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A Long Way From Chicago | LitPick Book Reviews
A Long Way From Chicago
A Long Way From Chicago: A Novel in Stories (Puffin Modern Classics)
A Long Way From Chicago
Richard Peck
A Newbery Honor BookA summer they'll never forget. Each summer Joey and his sister, Mary Alice—two city slickers from Chicago—visit Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town. Soon enough, they find that it's far from sleepy...and Grandma is far from your typical grandmother. From seeing their first corpse (and he isn't resting easy) to helping Grandma trespass, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry—all in one day—Joey and Mary Alice have nine summers they'll never forget! "A rollicking celebration of an eccentric grandmother and childhood memories." —School Library Journal, starred review "Each tale is a small masterpiece of storytelling." —The Horn Book, starred review "Grandma Dowdel embodies not only the heart of a small town but the spirit of an era gone by...Remarkable and fine." —Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewA Newbery Honor BookA National Book Award FinalistAn ALA Notable BookAn ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Fiction

Age Level: 

  • 12 and up
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SHC

Mary Alice and Joey go to visit their Grandma Dowdel out in the country each summer for seven years in a row. Each chapter in the book is about there experiences during one of these visits. Over time Mary Alice and Joey realize that their Grandma is not ordinary; she can handle a gun, trespasses, lies, and cheats. There is another side of Grandma Dowdel that they also come to know, she feeds and cares for the hungry, and helps the town when it is in need.

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