Richard Peck is one of my favorite author's! For an undergrad course of mine I read the novel, A Long Way From Chicago, but had yet to read the sequel, so I thought this would be a great time to catch up on some reading!
What I love about this book, and a Long Way From Chicago is just how humorous Richard Peck makes his characters. Although the setting takes place in the 1930's, Richard does a great job relating the characters from long ago to situations we encounter today. For example, we all have a grandma like Grandma Dowdel! One of my favorite parts from the book is the night of the Christmas play. Even though Grandma was tough and stubborn, she showed her support for Mary Alice by attending the Christmas play and buying her a new pair of shoes.
One of my favorite lines from the book was when Arnold Green came to the house to have a place to sleep, Grandma told him, "It's the healthiest spot in Illinois. We had to hang a man to start the graveyard." To me, that was just how Grandma was! She liked to say whatever was on her mind, especially to get a rise out of people.
Grandma Dowdel reminds me of my own Grandma. She has her own way of thinking, and although she may not be as stubborn and forward as Grandma Dowdel, she is set in her ways and her way is the right way!
As we are reading a book, a great reading strategy is to make connections as you read. When I made the connection with my own Grandma to Grandma Dowdel, the book became more interesting to me. Have you ever made connections as you were reading? How did making connections help you understand your book even more?
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