Penny, The Review Group's reviewer Penny for Your ThoughtsThe Review Group
Self-help ✦ Penny’s Take

When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree

Jamie L. B. Deenihan · 2019
84/100
👍 Worth It

Deenihan takes a worn-out proverb and makes something genuinely fresh: a girl who spends a whole year tending a lemon tree — not just making lemonade — and then surprises you with what she does with the money. The Kirkus starred review is earned. Rocha's bold illustrations reinforce the community payoff visually. This is one of those picture books adults will enjoy reading aloud as much as kids enjoy hearing it.

✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety98
substance80
craft85
originality80
accuracy88
hype85
age-fit90
human-eye88
Penny’s verdict84
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