The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

Booktalk version: The Penderwicks are on vacation in Maine, but not all of them. Their father is in England, Rosalind, the eldest, is in New Jersey, and the remaining three Penderwick girls are under the care of Aunt Claire in a small town in Maine. As they explore the beach, the woods and the town, they make friends with several other summer visitors. Will Skye be able to keep everyone safe, as the Oldest Available Penderwick, even after a few accidents? Will Jane be able to finish her Sabrina Starr novel, even though she can't get any answers to her questions about romance and love? The Penderwicks may learn that sometimes being apart can bring you closer together in the end

Full-length version: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall is the third book in the Penderwicks series, about a family of girls being raised by their single father after the death of their mother. Many other characters are a part of their extended family, including their Aunt Claire, their friend Jeffery, and various other adults who are drawn into their fun, intelligent, charming family circle.

In this book, the Penderwicks are separated as their father travels to England, and Rosalind, usually the OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick), travels to New Jersey for a vacation. The three remaining Penderwicks, 11-year-old Skye, 10-year-old Jane, and 5-year-old Batty, along with the faithful Hound, are off to a small town in Maine with their Aunt Claire for two weeks on their own.

The family meets other enjoyable characters in their small town, and adventures abound as they explore the beach, the sea, and the woods, all the while thinking of Rosalind and their father while learning to handle situations on their own. Skye worries about whether she is a good leader, Jane worries about whether she has unending writer's block as she tries to learn about romance, and Batty just misses Rosalind but makes a new friend.

The intelligence of these characters, their complex and interesting conversations, and their positive interactions with everyone they meet are charming and enjoyable to read. Their relationships and demeanor remind me of the Little Women books by Louisa May Alcott. This is excellent, intelligent writing, and the reader will want to move into the cottage next door to share the world of the Penderwicks.