Pennington's Seventeenth Summer

by K.M. Peyton

Book Overview

Forced to go to school one more year to graduate, sixteen-year-old Pennington seems alternately bent on proving he is the thug most of his teachers consider him and the gifted pianist the music master... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192713183
• ISBN13: 9780192713186
• Release Date: January 1970
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 5 Pages

Customer Reviews

A book which stays with you long after you are through.

This was an incredible book, the first one I read in the Pennington/ Ruth series. The characters were almost painfully true to life; Penn as a talented thug and Bates...especially stood out for their complex characters. It was difficult for me to read this book since I have known people very similar to Penn and co., and it was hard to suffer with them through their difficult last year of school until they developed the beginnings of an adult self- awareness. An inspiring read, true-to-life characters and a solid, realistic plot. Written for teens, but it almost takes an adult perspective to really appreciate the subtleties of the character's personalities and actions.

One of my all-time favourites!

I read this book when I was 15 and it still brings back good memories every time I think about it. I am quite sad that it is out of print - it is essential 'young adult' reading! Pennington's story was compelling and I really loved the fact that this big, strong 'lout' could play the piano so brilliantly. I finished the book in one sitting and didn't want it to end. It is also very very funny in some parts. If you want a humourous and heartwarming story about a 17-year-old boy (whose genius at playing the piano gets him out of almost all his scrapes) and his friends, then hunt this book down and enjoy it!

Doesn't This Sound A Bit Familiar?

Long ago I read this book and it fits into the collection of well-written and compelling books about unhappy teenagers that S.E.Hinton starred in during the 1980s. While "The Outsiders" went on to be a film and a standard Year 9 text, amazingly Pennington has been neglected!Pennington is a seventeen year old, in Year 11 - one year beyond compulsory schooling. He's continuously in trouble, although he cops the blame for a lot of things he doesn't do. It seems the world of adults is against him, and all he can do well is fight, football and play the piano. Does that seem an odd collection? It certainly does to him, but as his screaming parents, nagging teachers and interfering strangers keep telling him, he's an excellent pianist - if only he can stay out of prison long enough to grow up and realise it.So, this is a book about growing up, realising who you are, and facing reality. It manages to refrain from being heavy, makes Pennington out to be a great but misunderstood guy (despite his bursts of thuggery and pig-headedness), and well worth finding and reading whether you're fourteen (like I was when I first read it) or closer to thirty than you'd like.Excellent book, not hard to read, British based but not noticeably so, and not at all soppy.