Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

Set in 1953, this tells the story of eleven year-old Penny. Centered around the lives of an Italian-American family, it is inspired by the author's own memories of growing up during this era. At times I laughed out loud, however there were also many sad moments. I really enjoyed reading this - in fact I finished it in a day! Would definitely recommend - it would be a great novel to share with a senior school class.