A Long Way from Chicago Social Sensitivity

A Long Way from Chicago Social Sensitivity

A Long Way from Chicago offers a character portrait of a unique family member.

Many students have unique, unorthodox, or idiosyncratic relatives. Peck's Grandma Dowdel is a lovable but definitely different kind of grandmother. Readers may compare their own relationships with older adults with the relationship between Joey and Mary Alice with their Grandma. Understanding that Grandma Dowdel does not conform may help readers understand there is no one pattern for people to fit.

Everyone is unique.

At the beginning of the story, Mary Alice believes she and Joey are being dumped off on Grandma. This may be a real concern for young people today. Parents and caregivers may give the impression they do not have the time or inclination to be bothered by kids and actually dump them on someone else. Statistics support the fact that grandparents are the head of more and...
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