Penelope Lumley is a fifteen year old graduate of the Swanburne School for Poor Bright Females. Yes, she's an orphan – it seems all the best stories are written about them! She's also extremely smart and highly resourceful. In the first book, The Mysterious Howling, she accepts a job as a governess with Lord and Lady Ashton of Ashton Place.
Penelope knows nothing of the children before she takes the job, only that any potential governess, "must love animals." Penelope loves ponies and dogs and all kinds of animals. When she arrives, however, she discovers her charges are three feral children who were taken out of the woods less than a week earlier and are currently sleeping in the barn. Then she discovers she must have them ready to be presented to a Christmas ball only two months away. She immediately sets to work, using the words of Agatha Swanburne (founder of her school) to guide her, and gets the children bathed and into clothing - she has to get one of the young male servants to demonstrate to the two boys how to put on pants – apparently it's harder than it looks.
The new governess sets about teaching the three, Alexander, Beowolf, and Cassiopea to speak English, learn poetry, and use basic skills for eating and manners. Her ground breaking squirrel desensitization program, intended to prevent the children from chasing and eating squirrels, could almost be called revolutionary.
In the end, it seems someone is trying to sabotage Penelope's efforts, which may put the children in grave danger as Lord Ashton and his friends are particularly fond of hunting and not very concerned with the species of their prey!
Penelope knows nothing of the children before she takes the job, only that any potential governess, "must love animals." Penelope loves ponies and dogs and all kinds of animals. When she arrives, however, she discovers her charges are three feral children who were taken out of the woods less than a week earlier and are currently sleeping in the barn. Then she discovers she must have them ready to be presented to a Christmas ball only two months away. She immediately sets to work, using the words of Agatha Swanburne (founder of her school) to guide her, and gets the children bathed and into clothing - she has to get one of the young male servants to demonstrate to the two boys how to put on pants – apparently it's harder than it looks.
The new governess sets about teaching the three, Alexander, Beowolf, and Cassiopea to speak English, learn poetry, and use basic skills for eating and manners. Her ground breaking squirrel desensitization program, intended to prevent the children from chasing and eating squirrels, could almost be called revolutionary.
In the end, it seems someone is trying to sabotage Penelope's efforts, which may put the children in grave danger as Lord Ashton and his friends are particularly fond of hunting and not very concerned with the species of their prey!
In the second book, The Hidden Gallery, Ashton Place is being renovated due to the damage caused by the children (completely not their fault!) at the end of the first book. Unable to live in such squalor, Lady Ashton moves the entire house to luxurious rented accommodations in London. Penelope tries to teach the children about art, architecture, theatre, and all things that are plentiful in London. Again, her plans are thwarted and much danger and merriment ensue. The origins of the children, and even Penelope herself, begin to come into question.
Katherine Kellgren, who narrates part of the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, does a smashing job narrating this story and as the prim, proper, and oh so practical Penelope Lumley she is fantastic!
I downloaded both of these books from Library to Go. I liked them so much I also bought the print and CD versions for my library. I couldn't find samples on the Listening Library or Harper Audio sites so you'll have to listen to them at Library to Go, or take my word for it that they're just plain awesome.
Listen Up!
The Mysterious Howling, (5 hrs, 27 mins), Listening Library, (2010)The Hidden Gallery, (5 hrs, 57 mins), Harper Audio, (2011)
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