Penny, Caida del Cielo

Touching and multilayered, this novel tells the story of Penny, an 11-year-old Italian American living in 1950s New Jersey who is looking forward to a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. Penny's idyll is shattered by several events, though. First, her mother starts dating the milkman. Then, Penny's arm goes through the wringer on the washing machine. Finally, details about her father's death, which her family has refused to discuss until this point, begin to...
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Touching and multilayered, this novel tells the story of Penny, an 11-year-old Italian American living in 1950s New Jersey who is looking forward to a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. Penny's idyll is shattered by several events, though. First, her mother starts dating the milkman. Then, Penny's arm goes through the wringer on the washing machine. Finally, details about her father's death, which her family has refused to discuss until this point, begin to surface. This clearly drawn tale eloquently describes the intricacies of family life. Conmovedora y multidimensional, esta novela relata la historia de Penny, una italoamericana de 11 años viviendo en Nueva Jersey en los años 50 que mira con anticipación un verano lleno de helado de pecanas con mantequilla, natación y béisbol. Sin embargo, el idilio de Penny es interrumpido por varios eventos. Primero, su madre empieza a salir con el lechero. Entonces, el brazo de Penny se tranca en el escurridor de la lavadora. Finalmente, algunos detalles sobre la muerte de su padre, sobre el cual su familia ha rehusado hablar hasta este punto, empiezan a salir. Este cuento bien trazado describe elocuentemente las complejidades de la vida familiar.