The Penderwicks at Last

Jeanne Birdsall — 2018

The finale you've all been waiting for: The Penderwicks at Last is the final, flawless installment in the modern classic series from National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Jeanne Birdsall! Nine years, five older siblings, a few beloved dogs, and an endless array of adventures--these are the things that have shaped Lydia's journey since readers first met her in The Penderwicks in Spring. Now it's summertime, and eleven-year-old Lydia is dancing at the bus stop, waiting for big sister Batty to get home from college. This is a very important dance and a very important wait because the two youngest sisters are about to arrive home to find out that the Penderwicks will all be returning to Arundel this summer, the place where it all began. And better still is the occasion: a good old-fashioned, homemade-by-Penderwicks wedding. Bursting with heart and brimming with charm, this is a joyful, hilarious ode to the family we love best. And oh my MOPS--Meeting of Penderwick Siblings--does Jeanne Birdsall's The Penderwicks at Last crescendo to one perfect Penderwick finale.

Reviews

𝚕𝚒𝚕𝚢@avonleawritings

Jul 16, 2024

4 ★ - (really really liked it) I miss the elder girls' perspectives but loved their appearances! Batty and Jeffrey especially. And Rosalind and Skye, the sweetest. Honestly a bit bummed that Rosalind married Tommy, he's not my favorite lol. Lydia is really cute too but I think I liked her better when she was little XD This book ranks lower than #1, #3, and #4 for me. However, I love how Ms. Birdsall tied in the ending, I wasn't anticipating that! CWs: mention of kissing, quite a bit of sibling rivalry (in a not-so-great-kinda-way), mention of something that sounded vaguely like a ritual. 2/18/24

Sarah Sammis@pussreboots

Apr 4, 2024

The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall is the conclusion to the Penderwicks series. It's a return to Arundel, this time for a wedding. Lydia is now 11 and mostly this book is her adventures in discovering the home and grounds that her eldest sisters so enjoyed in the first book. She has a friend in the form of the groundkeeper's daughter. http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comm... Siblings Rural Blue Highway CC3333

Karis Ryu@karisr

May 16, 2023

It's been almost ten years since I started reading this series! What a journey. The first four books were stronger, but the magic of the series is still present in this one, and the nostalgia is real. I really enjoyed Lydia as the narrator and witnessing how much the Penderwicks have grown (as have I *sniff*). While some of the characters introduced and literary devices used in this book feel more unnaturally injected than in the previous books, it made me soft to finally finish this series.