Review Detail

Reader reviewed by LJK

Joey and Mary Alice spend a week each summer with their grandmother, and although the children suspect that they're being sendt away so that their parents can go fishing in Wisconsin, they soon come to cherish their time "in the country." Their Grandma Dowdel is clever, and although her farm hasn't changed much over the years, she can still get the best of the local townsfolk. From the dead body in the first story to Joey's first ride in an airplane, the stories combine humor and adventure, and a surprising amount of warmth.

A Long Way from Chicago is told over the course of seven summer visits, each its own short story, and this method allows Joey and Mary Alice to transform from children into young adults. The passage of time adds a great deal of depth to the stories, and also makes them more than simply a series of amusing anecdotes. The children understand each other, and their grandma, better with each visit, and this reader was as sad as the children when the visits had to end.

Although these stories are certainly appropriate for any age, younger children might be as clueless as the young Joey and Mary when it comes to understanding Grandma Dowdel. This book would be an excellent read-aloud though, and the format would make it perfect as a before bed treat.