A Long Way From Chicago

I felt a real connection with A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck. Joey and his sister go visit their Grandma. They live in Chicago, and she lives in, well, not Chicago. She lives in a small town in Illinois. In fact, I feel like it was my hometown!
I liked how the story took place over many different summers, and we got to see Joey and Mary Alice grow and grow. I feel like they respected their Grandma more as they got older, and really started to understand how see what a great person she was, not only to her grandchildren. She always tried to help people out, which was extremely hard in a country town during the Great Depression. The Grandma really teaches the two all about life. She is around for many stepping stones, including true love. Then Joey ends up going into the Armed Forces, and I feel like it is because of everything Grandma taught him. And when she waves to him on the train when he goes through her town, I just smiled and teared up to myself.
This book can teach children from grades 3-7 about many different and important things. Obviously, the Great Depression can be seen from a families point of view with this story. Also, everything that Grandma taught them can be taught to the children reading this story, or can at least get a different point of view of these important factors.