Jennifer Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor Winner is the story of a summer of adventures and secrets that will change everything, at a time in America’s history, just after World War II, when being Italian-American meant confronting prejudice because you'd been the enemy not that long ago .
It’s 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing’s that easy in Penny’s family. For starters, she can’t go swimming because her mother’s afraid she’ll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her dog, Scarlett O'Hara, is sick. Her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her best friend is turning into a criminal. And no one will tell Penny the truth about how her father died.
Inspired by three time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm’s own Italian American family, Penny from Heaven is a story about families—about the things that tear them apart and the things that bring them back together.
"Holm impressively wraps pathos with comedy in this coming-of-age story, populated by a cast of vivid characters."—Booklist
WINNER
| 2007 ALA Notable Children's Book
WINNER
| 2007 Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Children's Book of the Year
WINNER
| 2007 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
WINNER
| 2007 New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
WINNER
| 2007 Newbery Honor Book
NOMINEE Iowa Children's Choice Award
NOMINEE Rhode Island Children's Book Award
NOMINEE Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
NOMINEE Indiana Young Hoosier Award
NOMINEE Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
FINALIST
| 2009 Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
Jennifer L. Holm is a New York Times bestselling children's author and the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels Our Only May Amelia, Penny From Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on two graphic novel series—the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series and the bestselling Squish series. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
View titles by Jennifer L. Holm
Jennifer Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor Winner is the story of a summer of adventures and secrets that will change everything, at a time in America’s history, just after World War II, when being Italian-American meant confronting prejudice because you'd been the enemy not that long ago .
It’s 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing’s that easy in Penny’s family. For starters, she can’t go swimming because her mother’s afraid she’ll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her dog, Scarlett O'Hara, is sick. Her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her best friend is turning into a criminal. And no one will tell Penny the truth about how her father died.
Inspired by three time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm’s own Italian American family, Penny from Heaven is a story about families—about the things that tear them apart and the things that bring them back together.
"Holm impressively wraps pathos with comedy in this coming-of-age story, populated by a cast of vivid characters."—Booklist
Awards
WINNER
| 2007 ALA Notable Children's Book
WINNER
| 2007 Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Children's Book of the Year
WINNER
| 2007 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
WINNER
| 2007 New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
WINNER
| 2007 Newbery Honor Book
NOMINEE Iowa Children's Choice Award
NOMINEE Rhode Island Children's Book Award
NOMINEE Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
NOMINEE Indiana Young Hoosier Award
NOMINEE Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
FINALIST
| 2009 Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
Jennifer L. Holm is a New York Times bestselling children's author and the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels Our Only May Amelia, Penny From Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on two graphic novel series—the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series and the bestselling Squish series. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
View titles by Jennifer L. Holm
