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Penny Parrish #1
Star Spangled Summer
Carrol Houghton spends the summer with Penny Parrish and her warm and happy family at Fort Arden in Kansas. Never has Carrol enjoyed herself so! Penny shows Carrol the fun and adventures of life on a military base during a star-spangled summer.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1941
About the author
Janet Lambert
158 books44 followersJanet Lambert, born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, was a popular girls' story author from 1941 through 1969 (and beyond to today). She wrote 54 books during that time about a number of different girls and their families. Her most popular series were about the Parrishes and the Jordons. These stories, and many of her other series, became entwined as the various characters met each other, married, and then had children of their own!
Janet, having an interest in both the theater and writing, decided to write her own plays in which to act. She did achieve her goal and appeared on Broadway. When she married a career Army officer, her life on stage came to a close, but her stories were still flowing. Knowing well the "life of the Army," many of Ms. Lambert's books are set on Army posts throughout the United States.
Legend has it that her stories started as bedtime stories for her children while they were overseas. Each night, the author would tell the next "installment" of the series. Later, after her kids were grown, she penned one of her stories (Star Spangled Summer) and—according to legend—it was sold to a publisher the very day after she sent it to them.
Janet, having an interest in both the theater and writing, decided to write her own plays in which to act. She did achieve her goal and appeared on Broadway. When she married a career Army officer, her life on stage came to a close, but her stories were still flowing. Knowing well the "life of the Army," many of Ms. Lambert's books are set on Army posts throughout the United States.
Legend has it that her stories started as bedtime stories for her children while they were overseas. Each night, the author would tell the next "installment" of the series. Later, after her kids were grown, she penned one of her stories (Star Spangled Summer) and—according to legend—it was sold to a publisher the very day after she sent it to them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 28, 2008
I read this at least 1000 years ago. My much older aunt gave me her copy to read when I was visiting one summer. It was a fantastic read for a young girl, and reading it now only fills me with nostalgia. This was one of the first books I read, and I think my aunt gave me a wonderful gift when she loaned me this book, because I learned what it was like to get lost in a novel.
July 10, 2024
This was such a sweet and fun vintage YA book! It took me a little longer to feel at home with the Parrish family than with Beany Malone’s family, but once I did, I was swept up in their fun and loving and lively family. Major and Mrs Parrish live on an army base in Kansas and their two older children, David and Penny, go around with a group of kids their age. It’s summertime and Penny’s friend Carrol is visiting the Parrishes for the month of June. The group of teenagers gets up to all kinds of fun, a horse show, swimming, dances, and picnics. There is some relationship drama in the group and between Carrol and her distant father but it’s all very mild stuff and the overall tone is the happy, carefree days of summer. I am definitely going to read on in the series. I enjoyed Penny and Carrol very much!
April 16, 2023
This vintage YA novel is charming and sweet. Penny Parrish's friend Carol has come to visit the Parrish family, and the book follows their summer adventures on a military base in Kansas. I found it very strange that the book didn't mention World War II, since this was published in 1941. Even though America wasn't involved in the war yet, you would think that a conflict of that magnitude would get mentioned, especially since these are military families! That made me wonder how long the author worked on and shopped this novel to publishers before it released in '41.
The book is full of charming episodic adventures. The characters aren't exceptionally fleshed out, but they're likable, and the author did an admirable job of creating a realistic teenage boy character. I enjoyed the story, and there are lots of fun period details.
However, this is definitely more like The Bobbsey Twins than like Beany Malone. The characters never face problems that don't get wrapped up quickly and smoothly, and the what little plot there is remains thoroughly predictable. The characters rarely have any real faults, and the one adversarial character remains one-dimensional throughout the book and is gently tolerated by everyone because they understand reasons why she's such a jerk. It's a gentle, nice story, but it doesn't feel realistic enough. It's charming escapism, while the Beany Malone series is filled with slice-of-life adventures and deep complexity.
The most dated element in this story is the representation of the Black hired help. The white characters appreciate them and treat them with respect, but their roles in the story illustrate inequalities from the time period and will make many modern readers uncomfortable. I didn't mind the Black characters speaking in dialect, because that's historically realistic in many cases and I think it's wrong to recoil from the way many Black people spoke in the past just because it gives bad optics today. However, this is worth a heads-up for people who prefer vintage novels with less racial baggage.
I look forward to reading other books in this series. Other books do engage with World War II later on, and I'm intrigued to see how the series deepened in complexity over time as the author dealt with more serious issues and continued to develop her characters and writing skill.
The book is full of charming episodic adventures. The characters aren't exceptionally fleshed out, but they're likable, and the author did an admirable job of creating a realistic teenage boy character. I enjoyed the story, and there are lots of fun period details.
However, this is definitely more like The Bobbsey Twins than like Beany Malone. The characters never face problems that don't get wrapped up quickly and smoothly, and the what little plot there is remains thoroughly predictable. The characters rarely have any real faults, and the one adversarial character remains one-dimensional throughout the book and is gently tolerated by everyone because they understand reasons why she's such a jerk. It's a gentle, nice story, but it doesn't feel realistic enough. It's charming escapism, while the Beany Malone series is filled with slice-of-life adventures and deep complexity.
The most dated element in this story is the representation of the Black hired help. The white characters appreciate them and treat them with respect, but their roles in the story illustrate inequalities from the time period and will make many modern readers uncomfortable. I didn't mind the Black characters speaking in dialect, because that's historically realistic in many cases and I think it's wrong to recoil from the way many Black people spoke in the past just because it gives bad optics today. However, this is worth a heads-up for people who prefer vintage novels with less racial baggage.
I look forward to reading other books in this series. Other books do engage with World War II later on, and I'm intrigued to see how the series deepened in complexity over time as the author dealt with more serious issues and continued to develop her characters and writing skill.
August 8, 2009
While visiting an aunt, teenage Penny Parrish met and befriended lonely, lovely and rich Carrol Houghton, and impulsively invited her to come spend a month on an army base in Kansas. Not only does Carrol fall in love with the boisterous Parrish family but they help her reconnect with her aloof and busy father. In turn, Carrol helps Penny pursue her dream of going on the stage. Penny's older brother David, bound for West Point, provides a hint of romance for the shy Carrol, whose life is forever enriched by her summer at Fort Arden.
August 2, 2012
My first ever Janet Lambert book. I am a HUGE fan of Mrs. Lambert, and read all the books in the early 1970's, except the ones our public library didn't have. I found them through searches in 1988, and then through Image Cascade.
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September 4, 2021I must have fallen victim to my penchant for republished early 20th century novels when I bought this book. Turns out I read a similarly republished Janet Lambert novel in 2016 and, according to my Goodreads review at the time, really didn’t like it. This one I dislike less, but it is definitely aimed for a middle grade reader so was a bit slow for me. Keeping it for my soon to be born daughter so she can read it at the right age! Very light read, set on a military base in 1941. Full of old-fashioned summer fun (horse riding, picnics, swimming, getting an ice cream soda, etc.) and wholly G-rated.
February 5, 2023
This was a childhood favorite and for me… it holds up!!
Definitely a comfort read full of very sweet characters, life on an army post pre WW2, and lots of horses!
Definitely a comfort read full of very sweet characters, life on an army post pre WW2, and lots of horses!
September 25, 2014
I believe this is the first book written by Janet Lambert in the Parrish family series, which becomes entangled with the Jordan family series. I read this awhile ago but decided to read it again as a stepping stone into the whole series. This book was published in 1941.
Lambert's characters are so warm and real. Reading about them is a pleasure. The Parrish books start out just prior to World War II. They are an Army family and reading them makes me feel like I missed out on something special by not being an "Army brat". Penny Parrish is the main character in this book. She's 14 years old. Poor little rich girl Carrol Houghton comes to stay with the Parrishes for a month and the summer is replete with parties, swimming and dancing. Carrol had been living with a staid old grandmother but she wished with all her heart that her rich father, who lived in Connecticut, would pay her some attention besides the $500 checks he sends her, most of which she never cashes. Penny schemes to get Mr. Houghton to visit and has a plan to "thaw him out". There is also a little light romance. Penny's brother David obviously likes Carrol and one can see where this series is going.
Lambert's characters are so warm and real. Reading about them is a pleasure. The Parrish books start out just prior to World War II. They are an Army family and reading them makes me feel like I missed out on something special by not being an "Army brat". Penny Parrish is the main character in this book. She's 14 years old. Poor little rich girl Carrol Houghton comes to stay with the Parrishes for a month and the summer is replete with parties, swimming and dancing. Carrol had been living with a staid old grandmother but she wished with all her heart that her rich father, who lived in Connecticut, would pay her some attention besides the $500 checks he sends her, most of which she never cashes. Penny schemes to get Mr. Houghton to visit and has a plan to "thaw him out". There is also a little light romance. Penny's brother David obviously likes Carrol and one can see where this series is going.
January 10, 2020
Now that was a fun trip down memory lane! I first read this book as a child--borrowed it off my big sister's shelf when I was around seven--and fell in love with the characters. I know I read it several times, because much of it was imprinted on my brain. I was delighted to find it again in an antique store--only to discover that it was first in a series. All these years, I had no idea that more of this story existed. I loved that it was set on an army post and the young hero was headed for West Point. Never could I have guessed back then that I would become a military wife and have a son graduate from one of the academies. :-)
And the whole series is available on Kindle. I'm in storybook heaven.
Off to find out what happens to Carrol, Penny, David, Tippy, Michael, and the whole cast of characters!
And the whole series is available on Kindle. I'm in storybook heaven.
Off to find out what happens to Carrol, Penny, David, Tippy, Michael, and the whole cast of characters!
November 4, 2013
Ok, so this was fun, the story of Parrish family living on an Army base pre-WW II, and daughter Penny's friend Carroll, the "poor-little-rich-girl" who comes to stay with them for a month.
I love reading these retro-ya books, it's like opening a time capsule, or participating in time-travel anthropology.
I love reading these retro-ya books, it's like opening a time capsule, or participating in time-travel anthropology.
December 3, 2014
questo �� stato uno dei libri della mia adolescenza. me lo prest�� la mia amica e compagna di banco paola. secondo lei, alla quale l'aveva dato la mamma, era tempo sprecato, un libro assolutamente noioso e illegibile. l'educazione umana e sentimentale di penny parrish, un'adolescente americana. io, al contrario, ne fui conquistata. cosa darei per rileggerlo, ma pare sia introvabile!
March 21, 2012
I read a hard cover copy back in the fifties. A lovely story for a teen ager, it has stayed with me all these years. I would love to get the original copy which I borrowed from the library so long ago.
June 30, 2014
The name Penny Parrish sounds familiar, but I don't remember reading this series as a kid (or if I did, they didn't take me in the way the Rosamond du Jardin books did), but I did enjoy this one enough to go ahead and continue reading the series as long as I can get them via Interlibrary Loan.
April 7, 2009
Loved this book! And love Janet Lambert's books!
May 25, 2021
Read all the Parrish & Jordan family books our public library held.
March 23, 2018
Delightful, light reading when you want a mini brain vacation to a Kansas Army base circa 1940.
Can't help noticing, though, the importance to the mother's relaxed life style, of her servants. Mrs. Parrish, as the wife of an Army major, would not be considered fabulously wealthy. Yet she has live in help that supplies full time baby sitting to her two youngest children, as well as does all the cooking and shopping. And we are talking fabulous meals, with elaborate desserts at practically every meal. Mother my decide to attend a luncheon, for example--no problem about feeding the children, and half the neighborhood which the kids are free to invite, because the cook will be creating a ham and potato salad spread worthy of a Christmas dinner.
The person doing the cooking and the babysitting--Trudy--lives in a basement room and appears to have no family beyond the Parrishs. Of course, she is repeatedly stated to be a member of the family but it is clear she works for the family and, as noted, has no time or ability to have a life beyond them.
Of course, the typical housewife of the day was expected to be cook, shopper, baby sitter, and much much more--with no special pay or recognition in GNP--but that is a whole other issue.
What we have here is Trudy, an African-American woman, living a life considered just fine for her in 1940, and no one sees any problem with this! In particular, Mrs. Parrish, who would clearly not understand if someone were to find fault with her in any way including in her employment and use of servants.
Can't help noticing, though, the importance to the mother's relaxed life style, of her servants. Mrs. Parrish, as the wife of an Army major, would not be considered fabulously wealthy. Yet she has live in help that supplies full time baby sitting to her two youngest children, as well as does all the cooking and shopping. And we are talking fabulous meals, with elaborate desserts at practically every meal. Mother my decide to attend a luncheon, for example--no problem about feeding the children, and half the neighborhood which the kids are free to invite, because the cook will be creating a ham and potato salad spread worthy of a Christmas dinner.
The person doing the cooking and the babysitting--Trudy--lives in a basement room and appears to have no family beyond the Parrishs. Of course, she is repeatedly stated to be a member of the family but it is clear she works for the family and, as noted, has no time or ability to have a life beyond them.
Of course, the typical housewife of the day was expected to be cook, shopper, baby sitter, and much much more--with no special pay or recognition in GNP--but that is a whole other issue.
What we have here is Trudy, an African-American woman, living a life considered just fine for her in 1940, and no one sees any problem with this! In particular, Mrs. Parrish, who would clearly not understand if someone were to find fault with her in any way including in her employment and use of servants.
February 15, 2018
Honestly, I look at the 4.36 average rating this book has and I somehow feel like I am committing a crime by giving it two stars (I would give it 2.5 if I could). But really, it was more just 'ok' than 'I liked it'.
I read a lot of YA - and a lot of vintage YA, mostly courtesy of my mother, who is loaning me this series and was born the year this book came out (1941). And I'll read a couple more, at least, to see if they get better. But this first one, the characters are all so two dimensional and perfect, they really don't seem like real people. And all the situations are so saccharine with perfect endings.
For better writing, I recommend the Betsy-Tacy series or the Beany Malone series.
I read a lot of YA - and a lot of vintage YA, mostly courtesy of my mother, who is loaning me this series and was born the year this book came out (1941). And I'll read a couple more, at least, to see if they get better. But this first one, the characters are all so two dimensional and perfect, they really don't seem like real people. And all the situations are so saccharine with perfect endings.
For better writing, I recommend the Betsy-Tacy series or the Beany Malone series.
March 4, 2018
Star Spangled Summer by Janet Lambert is the first book in the Penny Parrish series.
This was a sweet girls book from the 1940s that I got for my birthday from Image Cascade.
Although it never covered any deep topics, it was quite outdated, and the plot was typical and not very creative, I still really enjoyed this book.
I found the characters to be fun and well-rounded. Plus, Carol's romance with David was sweet . . . not "mushy" at all. The setting was interesting and unique for a 1940s book like this. Although I think there were too many characters (it was hard to keep all of Penny's friends straight), I could remember the main characters and the Parrish family easily.
This was a sweet story. I would definitely like to read the next book in the series. 4 stars out of 5.
This was a sweet girls book from the 1940s that I got for my birthday from Image Cascade.
Although it never covered any deep topics, it was quite outdated, and the plot was typical and not very creative, I still really enjoyed this book.
I found the characters to be fun and well-rounded. Plus, Carol's romance with David was sweet . . . not "mushy" at all. The setting was interesting and unique for a 1940s book like this. Although I think there were too many characters (it was hard to keep all of Penny's friends straight), I could remember the main characters and the Parrish family easily.
This was a sweet story. I would definitely like to read the next book in the series. 4 stars out of 5.
May 24, 2025
I haven't reread this book for a number of years though I've skimmed it multiple times. I love Penny, Carrol and David. They are real, wholesome, and so much fun. I had to laugh at Penny because she is usually spontaneous but one time she thought she ought to plan every minute of something and it was just funny. Their friends are delightful as well. Except for Louise. The relationship between Major and Mrs. Parrish is so sweet. It's a delightful story set on an army base in Kansas in the nineteen thirties.
This is not a Christian book, but it is clean except for a few swear words.
This is not a Christian book, but it is clean except for a few swear words.
January 13, 2025
I first read this as a teenager many years ago, and it introduced me to Janet Lambert’s wonderful books. I read Penny Parish’s and Alice Jordan’s family stories and have never forgotten them. I started re-reading them in between my other books 2 years ago and fully intend to read them all eventually. Fun to read, because they offer an escape to a world long gone that knew how to enjoy themselves and made real friends - and even some petulant enemies.
October 2, 2021
Dated. Very much dated. This is basically Heidi or 5 Little Peppers +1940's. And in some way it's refreshing to return to family-centric plots. But, in other ways, it really illustrates why the late 30's/early 40's weren't that great. Our nostalgia plays us false sometimes.
Browsed the rest of the series and will probably pass. Though I really am glad that I identified with her the most. And he was so good to her.
Browsed the rest of the series and will probably pass. Though I really am glad that I identified with her the most. And he was so good to her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2019
I read this a while ago...didn't realize it was the first in the series.
April 8, 2025
Another childhood favorite from my junior high years! What a sweet family and depiction of Army life in the early 1940s. Now I want to re read the whole series again.
February 23, 2017
Oh, the memories! I read every book Janet Lambert wrote in my early teens and just loved them so much. It all began with the Scholastic paperback book club edition of this book... I can't even remember how many times I read this one other than to note that the paperback was falling apart at some point. I discovered that all the Lambert books are now available in Kindle editions so I splurged and got them all. Now to re-read these lovely nostalgic classics.
This is the first of the Penny Parrish series. Penny is returning home to a military base in Kansas with her new friend, Carrol Houghton, who is spending the last month of summer with her. Penny is funny, kind, and energetic teenager and her family is upbeat and loving. Major David Parrish and his wife Marjory are just as in love as they were when they were young, even after four kids (David, Penny, Bobby, and Tippy) and a life moving about as a military family. Trudy, the house-keeper/cook, is a central part of the family and surprising so as an African American and in a book written in the 1940s.
Carrol fits in immediately even though she is initially shy and somewhat reserved having been raised by her grandmother after her mother's death while her father is distant and really doesn't know his daughter at all. She's sort of the poor little rich girl in this book. She comes from money, but it's not really as important to her as people are. Her summer with the Parrish family brings her much happiness and the chance to do all the things a teenager of the time should be doing; hanging out with a gang of friends, riding horses, swimming, going to the movies, and lots of laughing.
It's not all peaches and cream though. There's spoiled brat Louise who dislikes Carrol from the first day of her visit; a visit from Carrol's father that begins with a lot of tension but ends up wonderfully; and the sadness of three of the boys in Penny's gang, including her brother David, that are heading off to West Point. But there's also a lot of love (including first love for Carrol) and fun. That's what I remember the most about all of Lambert's books.
This is the first of the Penny Parrish series. Penny is returning home to a military base in Kansas with her new friend, Carrol Houghton, who is spending the last month of summer with her. Penny is funny, kind, and energetic teenager and her family is upbeat and loving. Major David Parrish and his wife Marjory are just as in love as they were when they were young, even after four kids (David, Penny, Bobby, and Tippy) and a life moving about as a military family. Trudy, the house-keeper/cook, is a central part of the family and surprising so as an African American and in a book written in the 1940s.
Carrol fits in immediately even though she is initially shy and somewhat reserved having been raised by her grandmother after her mother's death while her father is distant and really doesn't know his daughter at all. She's sort of the poor little rich girl in this book. She comes from money, but it's not really as important to her as people are. Her summer with the Parrish family brings her much happiness and the chance to do all the things a teenager of the time should be doing; hanging out with a gang of friends, riding horses, swimming, going to the movies, and lots of laughing.
It's not all peaches and cream though. There's spoiled brat Louise who dislikes Carrol from the first day of her visit; a visit from Carrol's father that begins with a lot of tension but ends up wonderfully; and the sadness of three of the boys in Penny's gang, including her brother David, that are heading off to West Point. But there's also a lot of love (including first love for Carrol) and fun. That's what I remember the most about all of Lambert's books.
February 5, 2013
I sort of liked this book, but not as well as some other vintage YA I've read. While other vintage authors (like Beverly Cleary and my fav, Anne Emery, for example) wrote novels that were just as sweet but also very real, this one was a bit saccharine at times.
The weirdest thing about this book is that it was written in 1941, featured a military family living on base, and didn't mention the war at all. Was it because it was written just before the US was involved in the war? (I may have to read the second book in the series just to see if anything changes there.) Or did Lambert think by ignoring current events she would make the book timeless and universal? If so, that probably worked for a while, but given some other dated aspects of the book (her depiction of the family's domestic help is the most glaring example) it would have had more lasting charm if it were firmly rooted in its historical time and place.
The weirdest thing about this book is that it was written in 1941, featured a military family living on base, and didn't mention the war at all. Was it because it was written just before the US was involved in the war? (I may have to read the second book in the series just to see if anything changes there.) Or did Lambert think by ignoring current events she would make the book timeless and universal? If so, that probably worked for a while, but given some other dated aspects of the book (her depiction of the family's domestic help is the most glaring example) it would have had more lasting charm if it were firmly rooted in its historical time and place.
August 13, 2012
EVEN THOUGH THIS BOOK REEKS OF POLLYANNA, STEREOTYPES, AND A REALITY THAT IS SO FAR REMOVED FROM WHAT MOST OF US KNOW IT CAN ONLY BE LABELED AS FANTASY EVEN FOR OUR GRANDPARENTS GENERATION, IT WAS A WONDERFUL DREAM INTO A PERFECT LITTLE WORLD THAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITS DEPICTION OF MINORITIES THAT WILL FOREVER BE APPALLING FOR THAT IT LOST TWO STARS.
August 2, 2016
My very best friend, my "fairy god mother" gave me this book,She'd read it as a teen in the 1950's and loved it and I read it as a teen in the late 2000's and loved it just as much as she did.Janet Lambert's characters are so warm and inviting, I wanted nothing more than to jump in and spend the summer with them,This book is pure nostalgia in print and one of my absolute favorites.
August 14, 2009
The first is the best!
April 23, 2013
I read most of these books by Janet Lambert when I was young. I still had them and recently gave them to my granddaughter. Hope she likes them as much as I did.
December 14, 2012
YA book that takes place in the 1950s. Good light summer reading book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews