Fifth-grader Penny Lowry is an expert at worrying about everything from “killer” squirrels to falling pianos, but her biggest stressor arrives when her best friend moves away and she has to navigate the social minefield of middle school alone.
Author Sara Shepard, famous for the Pretty Little Liars series, pivots to middle-grade readers with this story about an anxious girl who uses her sketchbook to process her feelings. In this first installment, Penny deals with the typical pressures of fifth grade while managing a “secret” folder of drawings that help her cope with her racing thoughts. The series is a fantastic resource for students who might feel overwhelmed by dense blocks of text, as it currently spans six books, offering plenty of material for readers to settle into Penny’s world.
The series format is a secret weapon for English language learners and students who struggle with reading confidence. Because the books use a diary-style layout filled with Penny’s own “doodles” and simple line drawings, the visuals alleviate the work for the reader. These illustrations provide immediate context clues for Penny’s emotional state, making the 630L Lexile level feel even more approachable. In a classroom, these books are great for starting conversations about mental health and social-emotional learning without being intimidating. As students move from the first book through the next five, the familiar art style and recurring characters—like Penny’s dog Cosmo or her teacher Mrs. Hines—create a sense of predictability that makes each new volume easier to pick up than the last.
Total Books in Series: 6 Best Starting Point: Penny Draws a Best Friend
