The Pepins and Their Problems

by Polly Horvath, Marylin Hafner (Illustrator)

Finalist for the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award

For the Pepins, life is one sticky problem after another. What do you do when you wake up to find toads in all your shoes? Where do you put a dapper stranger who suddenly walks into your house and makes himself at home? How to determine which of your neighbors is in fact a very fine neighbor, and which is an imposter?

Happily, the Pepins have an author with unusually large psychic antennae and great problem-solving readers who can join the Pepins on their hilarious adventures. And they need all the help they can get!

Genres: Humor, Childrens, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Family, Young Adult, Fiction

179 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Polly Horvath is the author of many books for young people, including Everything on a Waffle, The Pepins and Their Problems, The Canning Season and The Trolls. Her numerous awards include the Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, the Mr. Christie Award, the international White Raven, and the Young Adult Canadian Book of the Year. Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She has taught ballet, waitressed, done temporary typing, and tended babies, but while doing these things she has always also written. Now that her children are in school, she spends the whole day writing, unless she sneaks out to buy groceries, lured away from her desk by the thought of fresh Cheez Whiz. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and two daughters.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/pollyh...

Reviews

[Kay Iscah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picture a G rate version of Family Guy, now make it more random and less funny...that pretty much sums up the first half of The Pepins and their Problems. I like kids books. I like funny. I don't mind things that are a little random. But I gave up half-way through the book. There were some good ideas and interesting techniques in place, but the writer was making no attempt to make use of them. Family Guy at least has some consistent archetypal characters; Fat, lazy husband, clever, long suffering wife, Evil genius baby.....sure they have out of character moments, but it doesn't take you long to sort out their personalities. The Pepins have no personalities. We are told the brother is a genius, but he's not smart enough to come up with even basic solutions for the problems they encounter. Their neighbor is a consistently nice guy, but that seems to be about as deep as his personality goes. The rest of the family doesn't even achieve one-dimension.

There may be a six year old who find this hysterical, but over all it's quite skippable.

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a fairly small family, the Pepins seem to have a rather large amount of problems. From frogs in their shoes to a cow that is suddenly producing lemonade to missing cutlery (where did all the forks go???), there doesn’t appear to be an end to the number of problems the Pepins have. But with the help of a telepathically gifted author and projected suggestions from readers from Pottsville, Pennsylvania to Hughes, Alaska and everywhere in between, there seems to be no problem too big that the Pepins can’t solve. That is until a long-lost Pepin arrives who promises to solve ALL of their problems himself. Could this finally be the end to the Pepins’s problems?

This book is outrageous, outlandish, and out and out ridiculous as Polly Horvath delights readers with a story filled with a cow who takes French and algebra lessons, a dog and cat who not only talk, but have been known to fly about in a motorless aircraft, a very fine neighbor, and a not-so very fine neighbor. We see scarf dances, an elaborate neighbor test, an awkward infatuation with a barbershop pole, and a laboratory that would make even Willy Wonka jealous.

The Pepins and Their Problems has a recommended reading age of 8-12, but I fear that a reader over the age of ten will find this book to be too silly and very frustrating at times since some of the problems the Pepins have can easily be solved with a simple question or plain old common sense. This book would be in its element if read out loud allowing young readers to think over and offer up their own solutions.

The thing I love most about Horvath is that she does not write down to her audience (which I seem to say every time I review one of her books) and this is obvious as she tosses out words such as loquaciousness, perspicacious, ruminatively, progeniture, and amalgamation. Definitely have a dictionary close by…you’re going to need it!

Whether they’re stuck on the roof or dealing with a relative who sucks up breadcrumbs through their nose, the Pepins are ever a loving and close-knit family who look upon their problems as blessings in disguise and realize that a happy family already has as many riches as anyone can hope for. Now who, dear reader, could possibly have a problem with that?

We’re now posting videos of some of our book reviews! Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thedustyjacket or on Instagram @tdjreviews and join in on the fun!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm somewhat baffled by the number of negative reviews. I found this to be a delightful book, filled with the silly adventures and problems of the Pepin family. Of course they were ridiculous, outrageous, and mostly impossible, but it was fun My 8 year old son read it first and thoroughly enjoyed it, as well.

(Also, the vocabulary in this book is insane. "Perspicacious." Quick, how many of you know that? I only knew it because I recently read it in "Go Set a Watchman." And had to look it up then.)

[Salsabrarian]

Hilarious! Meet Mr. and Mrs. Pepin, their children Petunia and Irving, their dog Roy, their cat Miranda, their cow Nelly and their "very fine neighbor" Mr. Bradshaw, an inventive snack-food maker who helps solve their various problems, like how to get down off the roof or what to do with the dapper man who arrives unannounced on their doorstep. The author claims to have psychic antennae with which she can receive the thoughts of her readers who send out suggestions for solving the various problems. ("A reader from Grow, Texas, thinks the Pepins should build an identical house...") Knock-out twists of phrases and the author's chatty repartee with her readers make for a funny read that works for kids and adults.

[Ava]

it was such a good book

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pepins and Their Problems by Polly Horvath and illus by Marylin Hafner, published 2004.
Genre: Fiction
Format: Hardcover, Print.
Plot: This book follows the remarkable problems and issues that plague the Pepin family. It follows them as they bumble from one misadventure to another and try to solve the problems they face with help from the telepathic thoughts the author includes from readers as well as their neighbor Mr. Bradshaw. From cows that make lemonade and better neighbor contests to lost family arriving, nobody knows what problem will walk through the Pepin's front door.
Considerations: None.
Review: SLJ Aug 2004.
Selection Source: Christina Jones
Recommended Age: Ages 8 - 10.

[Dayna · Rating 1 out of 5]

ugh truly bad...I couldn't get past chapter two. Just nonsense and not in the good way that I tend to like nonsense. I finally closed the book and declared the characters little idiots...too painful to read further.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the funniest books I have ever read.

[Lu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my gosh. So super boring. Why is most of it like “a reader from this place thinks that” / “a reader from that place thinks this”?

This book Is like a vocabulary lesson or young readers. So many words to learn.
—-

I’m not sure what the reading level is but here are some of the words and phrases that might be new for young readers:

P4 shod

P8 rife
P9 apprised
P12 aswamp
Downspout
P15 naught
P19 pikestaff
P21 contretemps
p24 cotillion
Claret
P34 crestfallen

P36
A happy family already has as many riches as anyone can hope for
Chummy

P37
Dapper
Wonderingly

P40
She was rattled
Meekly
Foray
Asperity
Scuttled

P42
Well, I’ll be darned

P45
Went to the front walk (sidewalk)
P46
Toques
P48
Dust mote
Imperturbably

P49 peckish
P50 perspicacious

P55 not for nothing

P56 iota

P57 remit
Shall relish

P58 quavering
She could be rather cutting
Might I venture

P59
Missive
gingerly
A dearth of things to say
Editorializing

P60
Douse
Dousing

P61
Nostalgically
Deemed
Inconclusive
Eau de cologne
Atomizer
Atomized

P62 we’ll have foiled them

We shall go unriched

P63
Speculations

P65
Miss Hermione Poopenstat

P68
Carbuncle

P70
Diabolically

P71
Mirth

P72
Rhododendrons
Petulant

P74
Emphatically
Conundrum
Enigma
Aardvark

P75
Inhospitable
Ruminatively
Oilcloth

P77
Merest
There are some readers who should give up science as a career goal.

P78
Bric-a-brac

P79
Imply
Indolent
Indigent
Ignorant

Does this imply…of them

Perceptive

Reverently

P80-81
I’ve tried those…basement stairs

P81
Chutney

Well said … just me

Hogwash

P82
Rehotted
Preliminary
donning

P85
Chutes

P87
Gloat
P90
Consolatory
Balmy

P91
Cavorting

P93
Puckered
Drat
—-

P124
Chortled

P125
Booby hatch

P126
Optically illuded

P129
Dregs

Which is why I would prevail upon you

P131
Flibbertigibbets

P132
they plied him

P133
Quaveringly

P134
La belle femme (beautiful woman)

P135
Lithe
Smitten
—
Me. Pepin, like many of the less gentle sex, had a short attention span when it came to romance. Mr. Pepin’s was so short that Mrs. Pepin said it was amazing it had endured long enough to get the ring upon her finger. They loved each other, understand, but Mr. Pepin‘s idea of a romantic evening out was a good steak dinner followed by a hockey game.

P136
Pleadingly

He whipped a rose out of his breast pocket.

Wilted
Mr. Bradshaw‘s skin was positively awash with thorn holes.

P137
manly men in mufti

But what, pray, should I say to a woman?

Reassuringly

I shall trot out

Fortuitous

P138
My ardent feelings

“Perhaps she lies in wait for you,” said Petunia. “Perhaps you have caught her eye as well.”

“Or perhaps she is psychically in tune with you and knows when you approach and positions herself thusly,”

Speculation

a job hawking razors

making a dash for it

P139
You are a saint
Demurred
Paramour
Donned

In case, Mr. Bradshaw‘s object of affection was of a more casual biker – chick persuasion…

P140
A resolute bachelor

Neither wanting to be the one to give voice to such a traitorous thoughts

P142
Knew one had to make allowances

Pick someone animate

vowing that this was the last discouraging mark she would utter on the subject

lured him

said Mrs. Pepin, ralllying

P143
two years past the pull date

These things are relative.

P144
Sat about the family board

Treacle pudding
Inevitably
a genteel manner
British locutions
Pondered

P145
Port (alcohol)
Extenuating circumstances
hopped up on all that treacle

Who thought things might finally be picking up

On the horizon he glimpsed the possibility

P146
Crack of dawn

We do not as yet know

The essence of the hunt

Dapper
meerschaum pipe

P147
catching his drift

Fetch his morning paper

Peering about

Murmured to himself

P148
Writing furiously
Coincide

I believe gentlemen in such circumstances frequently drift about in a fog.

P149
Open mind

Were becoming restive
Tedious

P150
We must roust him.

Barbaric
Ninny
Going about the lawn
“How do you propose we do that?”
“By George, I think she’s got it!”

P151
Amalgamation
What’s for a spot of a walk, eh?

P153
Plausible

There you have it, that’s the ticket, the very swill.

Life’s funny that way.
Devour

P153-154
Under false pretenses

P154
Edifying

light is beginning to dawn

Tuckshops

P155 escorted
Outfitted with a s stunning pair of spectacles
By the great horned spoon
By golly
Tedious
Forbearing

P156
Luncheon
To act on this sentiment
Unrequited
Making allowances for the fact
Sentient
Had declared himself
Good fortune shines on me, for no sooner have my heart recovered from this below then he began to beat anew. at the very moment of rejection, a vision exited the barbershop.

P158
These things creep up on you
Dismay
Eating implements

P159
Prevalent

But it was a new experience for the Pepin’s, who always felt that no matter what happened during the day, the family together around the table at night poured reassuring oil upon the waters.

State of affairs

P163
Once wound up, could go on for quite a while in this vein


Drastic

Nostalgia

P164
Haven
Heeds the call
Trotting over with his pikestaff
Summoned
Intricate

P165
The view was Swell
Charley horse
Uncharitably

P166
Indulge in hyperbole
Hyperbolosity

P168
Frantically
Absentmindedly

P169
Implored
They could get no purchase on Nelly
Irritably
Gloomily
Nuisance
Pondered

P170
Toddle over
Genteel
Weather permitting
Insincere
Spluttering
Faltered

P171
Wearily

P172
Genteelly
Bedouins
Go hither and thither

P173
Radiophone
What are we… chopped liver?
Do not be sour

P174
In a trice

P175
It was a splendid repast
Lazing about

P177
Dust motes
sally forth

P178 ever swift on the uptake

P179 the vast grandeur of the American open road

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again another book I remember fondly from my childhood. Wanting something light to read I picked this book up again and started reading. It was cute and sweet just as I remembered. As a child I loved the fact that the Pepins were to silly to come up with their own problems. I also remember finding the opening bits of the chapter where "the readers" submit their own responses to be quite funny.

As an adult rereading this book I didn't find the opening bits of each chapter as entertaining as I had as a child, in fact I tended to skip over them. I still found the Pepins' problems to be an amusing read although the story is obviously not meant for adults. The plot is cute and would work well to be read to children before bed as some of the chapters are self-contained and others have cliff hangers that move into the next chapter.

Overall, I think it is quite a nice book that would be fun to read interactively with a younger child who might enjoy coming up with their own ridiculous solutions to the Pepins' problems. It isn't a book for a child or adult who doesn't like pure nonsense or doesn't enjoy coming up with wacky solutions to problems.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being in a mood for no-stress fiction, I read this children's book that I found at a book sale. I question whether older kids would enjoy it, but the younger ones might get a giggle or two reading about the well-meaning but clueless family who goes to extremes trying to solve fairly obvious problems. I enjoyed the author climbing all over the fourth wall--talking directly to the reader(s) and commenting on the story. I also thought it was a nice touch that all the family animals spoke (to each other and the family) in English and nobody found it the least bit unusual. Strange book--but entertaining.

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this was a rather curious and entertaining book. Quite clever, actually, and fun to read aloud. It would grow wearisome if it went on much longer, and it's not the sort of thing that one would want to read a lot of. But humorous and engaging. Written as though the author were interacting with the readers and allowing them to guide the progress of the story. The characters and the story itself are also rather farcical, so, all in all, good for a laugh. A fairly fast read, as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first couple of chapters and the last chapter but I have to admit the ones in between became tiresome. After the first couple of chapters I was thinking this would be a perfect funny and clever read-aloud for a classroom, but the middle portion seems to go too far above a kid’s head, I feel. There is a LOT of rich vocabulary (“amalgamation?”) which presented an interesting challenge while reading, but sometimes it was just a bit much.

[Jennifer Wilkey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Completely silly and ridiculous nearly to the point of frustration. However, I did get a few good laughs. We listened to it in the car and it made several hours pass quickly. I think the target age would be 6.

[Joy Slykhuis · Rating 2 out of 5]

A silly book, with the twist that the author is supposedly receiving messages from readers all over Canada, offering solutions to goofy problems like toads in shoes. Not as excellent as I expect from this author, but probably ok for quite young readers.

[Tisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly family with silly problems and silly neighbors - my kids loved it.

[Havebooks Willread · Rating 3 out of 5]

We liked this book fine. It wasn't exceptional, but it wasn't bad either. The author's technique of talking to the reader was a little weird to me.

[Esther · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a strange book which was fun. Was not fan the it was not one big story. Each chapter was a story about the Pepin family

[Molly Vaughan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish reading it. I just couldn’t get into it.

[Thihansa]

A great book for middle schoolers. I love it!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would probably be a fun read aloud, but there just was no plot. Silliness is great but no plot. This book did give me hope that anyone can write and publish a book, so my chances are great.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 2 out of 5]

C-. fiction, children's fiction, family has unusual problems

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chose from display shelf for implication that I'd get humor and a summertime setting. Well, the humor didn't click for me, and summer arrived as the story was ending.

[Hannah Holm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt pointless and too glib.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pepins and Their Problems by Polly Horvath was recommended as a good example of "realistic fiction" for children in first through third grades in Essentials of Children's Literature (p. 159). I chose the book on that recommendation for my "notable books for ages 5 to 8" project.

The Pepin family: Mr. and Mrs. Pepin, children Irving and Petunia, cat Miranda and dog Roy and their "very fine neighbor" Mr. Bradshaw face a series of problems. Whenever they reach a problem they can't solve, they get in contact with the author to ask for advice from her readers. The problems include being stuck on the roof without a ladder, a cow who gives lemonade instead of milk, the arrival of a long lost relative and a neighbor contest between Mr. Bradshaw and retired post office worker, Miss Poopenstat.

The interaction between author and reader is similar to that in The Tale of Despereaux. These back and forth bits between the characters and the reader via the author do a few things. First they teach about narrative conventions by drawing attention to them. Secondly they teach about geography. While the place names seem fictional, they are real and students can be asked to either find them in an Atlas or find them via an online map.

Hafner's line drawings peppered through out the book add to the humor of situation, usually illustrating the most outlandish moment in a chapter.

[Debnance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pepins are always having problems that are so difficult they cannot solve them by themselves. The author, consequently, has to resort to asking for help from the readers. And do the readers ever have solutions!

The book opens with the Pepins facing a difficult problem: The family has woken up to find their shoes filled with toads. They have no idea how to deal with such a problem and so they ask their neighbor. He, unfortunately, is as clueless as the Pepins, and so the author must turn to the readers. Among the many solutions sent in to the author is the correct one: The toads have run out of toadstools and have been forced to sit inside the Pepins’ shoes. The Pepins are urged to run to the woods and find more toadstools in order to lure the toads out of the shoes.

Problem solved. But is the end of problems for the Pepins? Certainly not. In fact, the solutions often lead to further problems.

A zany read I can’t wait to share with the kids at school.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tells the story of the Pepins and the many problems that somehow always seem to happen to them. The book starts with their first problem, the Pepins have woken up one morning to find that their shoes have toads in them and they do not know what to do. They ask their neighbor, who has no ideas or solutions, so they turn to the reader for advice. Polly Horvath uses the reader as the problem solver to the Pepins' problems. This feature is very engaging for children as allows them to be a character of the story. Each of the many problems throughout the book seek advice from the reader and children will love to read and help the Pepins. I think this would be a great story to do as a "think, pair, share" activity and also as a writing assignment that asses students listening and problem solving skills as well. Overall, I thought this was a fun read that children will love.

This is one of my novels used for my book talk/commercial.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange tales featuring a loveable family. They come up with very odd, but humorous solutions to their problems and even if things don't work out as expected, it all comes out good in the end. I enjoyed listening to Julie Halston narrate the tales on audio CD.

interesting quotes (from paperback edition with ISBN13 9780312377519):

"When Mr. Bradshaw sees many cubes with toothpicks in them surrounding a pear, he will say to himself, 'Where there's pear, there must be cheese!'" (pp. 28-29)

"I had at least hoped he would pick someone animate" (p. 142)

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I prefer the dark humor of Horvath's The Canning Season, but this one also made me laugh out loud. The Pepins ("Mr. and Mrs. Pepin, their children, Petunia and Irving; their dog, Roy; their cat, Miranda; and their very fine neighbor Mr. Bradshaw.")find themselves in very bizarre predicaments, and the author calls upon readers to solve the Pepins problems. What do you do when your hot chocolate gets cold? What if you are on a roof and your ladder falls? What rules of etiquette should you follow if a stranger should barge into your house? Quite silly.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

After just a few tracks, I was quite ready to pop the CD out and call it quits. Fortunately I hung on a bit longer, because it did get funny. (The beginning was simply tedious.) The Pepins are a rather unintelligent family from (apparently) a rather unintelligent town, so this does make for some entertaining misunderstandings. My particular favorite (and the dialogue between mother and daughter of the Pepin family here is hilarious) is a conversation about how to tell one's Very Fine Neighbor that the object of his affections is, in fact, a barber pole. That chapter made it all worthwhile.