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Title: A Year Down Yonder (Newbery Medal Book, 2001) by Richard Peck, Don Freeman ISBN: 0803725183 Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers Pub. Date: 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.58
Rating: 5
Summary: A Must Read!
Comment: Richard Peck's A Year Down Yonder chronicles the zany adventures of Grandma Dowdel and her granddaughter Mary Alice. Raised in Chicago, Mary Alice is in for quite a shock when she finds herself sent to live with her grandmother in a country town in 1937. Although Mary Alice has a hard time adjusting (she has to learn to keep her beloved cat Bootsie outside and play her Philco portable radio at night in bed), she grows accustomed to the wacky way of living in which her grandmother has grown to love. Whether Mary Alice is helping her grandmother steal pecans to make a pie or making tarts for the Auxiliary Ladies, she never forgets her family and how much they mean to her. As the story draws to a close, Mary Alice finds herself closer to her grandmother than she ever thought would happen when she moved from Chicago.
This book does everything it can to keep the reader interested. From Grandma Dowdel's outrageous acts to Mary Alice's adventures in school, this book is never boring. In fact, it's hard to put down! The characters are extremely well developed and the detailed descriptions of the crazy stunts Grandma Dowdel and Mary Alice take part in are wonderful. In some way, every reader would be able to relate to the characters-whether it being the new kid on the block like Mary Alice or having a silly relative like Grandma Dowdel. If you are ever looking for a book that has wonderful humor, a lot of adventure or a sense or realism, A Year Down Yonder is a top pick!
Rating: 4
Summary: This book is funny!
Comment: A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck is about the humorous adventures of Mary Alice, an average 15-year old girl from Chicago, and her wacky grandmother, Grandma Dowdel. Mary Alice has to live with Grandma Dowdel for a year because her parents had to move into a tiny apartment and don't have enough room for her. The story takes place in Grandma's country town in 1937.
One scene I thought was funny happens on Halloween night when some boys come to wreck Grandma's outhouse (or privy) but she is ready for them. She sets a trap for them and pours glue on a boy's head. When the boys are gone, Grandma looks around the yard and finds a knife with one of the boy's initials on it. The next day Grandma goes to Mary Alice's school for a Halloween party and serves pie. Mary Alice and Grandma see the boy that Grandma poured glue on. When he comes for a piece of pie, Grandma gets out his knife and cuts him a piece with it. He is scared and angry and runs away.
I liked this book because a lot of crazy things happen such as after an artist rents a room from Grandma. One Sunday when Mary Alice and her boyfriend are doing homework, the artist is painting a naked lady in the attic. A big snake that Grandma has to keep birds away falls on the naked lady while she is posing. She runs screaming down the stairs, out the door and down the street. When Grandma sees what has happened, this is what she does.
'"That's too good a show to keep to ourselves," Grandma said. With the thought, she was through the front door and out in the front yard. Planting her house shoes, she jammed the Winchester into her shoulder, aimed high, and squeezed off both barrels. The world exploded. Birds rose shrieking from the trees, and the whole town woke with a start.'
The Grandma Dowdel character is hilarious. Grandma always does things she is not supposed to do and is not afraid of anyone or anything. Here is another example from the story. After making the town's men pay unreasonably high prices for soup to make money for Armistice Day, one of the Auxiliary ladies says this to Grandma:
"I'm here to tell you that you're twice as bald-faced and brazen and, yes, I have to say shameless as the rest of us girls put together. In the presence of these witnesses I'm on record for saying you outdo the most two-faced, two-fisted shortchanger, flimflam artist and full-time extortionist anybody ever saw working this part of the country. And all I have to say is, God bless you for your good work"....... "Did your late husband go to war?" "Only with me," Grandma said, "and he lost every time."
If you are a person who likes to laugh, likes good storytelling and wild characters you will like this book.
Rating: 5
Summary: Hardly What I'd Call "Teen Literature," but Still Great
Comment: Join the fun during a Year Down Yonder. Following the life of Mary Alice and her fiery-tempered Grandma Dowdel. Mary Alice, the "rich Chicago girl" gets an education in real life. From Grandma Dowdel's relationship with her neighbors, her trigger-happiness, and her eccentric personality, she's just about the most lovable character I've read about lately.
The book includes everything a book should; humour, adventure, drama, and real life situations. Peck is a very talented author, deserving the awards his book has received, but this is more children's lit than teen lit. Still, I would recommend it to everyone, it's a great summer book, and the easy reading level makes it a quick read. Check it out, I think you'll like it.
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Title: A Long Way from Chicago: A Novel in Stories by Richard Peck ISBN: 0141303522 Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: 2000 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: Bud, Not Buddy (Newbery Medal Winner, 2000) by Christopher Paul Curtis ISBN: 0440413281 Publisher: Yearling Books Pub. Date: 08 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park ISBN: 0395978270 Publisher: Clarion Books Pub. Date: 23 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Hope Was Here (Newbery Honor Book, 2001) by Joan Bauer ISBN: 0399231420 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Juv Pub. Date: 2000 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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Title: Holes by Louis Sachar ISBN: 0440414806 Publisher: Yearling Books Pub. Date: 09 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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