A Year Down Yonder

A Year Down Yonder

By Richard Peck

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers (2000)

Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Years

Pages: 130

Genre: Humor, Realistic Fiction

Summary: This is about a 15 year old girl named Mary Alice Dowder that is sent to live with her grandmother in a small town. Her grandma is big, mean, smart, and has a heart of gold. Everyone is afraid of her. After Mary Alice's first day of school Grandma gets rid of a bully by sending the girl's stolen horse back to the owner and making the girl walk home barefoot. On Halloween Mary Alice and Grandma steal pecans and pumpkins to make pie for the Halloween Party and helps Grandma prank the Halloween Vandals. For Christmas, Grandma gets he brother there and gets them tickets to see their parents. At the Christmas program there is a live baby in the manger. A new boy comes to the school and Mary Alice likes him. She invites him over to help her study and snake falls in the attic onto a a naked girl their tenant is painting. Grandma makes sure the whole town sees the girl. A tornado hits the town and afterwards Mary Alice and Grandma make sure the folks that old man Nyquist was alright and Effie Wilcox. At the end Mary Alice has to go home to Chicago, but several years later she marries that boy she liked.

My reaction: I laughed, I thought the book delightful. I laughed so hard at the snake part. I love Grandma and Mary Alice.

Potential Problems: The snake part could be a problem, there is talk about the great depression, and Grandma does do dome things that many could consider dishonest.

Recommendations: I would say this is a good book to read to younger kids, maybe first or second grade, but i would recommend it to children starting about third grade.