Explore Booth Tarkington books at New West Press.

Booth Tarkington's Penrod and Penrod and Sam find comedy in childhood schemes, friendships, misunderstandings, and collisions with adult expectations. Penrod Schofield's imaginative view of himself often sits some distance from the consequences of his actions. The episodic stories make ordinary neighborhood life a source of elaborate drama. This collection brings the two books together, allowing readers to return to familiar characters across changing escapades. Their early twentieth-century social setting is part of the reading experience, alongside the recognizable energy of children trying to shape a world that adults believe they already control.

Comic writing often depends on the gap between what a character intends and what actually happens. Pay attention to timing, misunderstandings, and the narrator's choice of detail. Reading a scene aloud can reveal a joke that is easy to miss on the page. This selection offers a chance to enjoy the story while noticing the craft behind its humor.