Synopses & Reviews
One of children's literature's most memorable characters returns in this Christmastime companion to the Newbery Medal-winning A Year Down Yonder and Newbery Honor-winning A Long Way from Chicago.
The eccentric, larger-than-life Grandma Dowdel is back in this heart-warming tale. Set 20 years after the events of A Year Down Yonder, it is now 1958 and a new family has moved in next door: a Methodist minister and his wife and kids. Soon Grandma Dowdel will work her particular brand of charm on all of them: ten-year-old Bob Barnhart, who is shy on courage in a town full of bullies; his two fascinating sisters; and even his parents, who are amazed to discover that the last house in town might also be the most vital.
As Christmas rolls around, the Barnhart family realizes that theyve found a true home, and a neighbor who gives gifts that will last a lifetime.
Pitch-perfect prose, laced with humor and poignancy, strong characterization and a clear development of the theme of gifts one person can offer make this one of Pecks best novels yetand thats saying something.”Kirkus (starred review)
The type of down-home humor and vibrant characterizations Peck fans have come to adore re-emerge in full.”Publishers Weekly (starred review)
With a storyteller's sure tone, Peck has once again created a whole world in one small Illinois town, a place where the folksy wisdom and generosity of one gruff old woman can change lives.”School Library Journal (starred review)
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year
Booklist Editors Choice
Review
It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why. (Booklist, starred review)
Peck reaches new depth with this Civil War-era novel. . . (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise. (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
Historical fiction fans should enter this at the top of the must-read list. (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review)
The harsh realities of war are brutally related in a complex, always surprising plot that resonates on multiple levels. (he Horn Book, starred review)
This unusual Civil War novel really boosts Peck's credentials as America's best living author for young adults. (The Washington Post)
Unforgettable characters and handsome prose make this book one you won't want to miss. (Children's Literature)
Review
"This book is an absolute delight."
-School Library Journal, starred review
Review
“Peck is in his element here. [S]o vivid is the telling of ev
Review
"Poignant."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Pecks skill at characterization is unsurpassed.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“No one does nostalgia better than Peck, and this episodic story of a boy’s life on the home front just before and during World War II is a charmer.”—Booklist
Review
"As always, Peck writes with humor and affection about times past, elders and growing up strong. This ode to librarians is a fine companion to Peck’s ode to schoolteachers, The Teachers Funeral."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Kids will love the fast-paced action and librarians will guffaw over all the library puns." -School Library Journal, starred review
Review
As always, Peck writes with humor and affection about times past, elders, and growing up strong. (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
Review
-This is one of Peck+s best novels yet-and that+s saying something.+-
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Review
“Rife with snappy asides and clever but never heavy-handed.”
Review
* “Readers will revel in the detailed descriptions of mouse-sized joys, woes, and love connections.”
Review
* “Is there anything Newbery Medalist Peck cannot do? Apparently not…Whimsical language, sure characterization, unflagging adventure, even romance.”
Review
* “The rodent world meets Upstairs, Downstairs in this rollicking comedy of manners that begs to be read aloud.”
Review
“By turns poignant and playful, engaging and exciting, and with a touch of romance, the story will have great appeal for the audience.”
Review
“The fast-paced story is peppered with the author’s characteristic sly wit and is pure fun.”
Review
“Readers who like their animals cute, their history entertaining, and their endings happy will find full satisfaction here.”
Review
“Mr. Peck, a master at blending memorable characters, humor, history, and page-turning stories, is in top form here.”
Review
“Peck’s eye for family dynamics is excellent.”
Review
“The small heros brushes with danger and run-ins with royalty (both human and rodent) unfold with Pecks characteristic wit and flair for adventure.” (Starred Review)
Publishers Weekly
Review
"You cant help but make comparisons to some other very famous books about mice, namely DiCamillos The Tale of Despereaux (2003) and Whites Stuart Little, but the parallel world of mice and humans also echoes The Borrowers. Peck (A Year Down Yonder, 2000) is terrific in relaying small details, like the intricacy of mouse uniforms, and this clever yarn should delight fans of animal adventure stories. (Starred Review) Booklist
Review
“[Children will] enjoy the twists and turns of this old-fashioned rags-to-riches story. Its written in an easy, unlabored style but still reflects Pecks relish for the perfect word and phrase; readers and listeners (it makes a great read-aloud) will savor every one.” Horn Book
Review
"A plucky hero, exciting plot, and a [satisfying] resolution, Peck's latest is a gentle homage to old-school adventure tales." (Starred Review) School Library Journal
Review
“Peck's writing is so rich, so laugh-out-loud funny, that the picture of the mysterious mousedom, complete with proper clothing, food, and life lessons reels us into a truly original, imaginative world. . . . A more-than-perfect book to share aloud with young readers.” The Christian Science Monitor
Review
"Peck creates a pleasantly detailed, cozy Victorian mouse world. There's some of Stuart Little's appeal to Mouse Minor's exploits." BCCB
Review
“Witty and precise prose… will enchant lovers of animal fantasy. This mouse-sized identity quest sparkles.”—Kirkus Kirkus Reviews
Review
“Perfect for reading aloud to intermediate grade students or for recommending to readers who enjoy a mystery or a good adventure story. Recommend to fans of The Tale of Despereaux.”—Library Media Connection Library Media Connection
Review
Rave Reviews for
The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
“This clever yarn should delight fans of animal adventure stories.” —Booklist, starred review
“Readers will gleefully suspend disbelief as they trace Mouse Minors exciting journey.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“With a plucky hero, exciting plot...Pecks latest is a gentle homage to old-school adventure tales.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“Pecks whimsical and tongue-in-cheek storytelling makes The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail a must for reading aloud.” —The Deseret News
“Children love the idea of tiny, hidden worlds—of pixie, fairy or animal societies that exist alongside our own. Richard Peck taps into this affection with The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail . . . a lively tale.” —The Wall Street Journal
“This change of pace from Pecks quintessentially American stories will delight readers with its British pageantry seen through the eyes of a feisty, insightful narrator.” —Horn Book
“This mouse-sized identity quest sparkles.”—Kirkus Reviews “A more-than-perfect book to share aloud with young readers.” —Christian Science Monitor
"Peck creates a pleasantly detailed, cozy Victorian mouse world. There's some of Stuart Little's appeal to Mouse Minor's exploits." —BCCB
“Perfect for reading aloud to intermediate grade students or for recommending to readers who enjoy a mystery or a good adventure story. Recommend to fans of The Tale of Despereaux.”—Library Media Connection
Review
andquot;This sweet story with a serendipitous ending has a comforting, classic feel...Fans of Charlotteand#39;s Web and other gentle animal stories will enjoy this charming tale.andquot;
andmdash;School Library Journal
Synopsis
The year is 1861. Civil war is imminent and Tilly Pruitt's brother, Noah, is eager to go and fight on the side of the North. With her father long gone, Tilly, her sister, and their mother struggle to make ends meet and hold the dwindling Pruitt family together. Then one night a mysterious girl arrives on a steamboat bound for St. Louis. Delphine is unlike anyone the small river town has even seen. Mrs. Pruitt agrees to take Delphine and her dark, silent traveling companion in as boarders. No one in town knows what to make of the two strangers, and so the rumors fly. Is Delphine's companion a slave? Could they be spies for the South? Are the Pruitts traitors? A masterful tale of mystery and war, and a breathtaking portrait of the lifelong impact one person can have on another.
Synopsis
Davy Bowmans brother and their dad hung the moon. Dad looks forward to Halloween more than a kid, and Davys brother, Bill, flies B-17s. Davy adores these two heroes and tries his best to follow their lead, especially now.
World War II has invaded Davys homefront boyhood. Theres an air raid drill in the classroom, and being a kid is an endless scrap drive. Bill has joined up, breaking their dads heart. Its an intense, confusing time, and one that will invite Davy to grow up in a hurry.
Still, Richard Peck is a master of comedy, and even in this novel of wartime uncertainty, he infuses his tale with humor: oddballs and rascals and boyhood misadventures alongside the poignant moments. This is one of Richard Pecks very finest novelsa tender, unforgettable portrait of the World War II homefront and a familys love.
Synopsis
Kerry is chosen by the coolest clique in school and so she thinks life has finally begun. But then it seems all over when her three friends are killed in a shocking car accident. Or are they? Only weeks after the accident, Kerry receives a text from one of the girls:
We're all 3 here at my aunt's in the city. Take the 3:50 train. B there. Exhilarating, terrifying suspense is crossed with a thought-provoking examination of peer pressure in Richard Peck's return to his contemporary teen- and ghost-story roots. This is a master author's gift to the Gossip Girl/Twilight generation: his own smart, stylish, and fun take on the paranormal.
Synopsis
Richard Peck is a master of stories about people in transition, but perhaps never before has he told a tale of such dramatic change as this one, set during the first year of the Civil War. The whole country is changing in 1861-even the folks from a muddy little Illinois settlement on the banks of the Mississippi. Here, fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt frets over the fact that her brother is dreaming of being a soldier and that her sister is prone to supernatural visions. A boy named Curry could possibly become a distraction.
Then a steamboat whistle splits the air. The Rob Roy from New Orleans docks at the landing, and off the boat step two remarkable figures: a vibrant, commanding young lady in a rustling hoop skirt and a darker, silent woman in a plain cloak, with a bandanna wrapped around her head. Who are these two fascinating strangers? And is the darker woman a slave, standing now on the free soil of Illinois? When Tilly's mother invites the women to board at her house, the whole world shifts for the Pruitts and for their visitors as well.
Within a page-turning tale of mystery, adventure, and the civilian Civil War experience, Richard Peck has spun a breathtaking portrait of the lifelong impact that one person can have on another. This is a novel of countless riches.
Synopsis
This Newbery Honor Winner and National Book Award Finalist is an unforgettable modern classic and features the debut of the larger-than-life Grandma Dowdel
What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alicetwo city slickers from Chicagomake their annual summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town?
August 1929: They see their first corpse, and he isn't resting easy.
August 1930: The Cowgill boys terrorize the town, and Grandma fights back.
August 1931: Joey and Mary Alice help Grandma trespass, poach, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungryall in one day.
And there's more, as Joey and Mary Alice make seven summer trips to Grandma'seach one funnier than the year beforein self-contained chapters that readers can enjoy as short stories or take together for a rip-roaringly good novel. In the tradition of American humorists from Mark Twain to Flannery O'Connor, popular author Richard Peck has created a memorable world filled with characters who, like Grandma herself, are larger than life and twice as entertaining.
Newbery Honor Winner
National Book Award Finalist
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Notable Book
New York Times Best Seller
A rollicking celebration of an eccentric grandmother and childhood memories.”School Library Journal (starred review)
A novel that skillfully captures the nuances of small-town life [
] Remarkable and fine.”Kirkus (starred review)
Fresh, warm and anything but ordinary.”Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Winner of the 2001 Newbery Honor Medal! It was within the pages of Richard Peck's Newbery Honor-winning A Long Way from Chicago that Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel first made their captivating debut. Now they're back for more astonishing, laugh-out-loud adventures when fifteen-year-old Mary Alice moves in with her spicy grandmother for the year. Expect moonlit schemes, romances both foiled and founded, and a whole parade of fools made to suffer in unusual (and always hilarious) ways.
Wise, exuberant, and slyly heartwarming, Mary Alice's story is a fully satisfying companion to the celebrated A Long Way from Chicago, which, in addition to receiving the Newbery Honor, was a National Book Award finalist, an ALA Notable Book, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Synopsis
"If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year for it," begins Richard Peck's latest novel, a book full of his signature wit and sass. Russell Culver is fifteen in 1904, and he's raring to leave his tiny Indiana farm town for the endless sky of the Dakotas. To him, school has been nothing but a chain holding him back from his dreams. Maybe now that his teacher has passed on, they'll shut the school down entirely and leave him free to roam.
No such luck. Russell has a particularly eventful season of schooling ahead of him, led by a teacher he never could have predicted--perhaps the only teacher equipped to control the likes of him: his sister Tansy. Despite stolen supplies, a privy fire, and more than any classroom's share of snakes, Tansy will manage to keep that school alive and maybe, just maybe, set her brother on a new, wiser course.
As he did in A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder, Richard Peck creates a whole world of folksy, one-of-a-kind characters here--the enviable and the laughable, the adorably meek and the deliciously terrifying. There will be no forgetting Russell, Tansy, and all the rest who populate this hilarious, shrewd, and thoroughly enchanting novel.
Synopsis
In his celebrated novels
A Year Down Yonder and
A Long Way from Chicago, Richard Peck carried us happily back to the Midwest of the 1930's. Now he's ready to transport us all the way to 1893, to the Chicago World's Fair and its breathtaking mix of personalities and glimpses of the future. Here is a tour de force that combines the real people of the time with an enormously engaging new fictional family, spinning them all into a whirlwind of humor, misadventure, and charms beyond measure.
On the brink of adulthood (not to mention a whole new century), Rosie makes her first trip to the big city, along with her wide-eyed siblings and their rascally old granddad. There, amidst the wonders of the fair, Rosie discovers the world and herself, while also coming face-to-face with some of the era's most famous people-including showgirl Lillian Russell and Colonel William F. Cody (a.k.a. Buffalo Bill).
Richard Peck, the author of thirty novels, has received numerous awards, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award for his distinguished body of work.
Synopsis
Mary Alice's childhood summers in Grandma Dowdel's sleepy Illinois town were packed with enough drama to fill the double bill of any picture show. But now she is fifteen, and faces a whole long year with Grandma, a woman well known for shaking up her neighbors-and everyone else! All Mary Alice can know for certain is this: when trying to predict how life with Grandma might turn out . . . better not. This wry, delightful sequel to the Newbery Honor Book A Long Way from Chicago has already taken its place among the classics of children's literature.
Synopsis
Join Joey and his sister Mary Alice as they spend nine unforgettable summers with the worst influence imaginable-their grandmother!
Synopsis
Thirteen-year-old Rosie Beckett has never strayed further from her family's farm than a horse can pull a cart. Then a letter from her Aunt Euterpe arrives, and everything changes. It's 1893, the year of the World's Columbian Exposition-the "wonder of the age"-a.k.a. the Chicago World's Fair. Aunt Euterpe is inviting the Becketts to come for a visit and go to the fair! Award-winning author Richard Peck's fresh, realistic, and fun-filled writing truly brings the World's Fair-and Rosie and her family-to life.
Synopsis
Gail Osburne is a normal, carefree teenager-until she starts receiving the obscene notes and threatening phone calls. "YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT. YOU'LL GET IT. AND YOU WON'T HAVE LONG TO WAIT." Gail surrounds herself with friends and family and tries to pretend that nothing is wrong. But when she comes face to face with her stalker one dark night, Gail must confront the harm he has done her-and the tragic truth that there was very little she could have done to protect herself.
Winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Mystery Award
Synopsis
Peewee idolizes Jake, a big brother whose dreams of auto mechanic glory are fueled by the hard road coming to link their Indiana town and futures with the twentieth century. And motoring down the road comes Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee’s life upside down.
This novel, with its quirky characters, folksy setting, classic cars, and hilariously larger-than-life moments, is vintage Richard Peck – an offbeat, deliciously wicked comedy that is also unexpectedly moving.
Synopsis
The return of one of children's literature's most memorable characters is a gift indeed.
The eccentric, forceful, big-hearted Grandma Dowdel is the star of the Newbery Medal?winning A Year Down Yonder and Newbery Honor?winning A Long Way from Chicago. And it turns out that her story isn?t over?not even close.
It is now 1958, and a new family has moved in next door to Mrs. Dowdel: a Methodist minister and his wife and kids. Soon Mrs. Dowdel will work her particular brand of charm?or medicine, depending on who you?re asking?on all of them: ten-yearold Bob, who is shy on courage in a town full of bullies; his two fascinating sisters; and even Bob?s two parents, who are amazed to discover that the last house in town might also be the most vital.
As Christmas rolls around, the Barnhart family realizes that they?ve found a true home?and a neighbor who gives gifts that will last a lifetime.
Synopsis
One of the most adored characters in childrenÕs literature is the eccentric, forceful, bighearted Grandma Dowdel, star of the Newbery AwardÐwinning
A Year Down Yonder and Newbery HonorÐwinning
A Long Way from Chicago. And it turns out that her story isnÕt over. ItÕs now 1958, and a new family has moved in next door to Mrs. Dowdel: a minister and his wife and kids. Soon Mrs. Dowdel will work her particular brand of charm on all of them, and they will quickly discover that the last house in town might also be the most vital.
Synopsis
An updated look for the classic YA thriller from genre heavyweight Richard Peck
Sixteen-year-old Gail is living the upper-class suburban life when she begins receiving terrifying phone calls and notes in her locker. And the calls keep coming. When she's attacked by the town's golden boy everyone refuses to take action against him and his powerful family. A frightening drama that deals with heavy teen issues and the idea of justice (or lack thereof) from bestselling author Richard Peck.
Synopsis
Davy Bowman?s dad looks forward to Halloween more than a kid, and Davy?s brother, Bill, flies B-17s. Davy adores these two heroes and tries his best to follow their lead, especially now. World War II has invaded Davy?s homefront boyhood. Bill has joined up, breaking their dad?s heart. It?s an intense, confusing time, and one that will spur Davy to grow up in a hurry. This is one of Richard Peck?s finest novels?a tender, unforgettable portrait of the World War II home front and a family?s enduring love.
Synopsis
What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alice -- two city slickers from Chicago -- make their annual summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town?
August 1929: They see their first corpse, and he isn't resting easy. August 1930: The Cowgill boys terrorize the town, and Grandma fights back.
August 1931: Joey and Mary Alice help Grandma trespass, poach, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry -- all in one day. And there's more, as Joey and Mary Alice make seven summer trips to Grandma's -- each one funnier than the year before -- in self-contained chapters that readers can enjoy as short stories or take together for a rollicking good novel. In the tradition of American humorists from Mark Twain to Flannery O'Connor, popular author Richard Peck has created a memorable world filled with characters who, like Grandma herself, are larger than life and twice as entertaining. Richard Peck lives in New York City.
Synopsis
Peewee idolizes Jake, a big brother whose dreams of auto mechanic glory are fueled by the hard road coming to link their Indiana town and futures with the twentieth century. And motoring down the road comes Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee’s life upside down.
This novel, with its quirky characters, folksy setting, classic cars, and hilariously larger-than-life moments, is vintage Richard Peck – an offbeat, deliciously wicked comedy that is also unexpectedly moving.
Synopsis
Newbery Award-winning author Richard Peck is at his very best in this fast-paced mystery adventure. Fans of The Tale of Desperaux, A Little Princess, and Stuart Little will all be captivated by this memorable story of a lovable orphan mouse on an amazing quest.
The smallest mouse in London’s Royal Mews is such a little mystery that he hasn't even a name. And who were his parents? His Aunt Marigold, Head Needlemouse, sews him a uniform and sends him off to be educated at the Royal Mews Mouse Academy. There he's called "Mouse Minor" (though it's not quite a name), and he doesn't make a success of school. Soon he's running for his life, looking high and low through the grand precincts of Buckingham Palace to find out who he is and who he might become.
Queen Victoria ought to be able to help him, if she can communicate with mice. She is all-seeing, after all, and her powers are unexplainable. But from her, Mouse Minor learns only that you do not get all your answers from the first asking. And so his voyage of self-discovery takes him onward, to strange and wonderful places.
Synopsis
Only Alexander knows why the barn is haunted-and by what
When Alexander notices an eerie light coming out of the barn,. He thinks his friend Blossom Culp is trying to spook him. But strange things really are happening there. Slimy footprints appear out of nowhere, and whimpering sounds float down from the hayloft. And when he ventures into the barn in the dark of night, his breath catches in his throat. Suddenly Blossom's words come back to him: "You can make contact with the Unseen...." Now there's a girl ghost standing right in front of him, telling him of great danger ahead. But is there time for Alexander to act on her warning?
Blossom Culp #1
Pecks blending of mystery and humor makes an unusual and entertaining ghost story.” Booklist, starred review
Synopsis
Being the new girl at school is rough. But when the popular girls choose Kerry as the newest member of their ultra-exclusive clique, she thinks her troubles are finally finished. When her three new friends are killed in a horrifying car crash, her life seems over as well. But then the texts begin. . . .
Richard Peck returns to his contemporary teen- and ghost-story roots in this suspenseful page-turner with a subtle commentary on peer pressure that fans of television dramas such as Pretty Little Liars and Vampire Diaries will devour.
Synopsis
Set off on an amazing quest with this lovable orphaned mouse.
The tiniest mouse in the Royal Mews is such a mystery he doesnt even know his own name! He scampers off on a epic adventure in and around Buckingham Palace with a plan to seek the advice of Queen Victoria. The exhilarating journey takes him to strange and wonderful places, but will it help him discover who he is and where he came from? This delightful follow-up to the acclaimed Secrets at Sea from Newbery Medal winner Richard Peck is full of laughs, surprises and excitement.
This clever yarn should delight fans of animal adventure stories.” Booklist, starred review
Readers will gleefully suspend disbelief as they trace Mouse Minors exciting journey.” Publishers Weekly, starred review
Synopsis
Whenand#160;a curious cat uncovers a terrible secret, a barnyard of full of memorable animal charactersand#160;hatch anand#160;unforgettable escape planand#160;in this illustrated chapter book in the tradition of Charlotteand#39;s Web.
Synopsis
When Burdock the barn cat sneaks into the Baxtersand#8217; farmhouse kitchen to hide behind a warm stove, he overhears a sinister plot that endangers all the animals on the farm. Itand#8217;s up to him and his cacophonous cohorts to figure out how to bust out of the barn before it's too late. In this winning debut, readers will fall in love with the solitary cat, the self-effacing cow, the unstoppable pig, even a wayward she-owland#8212;all brought to life with clever dialogue, poetic descriptions, and expressive black-and-white illustrations. This warm, lively read-aloud story about teamwork and friendship has the timeless appeal of a much-loved quilt.
Synopsis
From Newbery Medal-winning author Richard Peck comes a dazzling slice of American History, set during the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893.
In his celebrated, Newbery-winning novels A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way from Chicago, Richard Peck carried us happily back to the Midwest of the 1930s. Now the master of historical fiction transports us to the1890s, to the Chicago World's Fair and its incredible mix of personalities and new inventions that gave glimpses of the future. Here is a tour de force that combines the real people of the time with an enormously engaging new fictional family, spinning them all into a whirlwind of humor, misadventure, and charms beyond measure.
On the brink of adulthood (not to mention a whole new century), Rosie makes her first trip to the big city, along with her wide-eyed siblings and their rascally old granddad. There, amidst the breathtaking Ferris wheel and other wonders of the fair, Rosie discovers the world and herself, while coming face-to-face with some of the era's most famous peopleincluding showgirl Lillian Russell and Colonel William F. Cody (a.k.a. Buffalo Bill).
Peck's unforgettable characters, cunning dialogue and fast-paced action will keep readers of all ages in stitches as he captures a colorful chapter in American history.”Publishers Weekly
An engaging historical novel that will please a wider audience than the target age group.”Booklist (starred review)
This marvelously funny story set in 1893[
] paints an accurate picture of a small Illinois farm and of the first World's Fair.”School Library Journal
Synopsis
Winner of the Newbery Medal
Peck charms readers once again with this entertaining sequel to A Long Way from Chicago”School Library Journal (starred review)
It was within the pages of Richard Peck's Newbery Honor-winning A Long Way from Chicago that Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel first made their captivating debut. Now they're back for more astonishing, laugh-out-loud tales when fifteen-year-old Mary Alice moves in with her spicy grandmother for the year. Expect moonlit schemes, romances both foiled and founded, and a whole parade of fools made to suffer in unusual (and always hilarious) ways.
Wise, exuberant, and slyly heartwarming, this is a satisfying companion to Grandma Dowdels adventures in A Long Way from Chicago and A Season of Gifts.
Newbery Medal Winner
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Notable Book
Booklist Best Books of the Year
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
New York Times Best Seller
Audience members will breathe a sigh of regret when the eventful year "down yonder" draws to a close.”Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Wit, gentleness, and outrageous farce.”Booklist (starred review)
About the Author
Richard Peck has written more than thirty novels, and in the process has become one of the countrys most highly respected writers for children. In fact
The Washington Post called him Americas best living author for young adults.” A versatile writer, he is beloved by middle-graders as well as young adults for his historical and contemporary comedies and coming-of-age novels. He lives in New York City, and spends a great deal of time traveling around the country to speaking engagements at conferences, schools, and libraries.
Mr. Peck is the first childrens book author to have received a National Humanities Medal. He is a Newbery Medal winner (for A Year Down Yonder), a Newbery Honor winner (for A Long Way from Chicago), a two-time National Book Award finalist, and a two-time Edgar Award winner. In addition, he has won a number of major honors for the body of his work, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the ALAN Award, and the Medallion from the University of Southern Mississippi.