A Year Down Yonder (2000)
by Richard Peck
In this sequel to A Long Way from Chicago, Mary Alice, now age 15, returns to Grandma Dowdel’s. This time she is there for a year during the recession of 1937 that left her mom and dad unable to take care of her. The book is once again set into seven (and a bonus) stories that include the wacky adventures of this fiesty, headstrong, and, yes, though she wouldn’t admit it, loving grandma.
Just as fantastic as the first book, and with the Newbery Medal beside its name, A Year Down Yonder is a must-read. The division of stories makes it great for read-alouds or a before-bed story.