365 days away from home

Author: Richard Peck
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: In 1937, due to the impact of the Great Depression in the United States, Mary Alice's father lost his job, and she had to leave the big city of Chicago, where she had lived for many years, to study in a small town where her grandmother lived. During the year she lived in the small town, Mary witnessed her grandmother doing many adventurous things: to attend the Halloween party held by the school, she stole pecans and pumpkins to make pies and shared them with everyone; on the Armistice Day, she forced the rich to give money to help the young men injured in the war; on a cold night, she crossed the snow-covered fields and set traps to catch foxes in exchange for pocket money. At first, Mary felt that all this was so strange and unbelievable. As time went by, Mary gradually understood her grandmother. She learned that her strong-willed grandmother had a kind heart and was willing to do her best to help the poor. She also learned many life skills from her grandmother. After returning to Chicago, Mary could not forget the 365 days she spent with her grandmother in the small town. On the day of her wedding, she finally returned to her grandmother's side again.