Rating: 
Summary: "Everybody's private business is public property."
Review: What a fun read! Peck presents 8 short tales which span several summers in rural Illinois during the Depression, when two kids make annual visits to their eccentric Grandmother. Narrated by the boy (two years old than his sister), these outrageous yarns create a wonderful atmosphere of wacky individualism and family bonding. It would be hard to find a literary granny as feisty, resourceful and fearless of authority as Grandma. Things are never dull when she stirs her stumps to create a mild uproar in that pompous little town. Her nefarious schemes range from a one-woman crime wave to appointing herself Champion of the helpless and downtrodden. Don't get on the wrong side of Mrs. Dowdel--if you value your reputation or your hide! Grandma remains undaunted and unflappable through bizarre but comical events. Peck's tongue-in cheek humor will bring many a chuckle as you are drawn into her slightly-shady activities. This book will delight kids of all ages--a winner, perfect for summer reading!
Rating:
Summary: Funny _and_ touching, a masterpeice!
Review: When I first picked this up from the library, I didn't think that it would be that good, the title isn't that interesting, and the discription that they have on the inside cover dosn't give you half a idea of how good it is. Anyway, it was before we went on a vacation, and all the other books that I'd gotten were packed, so I figured I may as well start reading it, just as something to read with lunch. I found that the stories were much like Baily White's (check her out if you liked this book!!), funny, touching, and, more than that, both have a certain homey-quality to them, very comfortable, safe, but still interesting, because of their strangeness. I highly suggest it, to anybody, I think that saying ages 9-12 is horrible, I think that people of any age would enjoy such a graet book!
Rating:
Summary: Good Book! (From 42 year old reader)
Review: I read this book because my 12 year old son recommended it. I really liked it a lot. Although not full of "action" in the traditional (or kid) way, it is thoughtful, funny, and entertaining. It is also interesting in the way it represents the Depression. Buy it and read it!
Rating: 
Summary: A girl and a boy find life on a farm can be fun.
Review: A girl and a boy learn how important it is to make your own fun.They go to there grandma's house every summer.Each year they go it gets more fun.The first few summers though were not so fun because there was not much to do but work.After a while they started finding things to do.One thing they liked to do was go to the coffee shop in talk.Another favorite activity was when grandma started taking them to lots of different places, such as fairs,picnics,fishing. When grandma brought them places like that they were lucky.So I think it was an okay story.But it could have been better if there was more action and purpose to the book.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly funny
Review: I laughed out loud from the first chapter to the last. Richard Peck is a master at developing memorable characters and at giving the reader a real sense of time and place. After reading this book, who wouldn't love to meet Grandma! Although the book is classed as "young adult," as an adult reader it was one of the most thoroughly enjoyable books I've read in a long while. Thank you Richard Peck!
Rating:
Summary: A Long Way From Chicago
Review: When Joey and Mary Alice Dowdel were sent to their grandma's house every summer for six years, they would experience summers that they would never forget.
A Long Way From Chicago is the story of two kids visiting from Chicago to see their wild and crazy grandma in the Illinois countryside. It takes place in the 1930s at the time of the depression. Every summer when they visit their grandma something strange or exciting happens, making it yet another unforgettable visit. What's so great about this book is that it shows you what it might have been like in a small country town during the time of the depression. What's also great is that every summer their grandma does something adventurous and exciting. Things that bring them nightmares, things that make them smile. A Long Way From Chicago has been awarded the Newberry Medal for being an excellent book for kids. I highly recommend reading this book. Hope you like it!
[...]
Rating:
Summary: Richard Peck is a genius!
Review: I am a big fan of Mr. Peck's writing. He has a way with words that makes him seem like he is fourteen right now, which in reality, he isn't. Now that's talent. The story is about Joey and Mary Alice Dowdel, two kids from Chicago who never have left the city until one summer in 1929. They go for one week to their Grandmother Dowdel's in Cerro Gordo, Illinois. (Which, funnily enough, is just outside Mr. Peck's hometown of Decatur). Strange things happen there, including a mouse in a milk bottle, and living corpses. The story follows them for six years, and then goes to an epilouge of what happens to Joey. This was my first book I read that was from Richard Peck, and I am glad I read it. He has a gift for writing. I recomend the sequel to the book, A Year Down Yonder.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Book to Read
Review: A Long Way from Chicago is one of Richard Peck`s novels.It is a story of two children,a brother & sister, who were visiting their Grandma Dowdel in an Illinois town. And that probably was between 1929-1942. At all these years the children have many strange adventures such as having steal property , helping Grandma fault , the dead man in the coffin ,and catching the sheriff in his underwear. This book contains many interesting parts . For example, "The Mouse in the Milk" , "Things with Wings" , and "Shotgun Cheatham`s" which I liked the most . It has a special atmosphere , when I read it first I was confused but then everything become clear.Generally , A Long Way from Chicago is a good book because it is rich with new vocabulary words for whom interested learning English also it is a comedy and has many funny stories . I recommed reading this book for it`s interest and value.
Rating: 
Summary: Sweet Small Town
Review: The book I read is called A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck. This book is historical fiction and is 148 pages long. Some of his previous books were A Year Down Yonder and Fair Weather. I thought this book was ok, not the best but not the worst.
A Long Way from Chicago is about a boy & his sister who goes to their Grandma's every year. The first summer they were there they didn't want to be there. It turns out that they had a lot of fun fishing. One of the summers at Grandma's they made a pie, went to the county fair, and entered it in the pie contest. Their pie took 2nd place and after that his Grandma tricked a biplane pilot (that was giving free rides to 1st place winners) to give the boy a free ride. Another summer Grandma's town was celebrating the bicentennial and everyone acted like it was the time when the country just started. The town was hosting a talent show and his sister secretly entered in it with this other guy. They danced and took 1st place. Grandma was proud.
I thought in this book the settings were believable. The author wrote so well that you could easily picture the whole thing. For example, the author wrote: "They still had the tin roofs over the sidewalk, and hitching rails."
I thought in this book the characters were believable. The author wrote so well that you could easily picture the characters. For example, the author wrote:"...Grandma, who was getting on in years."
I thought this book was ok, not the best but not the worst. I would recommend this book to you because you could believe this stuff really happened. I'd also recommend it because the plot its self is awesome.
|
