The Penny: A Novel Book

"My big sister's temper matched the heat that July. Jean paced the house, as restless as the lynx that prowled its cage at the zoo, and about as moody, too. You could almost see the room get darker when she entered the door."

I requested this book, The Penny by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford through Interlibrary loan because the title fulfilled the Bingo square "a form of money" in a GoodReads group and the book is written by two authors, which fulfills another requirement by the same group. Due to the pandemic, I have already read a book that fulfills both needs, but decided go ahead and read The Penny.

In the early 1950's Jean and Jenny Blake lived upstairs with their parents in a two-story flat in South St.Louis. The girls were on their way to Fox Theatre to watch Grace Kelly in Rear Window when Jenny reached down and picked a penny up off the street, setting off a chain of events that would transform her life and the lives of those around her.

"I'll always remember the summer of the penny. At this point in my life, I'm picking up pennies all the time. But that wasn't the case back then. Not before the penny, the important penny, the one that led me to Miss Shaw at the jewelry store."

Although I did not like Daddy Blake, there were several favourite characters in this story. I liked Jenny, Jean, and Miss Opal Shaw and the kindness and patience she had for Jenny. I liked Aurelia, her little cousin Garland, and her father Eddie Crockett who loved music and playing the trumpet.

The Penny is an emotionally gripping unforgettable story that while addressing issues of the 1950s is still relevant in today's society.
5 GoodReads stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️