Review: Jules, Penny & the Rooster, by Daniel Pinkwater

Jules, Penny & the Rooster, by Daniel Pinkwater

a review by Rich Horton

I've read several of Daniel Pinkwater's novels, both those in the Young Adult and those in the Middle Grade categories, and as I wrote elsewhere, all of theme are at least charming, and some are works of genius. That said, I'd sort of lost track of him -- and after all Pinkwater is in his 80s, so I couldn't be sure he was still writing. But last week at Worldcon I found this book at the Tachyon Books table, and Tachyon publisher Jacob Weisman told me that they have published a couple more Pinkwater novels. Good news!

Jules, Penny & the Rooster fits in the "Middle Grade" category, and is definitely a charming story, if perhaps not quite a work of genius. But a fun read! Jules McSchultz is a ten-year old girl whose family has just moved from an apartment in the city to a house in the suburbs. She misses a lot about her old home, but at least, she is sure, she can finally get a dog. But her parents are still very hesitant, so she responds to a contest advertised in the local paper, offering a purebred collie to whoever sends in the best letter. And, of course, she wins. To be sure, the dog hardly seems purebred, and her parents aren't entirely happy, but Jules and the dog -- whom she names Penny -- bond immediately.

Before long Jules and Penny go exploring (as one does with one's dog!) and the end up in the still wooded area beyond there (quite new) subdivision. This area is decidedly strange, not just because of the rooster who joins them. There are mysterious creatures Jules can see out of the corner of her eye, that Jules' brilliant elder sister Philippa identifies as fauns, and on that ground assumed Jules is either making things up or seeing things that aren't there. There's an ugly old woman who looks like a witch and gladly acknowledges that fact, and who also turns out to know Jules' Aunt Gertrude. And there's a giant -- a 5'10" giant. And much more!

The story turns on how to protect this wonderful secret place from such threats as further expansion of the new housing development, and of course the solution includes stuff like an ancient prophesy that seems to involve Jules red hair as well as her companion wolf, chewed up bubblegum enabling telepathy, fairies, Esperanto, a cool bookshop, pizza, and much more. It is, as I said, plenty of fun, sweet and and amusing -- not a masterwork but a worthwhile novel.