A Year Down Yonder

Author: Richard Peck
Publisher: Dial Books
Copyright Date: 2000
Number of Pages: 130
Reading Level: Ages 9-12






Summary
Mary Alice was sent to live with her grandmother in the country because the Great Depression had struck her family and they could no longer afford to live together. At first Mary Alice is very opposed to the idea of living with her grandmother because she will be away from all of the modern pleasures such as television, and toilets. However, she has no choice but to leave. She arrives by train and her grandmother comes to pick her up from the station. Mary Alice is immediately taken to school and her grandmother, who is quite the character, takes her personal items to the house. Adventures never cease with Grandma Dowdel. Grandma tricks a bully from school and sends her off running without her shoes and her horse. She steals peacons and pumpkins with the help of Mary Alice for some pies for a festival. She also shows her compassion in a very different way. She helps obtain money for a poor family by manipulating the townspeople into giving her ridiculous amounts of money for some soup. Also, after a tornado hits the town Grandma Dowdel brings Mary Alice as she goes to help a mean old man who she knew would be trapped or dead in his home. A new boy arrives in town just in time for valentines day. Another girl at the school develops an instant crush on him, but Mary Alice, with the help of her friend create fake valentines that try to make the girl think that he likes somebody else. In the end Mary Alice has to leave her grandmother and she wishes that she could stay. Mary Much later marries the new boy from before at Grandma Dowdel's house even though her parents cannot come.

Personal Response
I thought that this book was very well written and very entertaining. There is a great deal of humor in this book as the character of Grandma Dowdel does crazy, humorous, and yet some how caring things.

Potential Problems
Some of Grandma Dowdel's acts could be seen as crimes or injustices.

Recommended to...
I would recommend this book to any older child that is interested in a humorous wonderful book.