When Penny Lowry and her classmates get invited to go to New York City for a weekend hosted by Billy J. Plumberry, the famous author her school is named after, Penny finds a lot to worry about. After all, isn’t the city full of speedy bike messengers ready to run kids over? And what if she gets stuck in an elevator for life? Not to mention all the pianos falling out of windows everywhere.
When it soon becomes clear Billy J. Plumberry has a few surprises in store, can Penny find a way to face her fears in the biggest place she’s ever been?
Author Sara Shepard takes readers back to Penny's world in the fourth installment of the Penny Draws series.
Once again, the highly-illustrated book is written as a letter to Penny's dog. It's a humorous and heartfelt read, with Penny guiding younger readers through some great strategies for dealing with their own worries. Penny as a character is relatable, funny and flawed. She gives readers permission to embrace their own quirks.
The format of the book - with lots of illustrations to break up paragraphs, and short, sharp chapters - will appeal to reluctant readers.
As a series, there are similar themes throughout, including friendship and anxiety, but with slightly different twists and situations in each story. This is the fourth in the series, and while it can be read as a standalone, it would pay to read the earlier releases to understand some of the different relationships Penny has.
Penny Draws A Class Trip is another action-packed story that younger readers, from about age 8 and up, will connect with.
Reviewer: Rebekah Lyell
Text Publishing