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Penelope Crumb #1
Penelope Crumb Follows Her Nose
Some interesting facts about Penelope Crumb...
She has:
A brother so awful he MUST be an alien.
A mum who draws body parts (ew!)
Her grandpa's nose... but no grandpa.
Penelope Crumb has her grandpa's nose. She'd love to meet the rest of him, but her family haven't seen him since her dad died. So one day Penelope and her friend Lizzie Maple set out on a quest across town to track down Grandpa Felix. But what if Grandpa Felix doesn't want to be found? Penelope Crumb, however, is not the type of girl to take no for an answer. A hilarious story about complicated families, loyal friends and big noses, with all the humour of Clarice Bean and all the heart of Jacqueline Wilson.
She has:
A brother so awful he MUST be an alien.
A mum who draws body parts (ew!)
Her grandpa's nose... but no grandpa.
Penelope Crumb has her grandpa's nose. She'd love to meet the rest of him, but her family haven't seen him since her dad died. So one day Penelope and her friend Lizzie Maple set out on a quest across town to track down Grandpa Felix. But what if Grandpa Felix doesn't want to be found? Penelope Crumb, however, is not the type of girl to take no for an answer. A hilarious story about complicated families, loyal friends and big noses, with all the humour of Clarice Bean and all the heart of Jacqueline Wilson.
209 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2012
22 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Shawn K. Stout
17 books36 followersShawn K. Stout is the author of several acclaimed books for young readers, including the PENELOPE CRUMB series and THE IMPOSSIBLE DESTINY OF CUTIE GRACKLE. Her new novel, ANATOMY OF LOST THINGS, will be released in June 2024. Shawn is a science writer at the National Institutes of Health and holds an M.F.A. in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives with her family in Maryland. Visit her at www.shawnkstout.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 7, 2012
Fourth grader Penelope Crumb has a proclivity to think about death quite a lot, partly because her own father died many years ago. She even has a term for that sort of death--Graveyard Dead. When her best friend sketches her at school and everyone remarks on her large nose, Penelope is surprised that her nose is as as noticeable as it is. This realization leads to the discovery that her paternal grandfather is not actually dead, and she has inherited her nose from him. With help from a friend, Penelope eventually finds her grandfather, and starts the process of healing among her family members. I loved how self-assured the artistic Penelope was and how she drew inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci throughout the book. It's satisfying to find a protagonist who doesn't fall apart over what others say and is able to see past the defenses others put around themselves in order to avoid pain. There's plenty of humor in the book too as she describes the behavior of her teacher and her mother. I hope there will be more books featuring Penelope.
October 14, 2016
SYDNEY JONES
I am reading the book Penelope Crumb.This book is a very intersting book because I think the book is a funny sarcastic type of family and just the way Penelope Crumb acts in the book made me laugh.
The book Penelope Crumb is about a girl named Penelope Crumb and she thinks that everyone in her lass does not have a big nose but in her case she is more worried about her nose she thinks that her nos is more bigger than her body. I think that she is just being overgermatic about her nose! Everyday Penelope is not wanting to go to school because of her big noes. One day she goes to school and she sees another kid has big noes. Would Penelope have her as a friend or will she stop thinking about her big noes? Read the book to find out.
I recommend this book to...Misty and Issabella because I think this book will be a very good book for them...
I am reading the book Penelope Crumb.This book is a very intersting book because I think the book is a funny sarcastic type of family and just the way Penelope Crumb acts in the book made me laugh.
The book Penelope Crumb is about a girl named Penelope Crumb and she thinks that everyone in her lass does not have a big nose but in her case she is more worried about her nose she thinks that her nos is more bigger than her body. I think that she is just being overgermatic about her nose! Everyday Penelope is not wanting to go to school because of her big noes. One day she goes to school and she sees another kid has big noes. Would Penelope have her as a friend or will she stop thinking about her big noes? Read the book to find out.
I recommend this book to...Misty and Issabella because I think this book will be a very good book for them...
February 17, 2014
Penelope Crumb isn't just any little girl. She's the little girl who just happens to have the Crumb family nose, and she's determined to meet and to know the other family member who has it, too!
I was delighted by Penelope's fresh outlook and how she takes on any task put to her. When she is assigned to design a coat of arms for a school project, Penelope takes it to the max as she uses a coat and pictures to express her family's history.
Fabulous.
I was delighted by Penelope's fresh outlook and how she takes on any task put to her. When she is assigned to design a coat of arms for a school project, Penelope takes it to the max as she uses a coat and pictures to express her family's history.
Fabulous.
Read
August 6, 2012Fourth-grader Penelope Crumb gets a horrible shock when her best friend Patsy draws a picture of her – with a great big nose! Penelope resolves to sniff out the truth about the enormous thing in the middle of her face, and solve the mystery surrounding her missing grandpa.
Reviewer 16
Reviewer 16
October 30, 2014
OMG!!!!
December 30, 2014
it was good at first then it got worse and worse and then gets horrible
December 15, 2017
Jasmine John
Good Reads 7
Penelope Crumb
The theme of this book is a spunky little girl that has a big nose, but an even bigger heart. She goes above and beyond to find her missing grandpa. Even though she did not want to get in trouble she told her mom what she was up to. She was willing to ask Littie who lived across the hall to help her find her grandpa.
I disliked how her mom was so onry about the whole thing with her grandpa. I like how she made a list of things to give to NASA to prove that her older brother is an “alien”. It was so funny. I also siked that when she was in the hospital her brother smiled at her and she thought that her brother was back, at least for now.
Penelope Crumb lives in an apartment with her brother, Trouble, and her mom. She swears that Trouble is an alien so she looks for little things she can do to prove that he is an alien. Her mom is an artist and she draws and paints insides and they go in books for doctors to look at. She goes to school and she is in fourth grade. Patsy Cline Roberta Watson is Penelope’s best friend. Since her name is so long they just call her Patsy. Littie live across the hall from Penelope.
The characters in this book are Penelope crumb, her mom, her brother, Patsy Cline Roberta Watson, Litte, and her Grandpa Felix. Penelope Crumb is a spunky girl with a big nose, she has an even bigger heart. She wants to find her grandpa Felix. She does not give up until she does find him. She still keeps going even though she gets in trouble with her mom. She makes flyers and puts them up, she searches his name to get his address and phone number, she and Littie go around trying to find him.
At school, Penelope’s teacher had them get into partners and draw the other person’s face. The teacher called on Patsy even though she was not raising her hand. Penelope was the only one who wanted to go. She discovered that she had a big nose, Penelope and her mom call it a Crumb nose because it came from her dad’s side of the family. They all have big noses.
Penelope cannot find her Grandpa Felix(who she thought was graveyard dead) even after a day of trying four different places. She has always thought that he was dead because her mom always said that he was gone. She asked her brother if he believed that he was graveyard dead, he said yes. Even though she did not succeed the first time she wanted to keep trying. The next day she tried again and had no luck. When she got home she was in trouble with her mom.
She finds her grandpa and she still has to do a school project that is due in two days. After leaving the hospital without her grandpa Felix, her mom takes his coat. Penelope takes his coat and uses it for her coat of arms. She goes to Patsy’s singing thing and apologizes to her for lying and they are best friends again. Felix takes his coat back so her project is not prepared the next day. She has a missing grandpa, her teacher is disappointed because she was the one who asked if it could be a different shape than a shield, and her project is not ready.
Her grandpa brought back the coat and gave it to her to keep. She was able to turn it in and is able to get along with her mom about her grandpa. All that she has been through, she kept a good attitude all of it.
Good Reads 7
Penelope Crumb
The theme of this book is a spunky little girl that has a big nose, but an even bigger heart. She goes above and beyond to find her missing grandpa. Even though she did not want to get in trouble she told her mom what she was up to. She was willing to ask Littie who lived across the hall to help her find her grandpa.
I disliked how her mom was so onry about the whole thing with her grandpa. I like how she made a list of things to give to NASA to prove that her older brother is an “alien”. It was so funny. I also siked that when she was in the hospital her brother smiled at her and she thought that her brother was back, at least for now.
Penelope Crumb lives in an apartment with her brother, Trouble, and her mom. She swears that Trouble is an alien so she looks for little things she can do to prove that he is an alien. Her mom is an artist and she draws and paints insides and they go in books for doctors to look at. She goes to school and she is in fourth grade. Patsy Cline Roberta Watson is Penelope’s best friend. Since her name is so long they just call her Patsy. Littie live across the hall from Penelope.
The characters in this book are Penelope crumb, her mom, her brother, Patsy Cline Roberta Watson, Litte, and her Grandpa Felix. Penelope Crumb is a spunky girl with a big nose, she has an even bigger heart. She wants to find her grandpa Felix. She does not give up until she does find him. She still keeps going even though she gets in trouble with her mom. She makes flyers and puts them up, she searches his name to get his address and phone number, she and Littie go around trying to find him.
At school, Penelope’s teacher had them get into partners and draw the other person’s face. The teacher called on Patsy even though she was not raising her hand. Penelope was the only one who wanted to go. She discovered that she had a big nose, Penelope and her mom call it a Crumb nose because it came from her dad’s side of the family. They all have big noses.
Penelope cannot find her Grandpa Felix(who she thought was graveyard dead) even after a day of trying four different places. She has always thought that he was dead because her mom always said that he was gone. She asked her brother if he believed that he was graveyard dead, he said yes. Even though she did not succeed the first time she wanted to keep trying. The next day she tried again and had no luck. When she got home she was in trouble with her mom.
She finds her grandpa and she still has to do a school project that is due in two days. After leaving the hospital without her grandpa Felix, her mom takes his coat. Penelope takes his coat and uses it for her coat of arms. She goes to Patsy’s singing thing and apologizes to her for lying and they are best friends again. Felix takes his coat back so her project is not prepared the next day. She has a missing grandpa, her teacher is disappointed because she was the one who asked if it could be a different shape than a shield, and her project is not ready.
Her grandpa brought back the coat and gave it to her to keep. She was able to turn it in and is able to get along with her mom about her grandpa. All that she has been through, she kept a good attitude all of it.
September 2, 2017
Great book! Shows loving family,sadness,and hope.
January 15, 2020
So far this book is pretty good! We have enjoyed it!
Penelope realizes that she has a BIG nose!
Penelope realizes that she has a BIG nose!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2020
Love this book.
Read
January 23, 2021It was a good experience.
November 3, 2022
hahahahha okay i’m done
June 25, 2023
Penelope Crumb has a wonderful character voice and her adventures in family and self acceptance are charming and really fun to read!
April 16, 2013
Nine year old Penelope Crumb was unaware that she had a big nose that was, until her best friend Patsy Cline drew a portrait of Penelope displaying her enormous nose for their entire fourth grade class to see. For Penelope, she never noticed that there was anything different about her nose, but now that she did, it was hard to than unnotice it. Penelope’s mother informed her that she actually had the Crumb nose, her Grandpa Felix’s nose to be exact. She wished it was her dad’s nose, because then she would have proof that he had existed; since she was a baby her dad had been Graveyard Dead. Penelope found out that her Grandpa Felix was not dead, like she had previously thought, and started to ask a lot of questions about him. Her mother was reluctant to provide any answers or to even broach the subject. Penelope was given an assignment in school where she had to become a detective and uncover information regarding her family history. Now, more than ever, it was important to find her Grandpa Felix. But, trying to find someone you have never met and your mother never wanted to talk about might prove difficult. Penelope embarked upon an adventure to find her long-lost grandpa and to connect with the only other person she shares her nose with.
Penelope Crumb was a hilariously charming, true-to-life story written by Shawn K. Stout. With a whimsical cover, Stout’s book was definitely marketed for tween girls, although, juvenile boys should give it a read. Penelope’s character was imaginative, curious, and obsessed with death and those are qualities that younger boys can relate to just as much as girls. Stout’s book also had super cute illustrations that captured the essence of the characters and the story. The central plot concentrated on Penelope’s humungous nose. Many younger teens will sympathize with Penelope’s obsession over her nose, because that is a time in their life when appearance and looking a certain way in order to fit in is magnified. What was so great about Penelope’s character though was her capacity to embrace her nose as being a part of her and not allowing the teasing to lead to feelings of insecurities. Once Penelope was told that her nose resembled her Grandpa’s, then she accepted it, because her nose was an embodiment of her family. Tween readers will learn through Penelope’s story that your physical appearance makes up only one part of who you are, and it is a unique link to your heritage. Shawn K. Stout’s book would make an excellent group read, because juveniles will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on what makes certain physical attributes attractive, but also to help empower them to welcome outward differences of individuals.
Penelope Crumb was a hilariously charming, true-to-life story written by Shawn K. Stout. With a whimsical cover, Stout’s book was definitely marketed for tween girls, although, juvenile boys should give it a read. Penelope’s character was imaginative, curious, and obsessed with death and those are qualities that younger boys can relate to just as much as girls. Stout’s book also had super cute illustrations that captured the essence of the characters and the story. The central plot concentrated on Penelope’s humungous nose. Many younger teens will sympathize with Penelope’s obsession over her nose, because that is a time in their life when appearance and looking a certain way in order to fit in is magnified. What was so great about Penelope’s character though was her capacity to embrace her nose as being a part of her and not allowing the teasing to lead to feelings of insecurities. Once Penelope was told that her nose resembled her Grandpa’s, then she accepted it, because her nose was an embodiment of her family. Tween readers will learn through Penelope’s story that your physical appearance makes up only one part of who you are, and it is a unique link to your heritage. Shawn K. Stout’s book would make an excellent group read, because juveniles will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on what makes certain physical attributes attractive, but also to help empower them to welcome outward differences of individuals.
July 13, 2013
Penelope's father is dead. Graveyard dead. He has been for a long, long time. Her grandfather is dead, too. Or so she has always thought. Turns out, she just assumed, and incorrectly. Grandpa Felix is, as far as anyone knows, alive and well. They just don't talk to him. Penelope sets out to find her Grandpa Felix, no matter what it takes.
She's a little bit sassy (Junie B.), a little bit thoughtful (Clementine), a little bit adventurous (Ramona), and a--wait. She a lot those things, that Penelope Crumb. And while I didn't love her as much as sweet Clementine, or laugh at her as much as I have Junie B., I found Penelope to be a worthwhile heroine.
As I read further in the book I was reminded of Alan Silberberg's wonderful Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze. Here I was, breezing along with a humorous book about a girl with a big nose and a big confidence, and BAM! the tone gets serious, in a good way.
My favorite thing about Shawn Stout's writing may be the way she took the phrase, "show, don't tell," to heart when she developed Penelope's voice. Her funny phrasings and cheeky remarks were entertaining, but what stood out most were her descriptions of the looks on people's faces. I could always see the expression in my mind:
>> She raises her eyebrows like she thinks I'm Queen of the Fibbers.
>> I give her a look that says, What Does That Have to Do with the Color of Mud?
>> Her face says, You Are Truly Making That Up.
>> I give Patsy Cline a look that says, Miss Stunkel Has Gone and Lost Her Marbles.
>> I flash her a smile that says, Look How Quiet and Good I Am, So Pretty Please with Sprinkles on Top, Will You Pick Me? And her teacher gives her back an I've Already Called On You Several Times Today, So Let's Give Someone Else a Turn smile.
You could see every one of those faces in your mind, couldn't you? Told ya. Good stuff. Stuff our kids could use to add a little pizzazz to their own writing.
I will say that the illustrations left me a little perplexed. They're clearly comical and light-hearted, and the tone of much of this book was not so comical or light-hearted, so they occasionally seemed at odds to me, but not so much that I couldn't get past it.
Over all, I liked Penelope Crumb a lot. I think kids will too (especially girls with a nose complex, which--yes--some have already developed in grade school, sadly). They'll like her if they can find her and stick with her. The cover doesn't help much, though. It's cute, it just doesn't tell you anything about what's going to happen. Penelope's pose is a little sassy, and she does have her tool box, but I fear that's not enough to make kids pick up the book and give her a shot.
She's a little bit sassy (Junie B.), a little bit thoughtful (Clementine), a little bit adventurous (Ramona), and a--wait. She a lot those things, that Penelope Crumb. And while I didn't love her as much as sweet Clementine, or laugh at her as much as I have Junie B., I found Penelope to be a worthwhile heroine.
As I read further in the book I was reminded of Alan Silberberg's wonderful Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze. Here I was, breezing along with a humorous book about a girl with a big nose and a big confidence, and BAM! the tone gets serious, in a good way.
My favorite thing about Shawn Stout's writing may be the way she took the phrase, "show, don't tell," to heart when she developed Penelope's voice. Her funny phrasings and cheeky remarks were entertaining, but what stood out most were her descriptions of the looks on people's faces. I could always see the expression in my mind:
>> She raises her eyebrows like she thinks I'm Queen of the Fibbers.
>> I give her a look that says, What Does That Have to Do with the Color of Mud?
>> Her face says, You Are Truly Making That Up.
>> I give Patsy Cline a look that says, Miss Stunkel Has Gone and Lost Her Marbles.
>> I flash her a smile that says, Look How Quiet and Good I Am, So Pretty Please with Sprinkles on Top, Will You Pick Me? And her teacher gives her back an I've Already Called On You Several Times Today, So Let's Give Someone Else a Turn smile.
You could see every one of those faces in your mind, couldn't you? Told ya. Good stuff. Stuff our kids could use to add a little pizzazz to their own writing.
I will say that the illustrations left me a little perplexed. They're clearly comical and light-hearted, and the tone of much of this book was not so comical or light-hearted, so they occasionally seemed at odds to me, but not so much that I couldn't get past it.
Over all, I liked Penelope Crumb a lot. I think kids will too (especially girls with a nose complex, which--yes--some have already developed in grade school, sadly). They'll like her if they can find her and stick with her. The cover doesn't help much, though. It's cute, it just doesn't tell you anything about what's going to happen. Penelope's pose is a little sassy, and she does have her tool box, but I fear that's not enough to make kids pick up the book and give her a shot.
Read
January 5, 2017i love this book. it is sad. i think there is a sequel to this. i recommend this
May 17, 2013
I feel guilty for three-starring this book, so then I ask myself, should it have four? And, I really don't know... I don't know if I feel like this type of book is in an over-abundance (Junie B. Jones, Clementine, Ivy & Bean, etc.) and yet, there is something unique about Penelope that draws me in and wants to hug (although, maybe not teach) her. Actually, I think Miss Stunkel might be my favorite character. Teacher-to-teacher, I might feel like her a LOT.
I do appreciate that Penelope Crumb is not in Kindergarten, and the text is more challenging than a grade 1 text, so for my readers that enjoy Junie B. but are ready to move on, this book provides more depth, more adventures, and deeper thinking. However, some of the uses of text seem really difficult, such as the use of parentheses whenever Penelope hears her name. Since she feels like when she hears her name, it is an unpleasant sound, and she thinks human organs are unpleasant, each time she hears her name, there is an organ listed in parentheses afterward: ie - "Penelope Rae (Clogged arteries!)" was the last one in the book. I don't know if students would understand that theme throughout the book without some adult guidance. Maybe I am not giving young readers enough credit?
Anyway - in this story, the kick-off to the series, Penelope learns that she has a large nose. It is discovered that her nose comes from her grandfather, who she thought was dead (graveyard dead, as she calls it) but then learns he is not. So, her search is on to find her Grandpa Felix. When she does, she learns that the relationship between Mom and Grandpa is not good, and she has to discover a way to help resolve their problems. After several silly mishaps, and a lot of secrets, Penelope does get to celebrate a happy ending to this, specific endeavor.
I enjoyed the relationship between Penelope and her brother, "Terrible" very much. I thought it was very real-life, and I appreciated the "just right" amount of details that Stout used to build Terrible's character and the relationship between the two.
All-in-all, I thought it was OK. I don't always enjoy this "little-girl drama" books, so that could be part of the problem. I will be sharing this with students, and I am excited to get their opinions, for sure!
I do appreciate that Penelope Crumb is not in Kindergarten, and the text is more challenging than a grade 1 text, so for my readers that enjoy Junie B. but are ready to move on, this book provides more depth, more adventures, and deeper thinking. However, some of the uses of text seem really difficult, such as the use of parentheses whenever Penelope hears her name. Since she feels like when she hears her name, it is an unpleasant sound, and she thinks human organs are unpleasant, each time she hears her name, there is an organ listed in parentheses afterward: ie - "Penelope Rae (Clogged arteries!)" was the last one in the book. I don't know if students would understand that theme throughout the book without some adult guidance. Maybe I am not giving young readers enough credit?
Anyway - in this story, the kick-off to the series, Penelope learns that she has a large nose. It is discovered that her nose comes from her grandfather, who she thought was dead (graveyard dead, as she calls it) but then learns he is not. So, her search is on to find her Grandpa Felix. When she does, she learns that the relationship between Mom and Grandpa is not good, and she has to discover a way to help resolve their problems. After several silly mishaps, and a lot of secrets, Penelope does get to celebrate a happy ending to this, specific endeavor.
I enjoyed the relationship between Penelope and her brother, "Terrible" very much. I thought it was very real-life, and I appreciated the "just right" amount of details that Stout used to build Terrible's character and the relationship between the two.
All-in-all, I thought it was OK. I don't always enjoy this "little-girl drama" books, so that could be part of the problem. I will be sharing this with students, and I am excited to get their opinions, for sure!
July 14, 2014
It all started in Miss Stunkel's art class. Penelope drew a portrait of her best friend, Patsy, and Patsy drew one of her. Penelope studied Patsy closely using all the skill of Leonardo da Vinci to create the perfect image - the Mona Lisa of 4th grade portraits. At last it was time to share and Patsy jumped up first to present her portrait of Penelope. She proudly shared. Penelope was stunned. She knew she had a different nose, but was it seen like "that?" Her nose wasn't long and huge and pointy - COLOSSAL. Large maybe, and yet, distinguished certainly. The picture stared at her from the bulletin board and Penelope knew she had to do something about it to make it right.
At home that night Penelope asked her mom about her nose, only to discover that her nose was a Crumb family trait. Evidently she and her grandfather shared the same nose, but Penelope never knew that because she had never met her grandfather. She thought he was graveyard dead, like her dad, but he's not. In fact, he might live nearby. Assigned to "discover what you don't know about your family" and then make a family "coat-of-arms using pictures and drawings to show your family's history" Penelope decides to find her unknown grandfather and discover how her nose connects them.
Penelope, with the help of her homeschooled, over-protected neighbor Littie Maple does some pretty courageous, dangerous and ingenious sleuthing to fix her nose, discover the unknown, and heal and strengthen her family. I'm glad Penelope Crumb is the first in a series, because Penelope is fun to be around. She is determined and has just the right amount of quirkiness to make her a person I'd like to have in my life. She'd help me notice and appreciate the little things that make each of us uniquely important in the world.
At home that night Penelope asked her mom about her nose, only to discover that her nose was a Crumb family trait. Evidently she and her grandfather shared the same nose, but Penelope never knew that because she had never met her grandfather. She thought he was graveyard dead, like her dad, but he's not. In fact, he might live nearby. Assigned to "discover what you don't know about your family" and then make a family "coat-of-arms using pictures and drawings to show your family's history" Penelope decides to find her unknown grandfather and discover how her nose connects them.
Penelope, with the help of her homeschooled, over-protected neighbor Littie Maple does some pretty courageous, dangerous and ingenious sleuthing to fix her nose, discover the unknown, and heal and strengthen her family. I'm glad Penelope Crumb is the first in a series, because Penelope is fun to be around. She is determined and has just the right amount of quirkiness to make her a person I'd like to have in my life. She'd help me notice and appreciate the little things that make each of us uniquely important in the world.
June 19, 2014
During Penelope Crumb's fourth grade art class (which is her favorite!) her best friend Patsy Cline draws her portrait. Penelope is at first upset to see that she has been drawn with a huge nose. After some thought, and talking with her mom where she finds out she has a "Crumb nose," she embraces it and even thinks Patsy Cline did not do her large nose justice in the picture. Penelope is fascinated by having a "Crumb nose" as her father is dead...Graveyard Dead...and her family has been out of touch with her father's side ever since. Her latest school assignment is to become a detective and find out some information about her family in order to make a coat of arms. (Or is that an arm coat?) So Penelope is determined to find out more about her family.
This book is charming and I liked it a great deal, although I can't quite explain why when there was so much that also bothered me: I don't know if I agree that Penelope was in fourth grade, she seemed younger to me on several occasions; what she did in searching for her grandfather seemed kind of dangerous; I wish her mother actually told her what happened as to why they don't speak with Grampa Felix anymore; Penelope and Littie's friendship could have been dealt with better--I felt that Littie got second place to Patsy Cline when Penelope spent more time with Littie than Patsy.
That said, Penelope was gutsy, smart, determined, and pretty observant. Her relationship with her brother was wonderfully done and very realistic in how they treated each other. Penelope's imagination is what makes her such fun to read. She is optimistic and believes the best. It is most amazing to see her embrace her large nose, what a wonderful message of self-acceptance!
Recommended, grades 3 and up.
This book is charming and I liked it a great deal, although I can't quite explain why when there was so much that also bothered me: I don't know if I agree that Penelope was in fourth grade, she seemed younger to me on several occasions; what she did in searching for her grandfather seemed kind of dangerous; I wish her mother actually told her what happened as to why they don't speak with Grampa Felix anymore; Penelope and Littie's friendship could have been dealt with better--I felt that Littie got second place to Patsy Cline when Penelope spent more time with Littie than Patsy.
That said, Penelope was gutsy, smart, determined, and pretty observant. Her relationship with her brother was wonderfully done and very realistic in how they treated each other. Penelope's imagination is what makes her such fun to read. She is optimistic and believes the best. It is most amazing to see her embrace her large nose, what a wonderful message of self-acceptance!
Recommended, grades 3 and up.
November 12, 2013
Rated and reviewed by my 10 year old daughter:
I had not heard of Shaun K Stout before but I was excited to read this book because it seemed different to other books. I liked the idea of a girl (Penelope Crumb) trying to find her Grandpa.
Penelope Crumb is one of my favourite book characters because she is a girl who likes mysteries, which is a lot like me. She also has a brother who seems to be an alien, and I know how that feels! It would be fun to have a friend like her as she is always on some kind of adventure and although she does crazy things, she does them for kind reasons.
I think it’s funny that she calls her brother Terrible instead of Terrence, because he became terrible when he turned 14. He is so terrible that Penelope collects signs that he is an alien, so she can share them with NASA.
I think it is sad that Grandpa Felix disappears after his son – Penelope’s dad dies – because they must all feel unhappy but they can’t make each other feel better. I also think it is a bit strange to have a mum that draws people’s insides for a job!
I give this book 5 stars because it is exciting and I like the character and I think it is a nice story for people who have big noses because it shows:
•that things like that are not important because Penelope Crumb went for most of her life without noticing it
•that it’s good to have special features that link you to other people in your family (Penelope has the ‘Crumb’ nose, just like her dad did)
•it might have special powers.
I say it doesn’t matter what size your nose is – big or small – you should read this book!
I had not heard of Shaun K Stout before but I was excited to read this book because it seemed different to other books. I liked the idea of a girl (Penelope Crumb) trying to find her Grandpa.
Penelope Crumb is one of my favourite book characters because she is a girl who likes mysteries, which is a lot like me. She also has a brother who seems to be an alien, and I know how that feels! It would be fun to have a friend like her as she is always on some kind of adventure and although she does crazy things, she does them for kind reasons.
I think it’s funny that she calls her brother Terrible instead of Terrence, because he became terrible when he turned 14. He is so terrible that Penelope collects signs that he is an alien, so she can share them with NASA.
I think it is sad that Grandpa Felix disappears after his son – Penelope’s dad dies – because they must all feel unhappy but they can’t make each other feel better. I also think it is a bit strange to have a mum that draws people’s insides for a job!
I give this book 5 stars because it is exciting and I like the character and I think it is a nice story for people who have big noses because it shows:
•that things like that are not important because Penelope Crumb went for most of her life without noticing it
•that it’s good to have special features that link you to other people in your family (Penelope has the ‘Crumb’ nose, just like her dad did)
•it might have special powers.
I say it doesn’t matter what size your nose is – big or small – you should read this book!
January 7, 2013
Most of the time when literary types use the term "unreliable narrator" they mean a main character who lies to readers because he or she doesn't want to admit the truth. Usually it means the narrator is untrustworthy and not a nice person with something to hide. Penelope Crumb, on the other hand, is unreliable as a narrator because she is so young and innocent, earnest and literal, determined to get to the bottom of things she doesn't understand. She is charming and relatable and never quite means to do wrong, things just somehow turn out that way. And she doesn't ever really lie, she just doesn't quite understand the meaning or impact what what she's doing or saying. She's a little too oblivious. But she's also charming and fun and very entertaining.
Penelope is in fourth grade, and her school assignments are colliding with her family life in unexpected and most eventful ways. The art portrait her friend drew of her has led Penelope to realize she has an unusually large nose, and talking to her mom about it has revealed she inherited it from the grandpa she thought was dead but who isn't. Now she is determined, for her school assignment to learn about her family history and make a coat of arms, to track down her missing grandpa and meet him nose to nose, even if it means skipping school to secretly travel around the city and knocking on strangers' doors, hurting her friends and upsetting her mom and teacher in the process. Will Penelope's bad methods or good intentions determine the final result of her adventures?
A deftly balanced mix of humor and heart.
Penelope is in fourth grade, and her school assignments are colliding with her family life in unexpected and most eventful ways. The art portrait her friend drew of her has led Penelope to realize she has an unusually large nose, and talking to her mom about it has revealed she inherited it from the grandpa she thought was dead but who isn't. Now she is determined, for her school assignment to learn about her family history and make a coat of arms, to track down her missing grandpa and meet him nose to nose, even if it means skipping school to secretly travel around the city and knocking on strangers' doors, hurting her friends and upsetting her mom and teacher in the process. Will Penelope's bad methods or good intentions determine the final result of her adventures?
A deftly balanced mix of humor and heart.
October 7, 2013
“Miss Stunkel’s art class is my All-Time Favorite. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of fourth grade is all right, I guess. But for me, drawing is like wiggling my toes in the ocean. It just feels good.”
An adorable story about a true-to-life 4th grader who has a huge sense of humor as well as a huge nose. When she discovers that her nose is rather large she decides to try and locate her missing grandfather who apparently has the same large nose. So she becomes a nose detective to try and make her family whole again. Her Grandfather went missing when her father died and Penelope doesn’t know why, she was a baby and nobody talks about him. Even though she has to sneak around and break many of her mother’s rules, she feels finding her grandfather is worth all the punishments in the world.
This is truly a lovely story about a young girl with a wonderful imagination that really makes the best out of every situation. I laughed my way through this book. The language was wonderful as well as the illustrations. Penelope is a young girl that we would all be proud to have as a friend. For those who loved the character Ramona or Clementine, they will love Penelope too. I hope this author writes more about this fabulous character!
An adorable story about a true-to-life 4th grader who has a huge sense of humor as well as a huge nose. When she discovers that her nose is rather large she decides to try and locate her missing grandfather who apparently has the same large nose. So she becomes a nose detective to try and make her family whole again. Her Grandfather went missing when her father died and Penelope doesn’t know why, she was a baby and nobody talks about him. Even though she has to sneak around and break many of her mother’s rules, she feels finding her grandfather is worth all the punishments in the world.
This is truly a lovely story about a young girl with a wonderful imagination that really makes the best out of every situation. I laughed my way through this book. The language was wonderful as well as the illustrations. Penelope is a young girl that we would all be proud to have as a friend. For those who loved the character Ramona or Clementine, they will love Penelope too. I hope this author writes more about this fabulous character!
August 9, 2013
Penelope Crumb, I assume, is supposed to be a spunky girl out for adventures. She’s the type of child who can embrace the fact she has a large nose, just knowing it must give her super sniffing powers, and who has so much heart and good will she refuses to accept her mother’s decision to stay out of touch with her grandfather. Unfortunately, in spite of these admirable characteristics, I took a personal dislike to Penelope from the beginning of the book and never became endeared to her.
Read the rest of this review at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.
Read the rest of this review at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.
February 2, 2016
I must say this has become one of my favorite children's chapter books. I loved the story, the character, the moral, the learning, and the sweet ending. Penelope loves herself, big nose and all, she looks for and loves her family and shows hoe to be brave.
I do think it is definitely more geared to girls because the main character is a girl but boys could gain from it as well. I love the way the book is written and the many metaphors, similes, and private thoughts we get to read about Penelope and her thoughts. She is such a unique little girl with a creative thinking and artistic personality.
I do think it is definitely more geared to girls because the main character is a girl but boys could gain from it as well. I love the way the book is written and the many metaphors, similes, and private thoughts we get to read about Penelope and her thoughts. She is such a unique little girl with a creative thinking and artistic personality.
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October 1, 2014Full of spunk, determination, heart and self-acceptance, Penelope Crumb sets out on a mission to find her long lost grandfather with whom she shares a highly distinguishing facial feature: the nose. It all starts out with a class assignment to create a coat of arms and uncover something unique about your family. But as Penelope delves into her research and asks questions about her grandfather, she uncovers confusion, hurt and anger surrounding her grandfather’s absence. Can Penelope find her grandfather and reunite her family? What happened to her family’s relationship and is reconciliation possible?
June 10, 2015
"Penelope has a strong, well-defined personality. The book is written with subtlety and wit, particularly when you consider that it is marketed to students in the lower grades. Subtlety and wit are not often seen in books written for those kids. What do I mean by subtlety? Penelope is a first-person narrator who has a host of complaints about her older brother. Even so, we readers can see that the Alien has moments of almost caring for his little sister."
Excerpt from Original Content
Excerpt from Original Content
December 5, 2012
Penelope is a lot like Sara Pennypacker's Clementine--spunky and full of her own ideas about how things in her world should work. While the art is adorable, you find out early on that Penelope is not the kind of girl who would wear pink, much less THREE bows in her hair. A fun read, it starts out feeling a little younger than the fourth grade she's supposed to be in, but her adventures bring her squarely into the fourth grade world. A good read for fans of Clementine and Moxy Maxwell.
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September 29, 2012Charming story of self discovery. Penelope finds out she has a big nose, that her grandfather is not "graveyard dead" and gets an assignment to discover her family history. While I was afraid that it would be similar to other books for this age range, Stout spun an engaging tale that I could not put down. This is the top of my list of recommendations for girls discovering their oversized proboscis or other body conscious protuberances. Hope to have in my own library.
September 9, 2016
"Penelope Crumb" is a book about a 4th grade girl who found out in class one day that she has a big nose. This is a "Crumb Nose" as her mother calls it, which means it came from her dad's side of the family. This book is a fun read about Penelope dealing with her nose and also just her quirkiness in general. It is a fun read that I read with my reading buddy. I think 2nd-4th grade would enjoy this book, maybe ages 8-10. It is an easy read coming from the perspective of Penelope.
February 3, 2015
My niece absolutely loved this story. When asked why she said because it was funny, full of heart, and that she had a magical nose. I asked her if it bothered her that Penelope was on an adventure that may have been something adults should be dealing with. My niece said not really because sometimes kids aren't willing to settle like adults do. She did say it probably wasn't safe that Penelope was doing some of her adventures and it was a book. The humor made up for anything else.
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