6 h 37 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 162 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 162 pagesAbout this book
What if every plan to win admiration only gives the grown-ups another reason to shake their heads?
Penrod Schofield wants to be a hero, not a model child. In Booth Tarkington’s comic novel, this restless schoolboy turns life in a small Midwestern town into a string of schemes and scrapes. With Sam Williams beside him and his loyal dog Duke nearby, he chases glory while trying desperately not to become a laughingstock.
At home, Mr. and Mrs. Schofield struggle to understand their son, while his older sister Margaret has little patience for him. Beyond the house wait schoolrooms, backyard adventures, rivals, and the puzzling attractions of Marjorie Jones. Each episode brings another collision between Penrod’s private rules and adult expectations, told with affection and an amused eye for his mistakes.
What you’ll discover
- Glory meets bad judgment Follow a would-be hero whose grand ambitions keep turning into trouble.
- Family life under strain Meet loving parents who find their son's restless imagination both baffling and exhausting.
- Friends, rivals, and dares Join Sam Williams and Penrod as friendship gives their schemes room to grow.
- The awkward first crush Watch Marjorie Jones stir feelings that leave even this bold dreamer puzzled.
- A town seen from childhood Wander through porches, alleys, and backyards with a narrator alert to boyhood's strange logic.
Is it for you?
This book suits readers who like gentle, observant comedy and early twentieth century American small-town life, and anyone who remembers being a boy or raising one. You may find it less suited if you want a tight plot, since it moves by episodes, and some period attitudes will jar.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Penrod is a boy, not a model
- Home is a place of constant friction
- Dreams of glory always go wrong
- Friends, rivals and a first crush
- The town and its attitudes
- A comedy told with love and irony
Who’s who
- Penrod SchofieldA restless schoolboy of about twelve who longs to be admired and keeps landing in trouble through his own schemes.
- Mr. and Mrs. SchofieldPenrod's parents, loving but often baffled and worn out by their son's behavior.
- Margaret SchofieldPenrod's older sister, busy with her young admirers and annoyed by her little brother.
- Sam WilliamsPenrod's close friend, a partner in dares and plans.
- Georgie BassettA neighborhood boy who is part of Penrod's circle.
- Marjorie JonesThe girl who draws Penrod's awkward and puzzled affection.
- Rupe CollinsA tough neighborhood boy whose bullying forces Penrod to decide how to act.
- DukeThe Schofield family dog and Penrod's loyal companion.
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- Large-print eBook
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- Audiobook
- 6 h 37 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 162 pages: USD 8.95 when you start free, USD 14.95 on its own.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 162 pages: USD 15.95 when you start free, USD 21.95 on its own.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Language: English
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6
Penrod is a boy, not a model
Penrod Schofield is the center of everything in this book. He is a schoolboy with a messy, restless mind, and he is rarely clean for long. He does not set out to be wicked. He sets out to do what seems interesting at the moment, and the consequences arrive afterward.
Tarkington gives Penrod a hidden inner life that grown-ups in the story never see. Adults look at him and see a nuisance who needs correcting. The reader sees a boy with feelings as large as any adult's, only pointed at different things. A bad word, a dare, a stray idea or a bit of attention can send him off on a fresh scheme.
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The author
Booth Tarkington
1869–1946 · American novelist
Booth Tarkington was an American novelist born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1869. He lived in Indianapolis and spent summers in Kennebunkport, Maine. He wrote Penrod (1914), Seventeen (1916), The Magnificent Ambersons (1918), and Alice Adams (1921). He also wrote plays. He died in Indianapolis in 1946.
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What is Penrod about?
Penrod follows a mischievous boy of about twelve in a small Midwestern town. The book is a series of comic episodes involving his family, friends, school and a bully, showing how he gets into and out of trouble.
When was Penrod written?
Booth Tarkington published Penrod in 1914. It is a work of fiction, though it draws on the author's memories of boyhood in a Midwestern town in the early twentieth century.
Is Penrod a children's book?
It is about a boy and has often been enjoyed by young readers, but it was written for a general audience. Its narrator's ironic, formal voice is aimed as much at adults who remember being children.
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