by Richard Peck
First published 1999
Joey and his sister Mary Alice leave Chicago each summer to stay with Grandma Dowdel in her small Illinois town. What looks like a quiet place turns out to be anything but peaceful once Grandma gets involved. She drags the siblings into her schemes, from viewing dead bodies to trespassing on private property. One memorable day includes catching the local sheriff in his underwear while Grandma feeds hungry townspeople. Joey watches his grandmother break rules and help neighbors in equal measure. The town may seem sleepy, but Grandma Dowdel keeps things lively with her bold plans and generous heart. Through nine summers of adventures, Joey and Mary Alice discover that their grandmother operates by her own rules, mixing mischief with kindness in ways that transform their understanding of small town life.
Genres: fiction, family-life, american-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Chicago, Illinois
Period: 20th-century
176 pages · Paperback · Dial Books