A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

The Dowel kids, Mary Alice and Joey, at first think they are being dumped on their Grandma so their parents can go on a "getaway" vacation; however things at their Grandma's house tend to be exciting and they begin to look forward to their visits. I really enjoyed this book because it sort of reminds me of my grandma and when my brother and I used to spend time at her house (my Grandma was always doing crazy things). During this novel, I was always looking forward to the crazy and random things that Grandma Dowel does and how her grandchildren would react to her. Richard Peck, the author, discusses different cultures and generations in the novel, but still keeps the book very interesting. I would recommend this book for grades 4 - 8, but I think that anyone can enjoy it.