A Long Way from Chicago: A Novel in Stories

Love this book!! It is charming and funny! It is the perfect book to read many times! It will always be one of my favorites!!

Thanks to a librarian friend of mine, I've been slowly making my way through a long list of books she recommended, and thanks to her, I've been discovering a new slew of reading material I otherwise would've never given a second glance. Case in point, this short little novel that can be breezed through in an afternoon, yet contains some of the most outrageous and funny stories you'll ever hear about living in the countryside during the early years of the 20th century.Set during the years of 1929 to 1942, during the times of Al Capone, two siblings, Joey, and his younger sister, Mary Alice, are sent during the summer, every year, to spend a week away from Chicago, out in the countryside, with their grandma. But their vacations with her are anything but boring, and grandma is far from your average, quiet homemaker. She's arguably the toughest person in town, and when one spends a day with her, you never know what you're in for. We're taken through nine short episodes as the kids grow up and get into all sorts of misadventures with their grandma, from cheating their way to a free plane ride, feeding some local drifters without getting caught by the sheriff, helping two star crossed lovers elope, and getting back at a group of teenage vandals, among other, even more outlandish schemes.The book does a great job of painting a vivid picture of what life was like back in the olden days. But even reading it today, the audience can still greatly relate to (or at least get a laugh) out of this small town community and its many wacky residents. Everyone knows everyone, and secrets can't be kept for long, least of all, from Grandma Dowel, who's tough as nails and doesn't take kindly to manipulative or stuck up people. And the various situations she gets her grandchildren into are at turns harrowing--at other turns, hilarious, but all end with grandma coming out on top. (My personal favorite being the one about her trying to win a pie baking contest. I won't spoil the ending, but let's just say that sometimes it really IS best not to cheat...)But for all her grit and moxie, it quickly becomes apparent that under grandma's tough exterior, there DOES lie a heart of gold that cares for the decent people in town, such as when she helps two young lovers escape their abusive parents; goes illegal fishing to feed the homeless, and helps a friend to not lose her house. She stands up for what she believes to be right, and isn't afraid to fight for it, whether it's using her wits or her handy shotgun. And as the kids eventually learn, love and care can come in many forms, even if it's not totally visible at first...A fun and lively series of stories, this book is the perfect read for anyone who's either grown up on a farm, or in a small or quiet town. If you've known anyone like Grandma Dowel, then you know you're in for a wild ride.

To my surprise, A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck is a novel told in stories rather than a straightforward narrative. As I began to dip into the stories, I also discovered that the real heroine of this short story cycle isn’t a young person but Grandma Dowdel. Despite not being what I expected, I enjoyed Peck’s touching and funny novel.Eight stories depict several summer vacations as spent by Joey and Alice with their grandmother who lives in a rural Illinois town. The first tale starts with the riveting line, “You wouldn’t think we’d have to live Chicago to see a dead body.” No truth was better spoken for not even the big city crimes of Chicago offered as much excitement to the two siblings than the larger-than-life Grandma Dowdel who tricks a reporter into believing in ghosts, rescues the town from the terror of the Cowgill boys, sets illegal fish traps to feed drifters, bakes a pie to save her town’s honor, comes to the aid of mismatched lovers, outwits a banker, and has a showdown with her closet friend over whose family has the world’s oldest veteran. Each lengthy story is narrated by grandson Joey, as he looks back to share adventures riveting enough to make your heart race and reflective memories of his grandmother that will make you smile. The latter results in poignant lines such as there’s all different kinds of truth and we all grow up faster than we wish.Not only does rural Illinois offer more excitement than Chicago, but Grandma Dowdel is far from your ordinary relative. Whether or not her deceased husband used a twelve-gauge, double-barreled Winchester Model 21 to ducks, it comes in handy more than once against trespassers and supposed ghosts. In front of her grandchildren, she tells whoppers to a reporter and deliberately pretends her milk has been spoiled by neighborhood hoodlums drowning mice in it. She also sets illegal traps to catch catfish and steals a boat from the town sheriff. I could go on, but I’m sure you get the idea from my list that Grandma Dowdel isn’t above playing the part of a con artist or even of breaking the law. Now the truth is she’s kind of like a Robin Hood and all other those outlaws who felt serving the people gave them a right to their actions. Despite being a reclusive, Grandma Dowdel makes it a point to help keep law and order in her community, feed the hungry and homeless, ensure her grandson won his coveted ride on an airplane, and keep the bank from foreclosing on the house of her sworn enemy and friend. Her influence becomes on her grandchildren becomes apparent when they become involved in their own charade.All eight stories are memorable but I have to admit my favorite is “The Day of Judgement”. In this short, the town banker’s wife asks Grandma Dowdel to bake a pie for the country fair. The town wishes to keep their name in front of the public and believes Grandma can do it with her gooseberry pie. To convince Grandma, a ride is even offered to both her and the grandchildren. Grandma spent three busy days preparing for that fair. In the end though, she couldn’t pull off first prize. I like this story best, because it shows a vulnerable side to an otherwise tough woman. The town felt fine with the results, because a second place ribbon still did them well. She however had her pride and her grandson to consider. The first-place winner would win a ride in the airplane and Grandma desired this prize for Joey.This week has given me a promising introduction to Richard Peck, but already I wish to check out more of his writings. To date, I have read his memoir, some of his poetry and short story collections, and A Long Way Home from Chicago. In other words, I still need to regular one of his more straightforward novels.

Read all Richard Peck's stories! We read these to our kids when they were little and now re-read them, out loud, when they are adults for the joy of the tales!

I wasn't sure about the book when I started but a few chapters in drew me in so I couldn't put the book down. It's maybe a book for youth but if you want a fun story while learning bits about the past this is it. I think it's a story for all ages!(By Mrs. Family Guy)

I love this book. I love the characters, the way the stories are told, and I love the peek into a more innocent time.

A Long Way from ChicagoBy Richard PeckAs a reader looking for an easy and enjoyable read, I really loved this novel. I found its characters to be endearing and humorous. This novel did not require very much emotional investment from the reader; which, for me, led to a very relaxing read after a stressful day. This novel's reading level is for readers age 8 and up. This novel's interest level is geared toward a young audience, mostly likely between the ages of 8 and 12. I found that this novel appealed to both boy and girl readers. I think this novel work very well in a classroom setting. It is comprised of a collection of stories about a brother and sister who visit their eccentric grandmother every August during their childhood. It is told from the boy's point of view, but Peck handles this point of view in such a way that it does not turn away girl readers. I really appreciated the light humor and fun stories of a simple childhood. The end of this novel is fitting and does not leave the reader dissatisfied. Overall, for Young Adult readers, I would rate this novel a 4 out of 5 stars because I think that it is a little below the Young Adult interest level.

No soy de los que releen libros pero este lo he releído muchas veces. Una pena que no exista en castellano porque además el nivel de inglés debe ser bastante alto para atreverse con él.El libro cuentas las peripecias de dos hermanos que viajan desde Chicago a la pequeña ciudad de su Abuela durante los veranos de 1929 a 1935. Los hermanos creen al principio que sus padres les mandan a un destino aburrido pero poco a poco van descubriendo que su Abuela no es una simple ancianita, sino más bien una mujer valiente capaz de impartir justicia allá donde haga falta. Una novela llena de ingenio y humor.

A charming book adults will enjoy reading to children. This novel has funny situations, and memorable characters.Good values are taught in a humorous way: What happens when you don't tell the truth? Loving a grandparent. Is cheating a good way to win? Kindness. How to enjoying the simple things in life. Buy "A Long Way From Chicago" and ENJOY!

Lighthearted, funny, and very entertaining. Loved it.

内容的には、他の人が書いているように豪快なおばあちゃんとの、夏ごとの体験をつづった楽しいお話です。　ただし、英文は子ども向けのせいか、分からないところが結構あります。気にしなければ問題ないと思いますが。　また、148ページに7話＋αなので、長編が好きな人には物足りないと思います。