Penelope Crumb
Guides by Deb – Keeping your books in the hearts of young readers and in the hands of those who care for them.
The guide linked below was created by Debbie Gonzales, MFA. Deb is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator and adjunct professor, and once served as a SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter. She's the author of six “transitional” readers for a New Zealand publisher and the forthcoming non-fiction picture book Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). Deb earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Are you interested in discussing a reader’s guide project? If so, click here. Deb’s eager to hear from you!
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Penelope Crumb
Author: Shawn Stout
Illustrator: Valeria Docampo
ISBN: 9780399257285
Publisher: Philomel Books
Synopsis: Penelope Crumb is no ordinary fourth grader. She carries around a red toolbox that used to belong to her father (who's been dead since Penelope was a baby), she keeps a list for the government chronicling the many ways in which her brother is turning into an alien, she helps her home-schooled neighbor Littie with her many projects--including the construction of a marshmallow helmet--and also, she can draw pretty much anything. So when her best friend Patsy has to draw a picture of Penelope for class, she attributes the big nose Patsy gives her to Patsy's poor art skills. But then Penelope finds out that it's true She "does" have a big nose Just like her Grandpa Felix, who's been gone from her life since before she can remember. What follows is a sweet and funny story--with tons of heart and hijinks-- about Penelope finding her grandpa and using her big nose--and his big nose--to make her family whole again.
