From the Book Jacket:
Newberry Honor Book 2007
It's 1953 and eleven-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing's that simple for Penny. For starters, she can't go swimming because her mother's afraid she'll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her Nonny cries every time her father's name is mentioned. And the two sides of her family aren't speaking to each other! When it rains it sure does rain, but Penny's learning that like the song says . . . even the darkest clouds may just contain some pennies from heaven.
Inspired by Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm's own Italian American family, Penny from Heaven is a shining story about the everyday and the extraordinary, about a time in America's history when being Italian meant that you were the enemy not all that long ago. But most of all, it's a story about families-about the things that tear them apart and bring them together.
And Holm tells it with the richness and the layers, the love and the laughter of a Sunday lunch at Nonny's. So pull up a chair and enjoy the feast! Buon appetito!
