Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Why is A Long Way from Chicago told in a series of short stories, instead of normal chapters?
- How do Joey and Mary Alice change over the course of the book? How do they stay the same?
- What's the significance of the prologue, in which Joey is an old man looking back on his childhood?
- How does the book tie in big historical events? Do these historical events have an impact on the characters?
- If you could describe Grandma Dowdel in three words, what would they be? Why?
- Why do Joey and Mary Alice stop going to Grandma Dowdel's at the end of the book?
- Why is Grandma Dowdel okay with lying in front of the kids? Is this a good or bad thing?
- How is Grandma Dowdel's town different from Chicago, where the kids live?
- What is the role of the community in A Long Way from Chicago, and is Grandma Dowdel a member of her local community?