Penny, Caida del Cielo: Retrato de una Familia Italoamericana (Penny From Heaven)

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Chicago Review Press

Annotation: As she turns twelve during the summer of 1953, Penny gains new insights into herself and her family while also learning a secret about her father's death.

Genre: [Foreign languages] [Historical fiction]

Reviews: 1

Catalog Number: #48966

Format: Perma-Bound from Publisher's Hardcover

Special Formats: Inventory Sale

Common Core/STEAM: Common Core

Publisher: Chicago Review Press

Edition Date: 2009 Release Date: 05/01/10

Pages: 252, 2 unnumbered pages

ISBN: Publisher: 84-8343-069-X Perma-Bound: 0-605-49049-X

ISBN 13: Publisher: 978-84-8343-069-9 Perma-Bound: 978-0-605-49049-9

Dewey: Fic

Dimensions: 21 cm.

Subject Heading:
Family life. New Jersey. Fiction.
Italian Americans. Fiction.
Secrets. Fiction.
Spanish language materials.
Italoamericans. Novela. slem.
Secretos. Novela. slem.
Vida de familia. Nueva Jersey. Novela. slem.
Materiales lectura en idioma espanol. slem.
New Jersey. History. 20th century. Fiction.
Nueva Jersey. Historia. Siglo XX. Novela. slem.

Language: Spanish

Reviews:

ALA Booklist (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

This fine Spanish rendition of a 2007 Newbery Honor Book matches the English edition in tone and style. Inspired by her Italian-American background and by a Bing Crosby song, Holm tells the story of 11-year-old Penny and her family, recent immigrants who struggle to hablar inglés y ser buenos americanos (speak English and become good Americans) and navigate a society that they don't quite understand. A few Peninsular Spanish pronouns and conjugations (e.g., vosotros, créeis) will not deter Spanish speakers from the Americas, and readers of all backgrounds will recognize both the demanding grandparents and understanding uncles.

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
ALA Booklist (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Bibliography Index/Note: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Reading Level: 4.0

Interest Level: 4-7

Guided Reading Level: T

Fountas & Pinnell: T

Touching and multilayered, this novel tells the story of Penny, an 11-year-old Italian American living in 1950s New Jersey who is looking forward to a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. Penny's idyll is shattered by several events, though. First, her mother starts dating the milkman. Then, Penny's arm goes through the wringer on the washing machine. Finally, details about her father's death, which her family has refused to discuss until this point, begin to surface. This clearly drawn tale eloquently describes the intricacies of family life. Conmovedora y multidimensional, esta novela relata la historia de Penny, una italoamericana de 11 años viviendo en Nueva Jersey en los años 50 que mira con anticipación un verano lleno de helado de pecanas con mantequilla, natación y béisbol. Sin embargo, el idilio de Penny es interrumpido por varios eventos. Primero, su madre empieza a salir con el lechero. Entonces, el brazo de Penny se tranca en el escurridor de la lavadora. Finalmente, algunos detalles sobre la muerte de su padre, sobre el cual su familia ha rehusado hablar hasta este punto, empiezan a salir. Este cuento bien trazado describe elocuentemente las complejidades de la vida familiar.

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