In A Long Way from Chicago, all of the chapters are stories from each week that Joey and Mary Alice spend with their rather eccentric Grandma Dowdel. Even though the kids don't have the closest relationship with Grandma at the beginning, over their summer visits, they come to bond with her and go with her on her various adventures and missions to help the poor.
And Joey and Mary Alice also spend more time with each other during these weeks than they normally would—because they don't have any of their usual friends around. It's time for them to do some good ol' family bonding.
Questions About Family
- Why does Joey and Mary Alice's father insist that they spend time with their Grandma Dowdel every summer?
- Are Joey and Mary Alice happy about staying with their grandma? Why or why not?
- Why isn't Grandma Dowdel considered to be a typical grandmother?
Chew on This
Spending the summers with Grandma Dowdel doesn't just improve the kids' relationship with their grandmother—it also serves as a chance for Joey and Mary Alice to spend time together without the distractions of their everyday lives.
Grandma Dowdel may not be the most affectionate or nurturing grandmother, but she takes care of the kids in her own way, even lying in order to get Joey an airplane ride because she knows how much that means to him.