A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

I read this book a few years ago, and loved it. I loved it again this time.

Richard Peck can certainly paint a delightful picture with words. It's well deserving of the Newbery Honor Award that it earned.

Joey and his sister Mary Alice spend a week each summer with their grandma who lived just this side of nowhere, which was a big change from Chicago, where they lived. Each chapter is about one visit and the book spans from 1929 to 1935, with an epilogue from 1942.

The language is clear and concise. The stories are witty and yet have depth. Peck is subtle as he tells his tale.

I highly recommend it.

Newbery Honor Book 1999