Customer Reviews

The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush

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I bought, "The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush" as a birthday gift for my good friend's ten year old daughter. She likes adventure stories and this book looked like it would fit the bill. Well, after the party when her friends had left and it had quieted down a bit, I saw my friend's daughter reading the book. I asked her how it was and she said, "great." So I asked her to read me a few pages out loud. She insisted that she go back to the beginning so that I'd know what was going on. She ended up reading me the whole first chapter, and I have to say that I after that I was hooked. I went back to the bookstore, bought a copy for myself and read it all the way through.
"The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush" by Sally Jones Rogan is a wonderful book not only for kids but I would say also for adults. It is a smart, old fashioned adventure story with a lot of twists, mystery, and cliff hangers that keep you turning pages even after you'd convinced yourself that you were going to stop reading on the next page. It is wonderfully written and the illustrations are quite good. My friend's daughter loved it and has already started her second read through.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone with kids, (probably ages 9 and up), as one you can read with them and enjoy just as much as they do.

I was quite surprised to find myself, an adult, caught up with the story and unable to put down this book. It is easy to read, has alot of twists, and most of all allows my imagination to seamlessly fly away with the characters as i use to as a young reader! The illustrations were very good, although i wished they were in color. I especially liked the map because i made reference to it repeatedly throughout the story. Pre-teens would enjoy this book because the story line keeps one interested and curious from one chapter to the next! I hope there is another daring adventure for Penhaligon, Bancroft, Lady Ferball, Rowan and even Sir Derek!

S. Jones Rogan's THE DARING ADVENTURES OF PENHALIGON BRUSH is a fantasy animal saga on the level of Watership Down or Redwall - but with young adult readers in mind. One Penhaligon Brush here finds himself in for more adventure than he wishes when he's captured by a band of armed ferrets, locked in Ferball Manor's dungeons, then thrown to his death in the sea. Upon rescue he discovers the dangers have only just begin in this hard-hitting saga of adventure.

I bought the book for a nephew and ended up reading it myself and thoroughly enjoying it. There's plenty of page-turning adventure and plenty of well-drawn memorable characters. The story is set in pre-industrial England and the author imparts an excellent sense of place with her descriptions of villages and countryside. The book is strong on values as both the hero, Penhaligon, and heroine, Rowan, grow as persons as the story unfolds. The plot is cleverly designed and has plenty of excitement for adventure readers. We both enjoyed the book and I for one, couldn't put it down until I finished it at 1:00 AM in the morning. Highly recommended for readers 9 years or older but it's a story that could be read by parents to younger children.

For younger readers, this is a good adventure story with a mystery - why did Penhaligon's parents abandon him? It deals with the issue of prejudice and involves a popular rebeliion against a tyrannical overlord. One sword fight (no deaths) - most of the rebellion comes through mischief - itching powder and sleeping draughts.

No objectionable language. Adoption/foster families presented in a positive light. 230 pages, pencil sketch illustrations, lovable characters.

Reason for Reading: Read aloud to the 9yo. Both my son and I love animal fantasy and the plot sounded like it would be something we would enjoy.

Summary: Penhaligon Brush is the town's apothecary. When he was just a cub his parents left him in the care of a Badger family but never came back, so he was raised as a member of that family. When Penhaligon receives a message from his brother Bancroft Badger to come to Porthleven right away, he hurries off. But when he arrives, Penhaligon finds that the village is under the cruel dictatorship of Lady Ferball's nephew, Sir Derek. Lady Ferball is apparently ill and hasn't been seen since his arrival while Bancroft has been arrested and thrown in the dungeon! Trying to see reason with Sir Derek, Penhaligon himself is sent to the dungeon and here he finds out about Sir Derek's diabolical plans to shipwreck the coming princess of Spatavia so he and his ferret army can capture all the gold and other riches aboard. Penhaligon, Bancroft, Lady Ferball and her companion Rowan along with the clandestine help of certain villagers set out to foil Sir Derek's plans and free the village from his clutches.

Comments: Both my son and I thoroughly enjoyed this. Set in a medieval world the book has a "Redwall" aura to it but aimed at a much younger audience. The separation of good and evil is very clear; the good characters are always good and the bad are not just bad but downright nasty. We both fell in love with a secondary character called Hotchi-witchi, a hedgehog, who ends up joining the gang. He's a brave little guy despite his fears and very comical. My son also enjoyed Old Amon, the lighthouse keeper, who didn't say a lot but when he did he had the habit having say "oh, aye" all the time. Ds asked what it meant and being from Yorkshire myself I admit to putting on a bit of a broad accent when reading Old Amon's lines so we had ds going around for days saying "oh, aye" to everything!

The story is a lot of fun. Plenty of action and adventure right from the start and non-stop until the end. The book is profusely illustrated with wonderfully detailed drawings. Not only are there full page illustrations in every chapter but there are also illustrations on the bottom or along the side of some text pages as well. You can't go four or five pages without next coming upon an illustration. This will certainly make the book friendly to kids who are reluctant to read picture-less chapter books. The book ends properly with a complete ending but does suggest a sequel which indeed there is, The Curse of the Romany Wolves. We will be reading that in the not too distant future. Recommended.

The adventures of Penhaligon kept us on the edge of our seat--wanting to read just a few more pages to see what would happen. Boys as well as girls will LOVE the exciting book--lots of fast action, vivid descriptions and a book for both adults and children to enjoy. We highly recommend this book and its sequel to anyone who wants a book that will get the most reluctant reader asking for more. It's a book with good morals, lessons and sparks the imagination of both young and old! What a joy to find a book that parents will enjoy just as much as their children will love!

Penhaligon Brush is a quiet young fox, the trusted apothecary of Ramble-on-the-Water. Little does he know that a letter from his brother will draw him into danger and adventure, and provide the answers to his questions about his own mysterious past.

THE DARING ADVENTURES OF PENHALIGON BRUSH follows Penhaligon as he sets out to the seaside village of Porthleven after he is summoned by his brother Bancroft. Bancroft's undated letter states that he has important information for Penhaligon. Upon Penhaligon's arrival, the village is dark and spooky, and the only creature out in the rainy night is a hunched and slimy monster with bright yellow eyes. When Penhaligon is pulled in from the cold and wet night by a hedgehog named Hotchi, he learns that the ailing Lady Ferball is held prisoner in her own castle by evil nephew Sir Derek, who, along with his army of ferrets, has occupied Porthleven. But all is not as it seems.

Penhaligon, Hotchi, Bancroft, Lady Ferball and her companion fox Rowan --- along with a couple of young Romany wolves and Hotchi's clever daughter Hannah --- hatch a plan to free the village just in time to save a Spatavian ship carrying a princess and treasure from Sir Derek's dastardly clutches. The shy Penhaligon now finds himself crawling though secret passageways, concocting sleeping potions, disguised as a ferret soldier and even swordfighting to save his friends, all of Porthleven and Princess Katrina.

S. Jones Rogan's tale has all the requisite elements for a great adventure: good guys and bad guys, mix-ups and clever plans, an orphaned hero and narration both witty and exciting. Penhaligon is likable, humble and brave. An orphan raised by Bancroft's mother, Mrs. Brock, and educated by the mysterious Menhenin, Penhaligon's story is also one of family, identity and overcoming prejudice. Christian Slade's black and white drawings nicely complement Rogan's charming tale. Young readers are sure to be both transported by this old-fashioned adventure and happlily challenged by some of the vocabulary.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman