued and pleased. Both will love it. You will too for that matter * School Library Journal *
This book is brilliant . . . I just wanted to be there, in the kitchen, hugging them all * Guardian Online *
Somewhere, there are families like the Penderwicks. Lucky them. The rest of us just get to read about them. Lucky us * Kirkus *

Jeanne Birdsall lives in Massachusetts, USA, with her husband, three cats, and a dog called Cagney. The Penderwicks was her first novel, and won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. You can find out more about Jeanne (and her animal friends) at her website: www.jeannebirdsall.com.