posted on 04 Aug 2019

Penny N’ Pals by Jenny Brunstein, illustrated by Kirsten Winklebauer

Deciding to get a pet can be a special moment in any child’s life even if actually getting one doesn't always measure up to expectations. Children can be quite fickle with their commitment to cleaning up and taking responsibility for giving regular exercise and the initial thrill of watching a small creature cutely scuttle about a cage can be short lived. I speak from bitter experience of giving into a desperate plea for gerbils from my six year old son many years ago.

But this is a positive story, inspired by a real dog named Penny, which looks at the pleasure of getting a pet from three very different perspectives. Eight year old Greg is delighted to be getting a new furry friend to play with, Carrie just wants her son to be happy and Penny the  puppy is keen to meet them both and to learn to fit into their busy lives.

Each short chapter is fronted with an appropriate illustration and invites the reader to share the various feelings of nervousness, anticipation and excitement from all three characters. Greg is hoping that the new dog might be like his last puppy, Ally who he remembers fondly. We realise that Penny is going to have to leave her own mother, brothers and sisters to live with her new family. I thought that this was an unusual and thought provoking aspect to the story. She might have to get used to playing with  new toys as well. She has a poignant and reassuring conversation with her mother about all these potential  changes as they wait for her to be collected by the new owners.

By chapter three it becomes clear that the decision has not yet been made about which puppy to choose, but after an energetic game with a ball, Greg plumps for Penny. The long car journey back to San Francisco  is quite exhausting and somewhat messy, but she soon settles down to watch ‘ a world she had never known unfold before her tiny eyes’. Countryside gives way to the bustle of the city with interesting unfamiliar smells, and eventually to the quieter residential area.

Once they are all in their house, the fun can really begin. Penny enjoys exploring, finding more enticing new smells and then the joy of the backyard, which sounds like dog heaven. It seems like life with this family is going to be pretty good. Greg even promises her adventures with his shiny red bike at some point in the future. What happens next makes him realise that he is going to have to take special care with his new puppy until she knows a bit more about living at his house. This is a bit daunting but Carrie persuades him that he is definitely up to the responsibility, especially if he makes sure that she is always well fed.

This is a charming little story about the various joys of adjusting to life with a new pet which I am sure will appeal to young children, especially those who are thinking about persuading their parents that a puppy will be a welcome addition to the family. The colourful illustrations add to the atmosphere and show how all three characters are content with what promises to be an exciting future living together. As this is the first book in a series, I guess that readers who get hooked will want to find out more about their adventures.

 

Karen Argent

August 2019