In this sequel to A Long Way From Chicago, Grandma Dowdel is back and as spirited as ever. This time the story is told from fifteen-year-old granddaughter Mary Alice's perspective as she stays with grandmother for an entire year while her parents struggle to make ends meet. Mary Alice has some adjustments to make, as she is a city girl living in a country town. As usual, there is never a dull moment with Grandma Dowdel, and Mary Alice learns much about life and herself through these experiences.

This award winning book is filled with charming stories about life in a country town in 1937. Grandma Dowdel is the same feisty, shotgun-toting force to be reckoned with. As with the first book, she is dishonest at times, but all for the sake of the greater good. The themes of not not judging a book by its cover, the value of family, and doing the right thing are clear. Of note for young kids: in a funny scene, a woman runs out of her room naked because a snake is attached to her, and Grandma traps foxes for their fur. Also, it is hinted at that a teen missed school all year because she had a baby. It is not necessary to have read the prequel to this book, which makes a great read-aloud choice for families.

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