THE LONELY PENNY

A lost penny crosses paths with several people before finding her forever home in McClantoc’s picture book.

Penny is a coin languishing on the street under discarded newspapers and thoughtless footsteps. She wishes that she was wanted “as much as a dollar.” Luckily, a child finds Penny, wishes for ice cream, and tosses the coin into a fountain. There, Penny relaxes, feeling that she’s done some good. An older man then scoops Penny up to check his tire treads and help a different child purchase dog toys. With each move, Penny’s confidence grows, but a jump from the pet store’s cash register to a mysterious purse rattles her: “I don’t understand. / I thought that I mattered! / But I’m in a strange place / with things that are scattered!” However, this last move is everything she’s ever wanted. Told in rhyming couplets, McClantoc’s tale shows how community connections can make one feel treasured. The typography effectively mirrors her words, as terms like “flowing” and “tall” bounce and stretch in small ways to clarify their definitions. Peek’s full-color cartoon illustrations help to give Penny and other coins distinct personalities. Most human characters are depicted with pale skin tones; a woman and child at the pet store are portrayed with brown skin.

A sweet, simple tale about finding a place to belong.