In "Pinky Pye", the Pye family adds another member. A furious black kitten abandoned on their doorstep endears itself to the whole family--even Ginger--and foreshadows another addition to the Pye family that will change their lives forever.

Pinky Pie is a busy black kitten. The Pye family found her on the stoop of the Eyrie, the cottage they were staying at on Fire Island for the summer. Pinky had been abandoned, but decided she could live with the Pyes.

The Pyes are not your average family. Papa is a well-known and respected ornithologist with a wife, son – 10 year-old Jerry, daughter – 9 year-old Rachel, Ginger the dog and Gracie their cat. Along with the family is 3 year-old Uncle Bennie – Mrs. Pye’s brother. Each has their own unique intelligence and Pinky with her own is a perfect fit.

Uncle Bennie has a love of crickets and grasshoppers and keeps a few as pets. He puts them up in the secret room in the eaves to keep them safe from the cat and dog. After a big storm, he find them missing in the morning. He catches more and the same things happens again. Very strange.
Rachel is intent on discovering a new species of bird, to help her Dad.

Meanwhile, Pinky is secretly writing her meditations on Papa’s typewriter.

Written in the 1950s, it is a simple and entertaining read from another time. Eleanor Estes is known for her award winning books for children, but adults can enjoy them too…taking a break from the adult world of books. ( )

Like its predecessor Ginger Pye, this book is ok but nothing amazing. The author had a cute idea, but her rambling style of writing frustrated me more than anything. ( )

The Pye family is back, with nine (almost ten) year old Rachel, brother Jerry who is ten, Papa who is a famous ornithologist or bird man, Mama, three (almost four) year old Uncle Bennie, cat Gracie, and very smart dog Ginger. Mr. Pye has an assignment to do a study of birds on Fire Island, so he takes the whole family with him and rents a cottage appropriately named The Eyrie from Mrs. A. A. Pulie. While there, the Pyes adopt a little black cat with one white paw whom they name Pinky. And what is amazing is that Pinky knows how to type! However, Papa’s friend Hiram Bish, another famous bird man, and his wife are sailing on the S. S. Pennsylvania near Fire Island and during a terrible storm lose their rare pet owl, one of the smallest in the world, when it is blown out of Mrs. Bish’s hands by the wind.
Meanwhile at The Eyrie on Fire Island, Pinky is earning a place in the Pyes’ hearts by boxing with Ginger, playing games with Mr. Pye, watching Uncle Bennie collect crickets and grasshoppers, and, of course, typing her meditations. Then after the storm, first Gracie, who has been sitting on the porch roof and looking at the attic window, then Rachel, and then Pinky all start watching something that is moving around in the attic of The Eyrie, but they can’t quite make out what it is. Uncle Bennie is putting his crickets and grasshoppers in the attic to sleep at night, but in the morning they’re gone and their box is poked through with holes. He thinks that maybe they are poking their way out and escaping. What is happening to them? What or who is in the attic? And what kind of meditations will Pinky type?
This delightful story, the sequel to the Newbery Medal winner Ginger Pye, was an ALA Notable Book. As the owner of several cats through the years, I can testify that the author captures the personality of a cat perfectly in her portrayal of Pinky. There is very little that might be considered objectionable—a reference to the ages of rocks when the earth broke away from the sun millions of years ago and a few instances of pipe and cigar smoking. What I like is that the Pyes are a family that, while a little quirky, really love each other and are not afraid to show that love. “Rachel’s heart swelled up with love for her father” (p. 126). The Pyes are also friends with the Moffats who are the subjects of four other children’s novels by Eleanor Estes: The Moffats, The Middle Moffat, Rufus M., and The Moffat Museum, two of which were Newbery Honor books. ( )

Another great book by Eleanor Estes, we laughed a lot with this story. Pinky is by far the most interesting member of the family! "She is adorable, lovable, enchanting and fascinating. A whole book could be written about her and has been. Look in the library for it. Don't skip a word of it, it's all true." -a quote from Pinky Pye about Pinky Pye from the book Pinky Pye. ( )