by Richard Peck
The 1999 Newbery Award winner is notable in that it was well received outside of the young adult category. A year Down Yonder was also a National Book Award Finalist, ALA Notable Book, etc. The story of a young girl from Chicago during the depression sent to live with Grandma Dowdel in rural Illinois contains rich characterizations and earthy, though innocent, humor.
Mary Alice, at 15 and due to family financial stress, must spend a year with her infamous grandmother. Imagine a Kate Smith sized Betty Davis with a shotgun, itchy fingers, and a wicked sense of humor. Grandma is an older woman in a small community where everyone has long standing feuds and friendships, but can’t be sure which is which.
Mary Alice stepped off the train in her traveling cloths and was immediately taken to school (dress clothes and all) to be introduced to her one-room school. The local bully immediately charges her protection of $1. When she gets home she is in debt ($1 is a week’s wages at that time) and is completely disconsolate over her first day. The grandmother’s resolution is fast, wicked, and hilarious.
Made abundantly clear by reactions from everyone in town, nobody messes with Grandma. When she walks into the school to present her granddaughter, the principal wears the expression of someone facing a badger and almost starts backing away. Even the local “bad boys”, on a spree of pranks during Halloween, only cross her once when her response to their plan of outhouse destruction is met with tripwires and pans of horse glue.
Throughout the year that Mary Alice stays in rural Illinois, she transforms from the city bred, shy, and proper young girl to a much tougher version of herself. During that transition, her resentment at being “farmed out” to relatives also changes. By the end of the story the main character, as well as the reader, has a much better appreciation for the confusion that results when people of different worlds must cohabitate. More importantly, the reader should understand that many of the cultural differences that are so confusing to outsiders have a purpose. You just need to see those purposes in action to understand yourself.
A Year Down Yonder is an exceptional book for new students changing from city to rural schools or the reverse...or for children who are going to see Grandma for the first time.
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I also loved this book. At the end of the summer last year, I had a goal of reading all the Newbery winners. Why I didn't make that goal at the beginning of the summer, I will never know. This was the first book I saw on the list and wanted to read. I LOVED Grandma. She was tough and she didn't take any lip from anyone. My favorite part was the tea in which the prim and proper ladies of the town were somewhat forced to hold the tea at Grandma's. That was pretty funny.
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