A Long Way from Chicago
| A Long Way From Chicago | |
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| Author(s) | Richard Peck |
| Illustrator | Yang Hee |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Children's historical fiction |
| Publisher | Dial Press |
| Publication date | September 1, 1998 |
| Published in English |
September 1, 1998 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 192 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-8037-2290-7 |
| OCLC Number | 38249685 |
| LC Classification | PZ7.P338 Ll 1998 |
| Followed by | A Year Down Yonder |
A Long Way from Chicago is a "novel in stories" (or short story cycle) by Richard Peck. It was awarded the Newbery Honor in 1999. Peck's sequel to this book, A Year Down Yonder, won the Newbery Medal for children's literature in 2001.
[edit] Plot Summary
The stories involve several week-long vacations two children, Joey and Mary Alice Dowdel, spend with their resilient and crafty grandmother in rural Illinois.
"Shotgun Cheatham's Last Night Above Ground - 1929" (originally printed in Twelve Shots: Stories About Guns, edited by Harry Mazer,1997). The first summer they went to their grandmother's house alone a reporter was doing a report on Shotgun. Grandma held an open house for Shotgun and lied to the reporter by saying he was a war hero. Grandma's enemy Effie Wilcox came too but then the coffin started to move, Ms. Wilcox and the reporter ran out but it was the cat who moved the case.
"The Mouse in the Milk - 1930". The next summer, the Cowgill boys were tormenting the town and blew up Grandma's mailbox! Grandma told one of the boys she wasn't going to be home at her daily milk delivery and knew they were going to steal something from her. That night she turned the lights off and waited for them to come and steal, she caught them and had Joey get their parents. Grandma told Mr.Cowgill that if his boys wouldn't stop she would tell everyone that she found a mouse in her milk and run his business to the ground, and then she pointed to her evidence.
"A One-Woman Crime Wave - 1931". Grandma uses traps(which are illegal) to get catfish from the lake while using the sheriff's boat which she stole to feed the drifters.
"The Day of Judgment - 1932". Grandma's gooseberry pie goes up against Rupert Pennypacker's to win her town's honor and a flight in a biplane.
"The Phantom Brakeman - 1933". Mismatched families of local lovers converge on Grandma's house and she uses an old ghost story to aid them. Vandalia Eubanks and Junior Stubbs ran away together with the help of Joey and grandmas.
"Things with Wings - 1934". While Joey is having a love affair with a Hudson Terraplane 8, Grandma is finding a way to force banker Weidenbach to return Mrs. Effie Wilcox to her foreclosed home with rumours of Abraham Lincoln.
"Centennial Summer - 1935". Grandma has a showdown with Mrs. Weidenbach about whose family has the most talent and the county's oldest living citizen.
"The Troop Train - 1942". Joey joins the army air corps because he loves airplanes. Joey would send telegrams to Grandma about where he was and what he was doing. One night he sent Grandma a telegram telling her that his train would be passing by her house on the way to the bass. When the train came by Joey saw Grandmas lit up lights and herself waving to each and every cart passing bye. hoping that he would see her. joey goes off to fight in World War II. created by: D.L.P. niquealealasha
