This is a perfectly sweet-as-pie children's novel from the '40s. It has that postwar vintage feel to it, which some people find completely charming while others find it a tad syrupy. For me, this book leaned toward the syrupy side of things, but it did have its redeeming qualities.

We're trying out Sonlight's History-Bible-Literature program this year, and this is one of the read-alouds in the pack. I will say that my boys thought it was entertaining and funny. It wasn't as fulfilling a book for me, as the adult in the room. Thankfully, it was short!

This book is about a boy named Penny, and he's adopted. So, if you're looking for a kids' book that has an adopted protagonist (that's set after 1890, haha) then you might give this a try. The action is very gentle and small in scope, revolving around Penny's personal dramas, which include getting a cat, dressing up for Halloween, selling newspapers, and ruining his overalls. This childlike vibe does have its charm.

I will say that this modern cover is terrible. Penny looks like he has a 5-o'clock shadow, and in the book, he's only 6 years old.

A great book about a little 6 year old's adventures in the 40's....my 5 year old loved it!

We read this in our Sonlight curriculum and my boys loved it!

Love this book. This is my second time reading it to my children and I've cried happy tears both times!

I have used this book as a read aloud for both of my children now. We use it in the first grade. No matter how many times I may read this, it’s down right hilarious. We love this book and I’m sure as my kids get older, they will pull it off of the shelf and read it themselves.

A sweet story about an adopted boy and his wonderful parents that love him to distraction and his little neighborhood friend and their adventures. Written in the mid-twentieth century, I am impressed by the wonderful way they present adoption and equally enjoy the innocent nature of the funny scrapes Penny gets into. There is also a more serious story that ends in such a lovely way that I nearly cried as I read it to my son. Well worth a read aloud to a younger child, for it has such good lessons on compassion and caring about our fellow man.

Read this aloud to my 3 and 6 year old and we all loved it. The stories were sweet and gentle and they even moved along fast enough to keep the 3 year old interested.

This was the best! I loved the end! - James, age 5

I love this book best because of who Penny is.

Penny is the nickname of a little boy who's adopted, whose family tells him he's adopted from an early age so that he understands it. What a significant story for the time period this was written in! Told without stigma, the story even includes a bit of nasty spirited teasing about having been adopted that answers the question firmly once and for all that an adopted child is chosen and special and loved. Which to me made this story adopted.

I was adopted in 1970 and though this book was written more than 20 years earlier, my parents felt there was such a shameful stigma on having to adopt a child that the fact was hidden from me until I was an adult. It's a shame that neither of them ever read this book as maybe they would have felt a little differently. I wish they had.

Penny, of course, has lots of other adventures suitable for a six year old, some of which might be a little shocking to the readers of today (my we gave kids a lot of freedom in the past!) The girl next door is at times evil and perfect playmate, which makes her real and interesting, as are all the characters in the book, adults included.

To me, reading these books are a peek back in time, just as much as they're entertainment for kids of today. Told gently with just enough adventure, and easy to read, I cannot recommend these books enough (to be accompanied perhaps with some discussion of what life was like so long ago).

This was a really cute wholesome book. Each chapter was its own little story, but in roughly chronological order. It reminded me of a 1950’s style family sitcom. The kids (5 and 11) and I enjoyed reading a chapter or two at night, reminiscent of an evening tv episode.

Penny (and Peter in the second book) are both adopted. So author Carolyn Haywood never has to deal with the perennial question, "Where do children come from?"

I don't remember enough of this to rate it, although I liked the book back then as a child.

The third book, "Penny Goes to Camp", was the major presence of my childhood, as the book featured the summer camp my father and uncles went to, as well as me, my brother, and a couple sons of a cousin.

What a wonderful little book! This story begins with the loving adoption of a little boy with freckles and hair the color of a "ripe apricot". His parents named him William, but call him Penny, because "He looks like a brand new copper penny!" Penny is a very loving little boy who loves his parents very much. He also wants to find his own "really truly" kitten and has the patience of Job until he finds just the perfect one. He has lots of fun with his little friend Patsy and his older friend Peter.

I really enjoyed this story and would definitely read it again! It was very well written, with an overall wonderful theme. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys children's literature & to families with adopted children!