I absolutely loved “Penny from Heaven” is a lovely story of story of love and loss, addiction and recovery, failure and forgiveness The end has some major twists that were very impressive. I highly recommend

3.5?I loved the Italian aspect, and how it was inspired by the author's own family. I found that fascinating. Unfortunately some of the writing wasn't my favorite, and a couple of the things seemed a little mature for a book geared towards ages 10-12. But overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read.

A Penny From Heaven is an outstanding book! Penny from Heaven is the story of 12-year-old Penny Falucci, an Italian-American girl growing up in the 1950s. Her father died when Penny was very little. She and her mother live with her grandparents. Her grandmother, Me-Me, is a horrible cook, and Pop-Pop, the grandfather, is constantly working on the plumbing and causing leaks. Penny’s mother works very hard and is struggling to make a life for herself. This summer begins like any other with Penny a...

When I started reading this book I was thinking 4 stars. Why you ask? If I give all of Jenni Holm's novels 5 stars people are going to start thinking I have an author crush on her.Penny from Heaven was way too good for four stars. It is 23 chapters of amazing. I felt like chapters 19 and 20 were as good as anything I have read this year. I listened to them on my way to school today, and I cried a solid 30 minutes. Here is my list of authors that I think are better than Jenni Holm:-

For some ungodly reason I keep reading Newberry books. At one point I wanted to be the Newberry specialist, but instead I became hooked on them since I figured out the formula. I'm especially surprised that this was nominated though. While it contained one of the three elements that secretly qualified it for what is ALWAYS ine a Newberry book (war) it wasn't that interesting and frankly the 50-isms would go over kids heads. Heck most of that crap was just foreign to me, if I didn't recall my mot...

This book pulled me in from the start. It is one of those books starts out good and improves to even better as it went. It's a great story about heartbreak, family, forgiving. Penny is a likable character, stuck in between two different cultures. Towards the end of the book, I shed a few tears. I would recommend this book for all ages.

This book had me at big, loud, opinionated, Italian family. Fun, fun read.

Penny From Heaven by Jennifer Holm is a story of a young Italian American girl growing up in New Jersey in 1953. Penny is orphaned by her father from the time she was a baby. Throughout the novel, 11 year-old Penny struggles with many questions about her father, whom no one will speak about. Thus, this leaves her questioning her own identity as well. While Penny lives with her mother and her “boring old American” grandparents, Me-me and Pop-pop, her life is consistently filled with her enormous,...

A very enjoyable and fun read peppered with enough adventure, humorous mishaps, and tender coming of age moments to send you on an emotional journey along with Penny. Set in 1953, the book gives you a chance to experience Penny's life, her triumphs, and downfalls, all through her eyes. Living with her grandparents on her mother's side- Me-me and Pop-pop, and spending time her crazy Italian side of her family, Penny has plenty of opportunity for thrills and lots of trouble. With her main partner

I really really really liked this book!! i read it for a historical fiction book report, and history isn't my absolute fave,but it was not bad because penny falucci, a girl living in the fifties, has the same worries, thoughts and view points of life as most 11 and 12 year old girls. her dad died when she was really young so her many spontaneous, aunts and uncles always are trying to cheer her up whenever they're with her, which is most of the time. my favorite falucci family member is aunt gina...

Such a great book and easy read!

First and foremost, this is a book about family. It's wonderfully written in Holm's signature style. The voice of a 12-year-old girl comes through loud and clear. This book chronicles the everyday life of Penny, who is half Italian. Her Italian father died when she was a baby, but her Italian side of the family plays very prominently in her life. It's a large Catholic family and Penny is doted on by all of her uncles and Nonny (grandmother) who is no-nonsense and a great cook. She lives, however...

Fairly interesting, with plenty of funny bits, but I have no clue why this got attention from the Newbery committee. It was like watching a so-so episode of the (excellent) TV series Brooklyn Bridge. It's all sweet and nostalgic, but where's the plot? I haven't gotten a chance to read the author's note (I listened to the audio book, which was really well done), but I say again, as with Roller Skates, that if you're going to turn memoir into fiction, you ought to tighten and plot; otherwise, just...

I already had this book at home from the library before I realized I checked out a Newberry Honor Book. Hot Dog, I just love them and always have. I was a teenager when I first found Newberry's and realized how very good they are. This is no exception. Eleven year old Penny dreams of a summer of her favorite butter pecan Ice Cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing is that easy in Penny's family. For starters, she can't go swimming because her mother's afraid she will catch polio at the pool.

The stereotypes never stop. Italian side of the family with names like Nunzio, Ralphie, Sally, Dominic. Is this the Sopranos? Goodfellas? The Godfather? Of course, there's an Italian man who wears a wifebeater who beats his meek and submissive wife. Of course. At the meat shop, Uncle Ralphie is constantly giving away extra meat and extending all kinds of credit to his customers. "No, no, no. Take it. I insist." Straight from a movie (or three). The other side of the family has a caricatured seni...

I was underwhelmed by this novel. First person narration, in my opinion, usually means a strong protagonist. This protagonist did not have a strong voice. Additionally, I felt like the author spent a lot of time telling me what was going on instead of showing me the action and characters. Redeeming quality: The book focused on an aspect of World War II that I was unaware of. Since I walked away with a little more knowledge and a curiosity to find out more, I gave the book 3.5 stars.

Penny From Heaven is a Newbery Honor book and is intended for students in grades 6-8. This book is based on the author’s own Italian American family. It depicts the 1953 time period when being Italian meant you were the enemy. The book also is rich in its description of families, more specifically about the things that separate them and being them together. Penny’s life is not easy, having a father that is deceased, an uncle living in a car, and the two sides of her family not speaking to each o...

Penny From HeavenBy Jennifer L. HolmPublished by Random House2006Historical FictionJennifer Holm has taken her personal family history and crafted an excellent work of historical fiction in Penny From Heaven. Holm's book is funny, moving, and a joy to read. Incoming sixth graders, girls especially, will have a hard time putting it down. The writing is quick and smart and the characters are round and very dynamic. This, in addition to the vignette style chapters that comprise Penny's summer make

From BooklistGr. 5-8. Penny lives with her "plain old American" mother and grandparents, but she has an open invitation to visit her deceased father's Italian family, where the delicious aromas are as inviting as the boisterous relatives who welcome her. Against the backdrop of these contrasting 1950s households, the author of Newbery Honor Book Our Only May Amelia (1999) charts the summer of Penny's twelfth birthday, marked by hapless episodes as well as serious tensions arising from the estran...

This was a great and fun book! It felt like life..wishing it was different then it really is. I love how the ending was much like penny's heaven, hoping and wishing for the family she wanted. It really reminds us that when life it like a bunch of rocks in the road that we need to make our own heaven...and someday...we might get there....just like penny.