Back to List

The Penderwicks at Last

By Jeanne Birdsall
Didn’t Make the List
This book was not added to The Good and the Beautiful Booklist due to the following reasons, which parents may want to consider:
  • Children younger than high school age talking about or being focused on dating, crushes, and/or kissing is made to seem normal and acceptable
  • An unhealthy, shallow view of romance is portrayed as normal and acceptable, such as kissing without any commitment, romance based on physical attraction alone, or promoting the idea that romantic emotions can be so strong you are “unable” to make good decisions
  • Unhealthy family relationships or negative attitudes toward family are made to seem normal, acceptable, and/or humorous
  • It contains talk of fortune telling, seances, witchcraft, casting spells, astrology, and/or tarot cards either in detail or in a way that is made to seem acceptable

Note: most of the books on the Books That Didn’t Make the Booklist list have not been reviewed completely. They may have been reviewed only through a Kindle search and/or through reading sections of the book. The concerns listed may not represent every concern in the book.

Create an Account

Create an account and you’ll be able to access the full book list download, save books to create a customized book list, print, and view a list of books that didn't make the list.

Please note: your account from goodandbeautiful.com is not the same as your goodandbeautifulbooklist.com account. Please create a new account here if you have not done so already.

Discover Clean, Wholesome Books You and Your Children Will Love

Get full access to The Good and the Beautiful Book List when you create your FREE account below. Every book's been pre-screened for rich stories, clean content, and character-building themes.

Which schooling option(s) apply to your family?



Your privacy matters to us. We never share your information.

Please note: your account from goodandbeautiful.com is not the same as your goodandbeautifulbooklist.com account. Please create a new account here if you have not done so already.

Rating System

  • 5Best
  • 4Excellent
  • 3Great
  • 2Good
  • 1Satisfactory

Entertainment Value

All books on our list are chosen to be engaging, but books that rank high in entertainment value may be more appealing to reluctant readers and/or those who are new to good and beautiful books.

Moral Value

All books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List are deemed appropriate and wholesome, but some books have more emphasis on moral principles than others. A lower rating for moral value does not mean the book is inappropriate; it only means that moral values are not as highly emphasized.

Educational Value

Although all books on this list have educational value in the sense of increasing vocabulary and other important skills, the educational value scale is based on how well the book helps the reader gain knowledge about historical time periods, cultures, geography, science, etc.

Literary Value

Books that score high in literary value include exceptional writing, use of literary devices, and a rich vocabulary. All books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List are well-written, but some have a higher literary value than others.

Are you sure you want to clear your book list?

Yes, Clear

No, Keep