The Penny Whistle B.J.Hoff

Readers Name: Michelle Sherwin

Grade: 12th

Book Title: The Penny Whistle

Author: B.J. Hoff

This story begins with a slightly ill school teacher coming to a small town to teach students there. He had not brought a lot with him and did not have much money so he fit in with the poverty of the town he was teaching in. He did not get a very good welcome from the towns people when shortly after he had moved there his silver flute was stolen. He had many different kinds of children in his class. A sickly little girl, many very poor people, several sets of siblings and even the town doctors daughter. He cares for all of them and takes note of everyone and how each of them are. His health begins to decline more rapidly when, despite the towns attempts to search for the silver flute, they come up empty handed. One of the girls suggests that the whole class take up a collection to buy a new flute and to get the help of their parents and take extra jobs on as they could to make the money for the flute. They had gotten close to raising enough to possibly make a down payment on the flute when a widow had been found and it was discovered that she had not eaten for days and had no coal for the fire. At the same time there was a family from the school whose mother had just had a child and they were both very ill and close to death. With this their teacher asks them to donate whatever they can, but no one has anything to give because all of their money has gone towards the flute. There is a debate over what to do with the money. Should they continue to try to get a flute or should they forfeit their money to give it to those who need food and medicine? Find out what the children decide in The Penny Whistle. 

There were several things that I liked about this book. One of my favorite things was the fact that this book was centered so largely around religion. Throughout the entire book both the children and their teacher get inspiration from scripture. Another thing that I like is how much each person depends on one another to help them through everything. I did not care for the simplicity of the story line at times because there were times where it was very easy to see what was coming, but it was always followed by a twist in the story that helped it to move along. 

I picked up this book because it was a book my great grandma had loaned to me and eventually gave to me many years ago. I had read it once when I first got it, but had not read it since. I ran across it a while ago and decided I should read it again for the sake of remembering both the story and my great grandma. 

 I finished the book because with every new and sometimes expected event there was always a twist to pull me along and see what was going to happen next.

I'd give this book to someone who truly enjoyed older literature and an older time setting. I would give it to someone who enjoyed reading the scriptures as well since this has many references both directly and indirectly to it. 

My rating for this book is : *****