Barbara Ann Falucci (Penny)

Penny is an eleven-year-old girl who loves the Brooklyn Dodgers. She was told that her nickname came from a Bing Crosby song and that because her father loved the singer, the name just stuck. Penny doesn't mind. She's been called Penny for so long that sometimes she forgets that her birth certificate actually says something else. Besides, she's glad they didn't name her after another one of his songs. She could have been called Clementine instead. Her father died when she was just a baby, and as a result, Penny thinks a lot about death and what happens to you when you die. She's heard rumors of clouds and angels, and had discussions about wings, but basically, she thinks Heaven is where there are swimming pools everywhere, a steady supply of butter pecan ice cream and the Brooklyn Dodgers never lose. The best part about...