Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder

Snyder, Laurel. Penny Dreadful, 304 pgs. Random House, 2010. $16.99. Content-G. There is nothing dreadful about Penelope Grey’s life. In fact, it’s dull. She lives in a big house with servants and tutors while her father works and her mother is off on charitable committees. Penelope longs for something to happen and it does. Her father quits his job and wanders around in his bathrobe. Her mother is stressed with finances as one by one their servants leave. Everything seems dire, until Penelope’s mom inherits a house in Tennessee. When they arrive they discover that they’ve inherited Aunt Betty’s house and all of her friends. Aunt Betty’s friends added their own houses onto her house and get to stay rent free. Aunt Betty also left a lot of debt. Penelope’s mom gets a job and her dad starts to help around the house. Meanwhile Penelope, now Penny, is meeting and making friends with Betty’s friends: Luella and her mom the artist, Twent and his two moms, Duncan and his over-cautious parents, and more. Penny doesn’t want to leave, but how can they afford to stay? Penny leads the cast of likeable, unique characters that seek friendship and adventure. Penny learns that life doesn’t need magic to be magical. EL – ADVISABLE. Samantha, Public Librarian.