Summaries

Synopsis

Penrod Schofield, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Schofield, has a reputation for getting himself into trouble. With the aid of his "lieutenant" Sam Williams, Penrod organizes the American Boys' Protective Association (ABPA) to protect the independence of boyhood and repeal the curfew laws.

Thus begin a series of incidents. Penrod breaks up an amateur theatrical show entitled "The Children's Pageant of the Table Round," staged by the socially prominent Mrs. Laura Rewbush. He dons a costume made up of his father's used red flannels, and when the costume starts to unravel, the stage director yells "Curtain," after which a fight ensues backstage. Penrod attends a performance of "The Curse of the Drink" at the local opera house, and the next day when he falls asleep in school and is rudely awakened by his teacher, he tells a weird story of abuse between his aunt and uncle caused by drink. This leads to a visit at the woodshed. The boys stage a circus and a temperamental mother breaks up the show. Penrod is forced to attend a dancing class and ends up with the youngest girl in the class for his partner.

Penrod makes himself so obnoxious to his sister and her suitor that the young man gives Penrod two dollars to "clear out." Rupe Collins, the town's tough boy, visits the ABPA and bullies the gang until he runs afoul of Herman and Verman, The two boys dispatch the bully using scythes and lawn mowers.

The leading citizens of the town have determined that the ABPA must be destroyed. But when Penrod and his gang help capture two notorious bandits who have been terrorizing the neighborhood, all is forgiven.