NCompass Blog

For this week’s Book Club Spotlight, we are visiting a favorite of mine since I was nine years old. And when my roommate saw the book on our table she ran to grab her own copy- excited to revisit the world herself. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall immediately draws the reader in with a gorgeous cover; and its pastoral setting is like falling into the world of The Secret Garden. The Penderwick sisters, with their charming wit and a tendency for mischief rivaling the March sisters, culminate in a timeless story that spans five books. Following “a family that believes in truth and honor, yet can’t seem to stay out of trouble” [x], this modern classic has been translated into 30 languages and most deservedly won the 2005 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Mr. Penderwick, a mild-mannered botanist who frequently speaks in Latin to his four young daughters, has booked the clan a summer getaway to a cozy cabin in rural Massachusetts. After getting lost, the Penderwick sisters, Rosalind (12), Skye (11), Jane (10), and Batty (4), discover their small cottage is nestled in a grand estate named Arundel. The rambunctious children are told to behave as the owner, the stuffy Mrs. Tifton, doesn’t take kindly to ruckus. But soon, they are out on an adventure of a lifetime- braving bulls, hiding in the expansive gardens, and enlisting Mrs. Tifton’s son, Jeffery, in their daring escapades.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy is a delight that enchants 19 years later. It’s not a tale of growing up but of the present. The responsibilities of an elder sister, young courage, individuality, and the unbreakable family bond. Birdsall revels in character and atmosphere, letting the sisters take her wherever they want to go next. Perfect for a book group of young readers wanting to hold onto the last bit of summer or adults who still feel the magic of inhibition and promise.  

“There is no better feeling than being 10 years old and feeling represented, accepted, and like someone out there knows you are much more mature than the world thinks you are. Even when the Penderwick books end, I can find the same happiness knowing there will always be 10 year olds in the world who want to feel those same things, and the Penderwicks will always be there for them, just as they were for me.”

— Delaney Plant

If you’re interested in requesting The Penderwicks for your book club, you can find the Request Form here. There are 11 copies. (A librarian must request items)

Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks. Random House. 2005

Son of immigrant doctors from India, Dr. Atul Gawande’s first introduction to the elderly was his grandfather who lived on his own land surrounded by family and riding horses until he passed at 110 years old. It was a communal end of life that is not familiar in the United States, where aging and death are taboo topics. There is a shame in needing help, and the sacrifice of freedom that it often brings. Interspersed with personal stories of his ailing father, friends, and patients, Being Mortal takes the reader through the medical side of caring for those at the end of their lives, and how often the goals of treatment can outweigh the wishes of the dying. Through his years of practice, Dr. Gawande began to ask himself difficult questions concerning his very field. When does prolonging life through technology and medicine begin to harm the patient? Comparing notes and practices between nursing homes, assisted living, hospice, and independent communities, he found that when people are given a chance at informed and substantive comfort for end-of-life care, they not only experience less suffering but they live longer. Dr. Gawande argues for giving the patient a “reason to live”, even if they know it’s their last days. Interventions simple as a garden or a pet can evoke powerful changes in how we exit our lives fulfilled. 

With The Americans with Disabilities Act, turning 34 this year, we must reconcile that how we care for our aging/ end-of-life population is a disability issue at its core. One of Being Mortal’s biggest talking points focuses on the loss of independence that comes with nursing homes and hospice care. Residents lose what little control over their schedule that they had when put into these systems. In a quality of life assessment by The Down Syndrome Educational Trust, people with Down Syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, aged 45 and above, “expressed a desire to be allowed to go to bed when they wanted to”. Our care homes are consistently taking away the agency of the elderly and disabled. There’s a saying that everyone will eventually become disabled, it’s not a matter of if, but when. And with 71.5 million baby boomers reaching 65 by 2030 [X], we will need more robust services to care for a larger aging population than we have ever had. Are we ready for that? And are these 71.5 million people and their families prepared for the difficult decision of end-of-life care? 

Being Mortal may not seem like the most chipper choice for a Book Club Group but with our rapidly aging population, there is a lot to be gained from community insights on how we want to be treated at our most vulnerable and in turn it will expand our understanding of each other.

If you’re interested in requesting Being Mortal for your book club, you can find the Request Form here. There are 17 copies, 2 Audio CDs, and 1 Large Print available. (A librarian must request items) Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal. Picador. 2017