A Season of Gifts

By Richard Peck

Era: 1950's Midwest
Rating: 4 1/4 stars

This is the third book featuring Mrs. Dowdel, the formidable grandmother from A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder. Twelve year old Bob is the new preacher's kid along with his sisters Phyllis and Ruth Ann and they just moved in next door to Mrs. Dowdel who was well known not to neighbor, was usually cranky, and refused to modernize her house. But when Phyllis gets drawn into the wrong crowd, Bob gets messed with by bullies, and Ruth Ann needs some occupation, it is Mrs. Dowdel who surprising comes through every time in her own unique way. Whether it is helping knock down the revivalists who come to town, hunting ghosts in her gourd patch, or finding a Christmas tree, Mrs. Dowdel is sure to make a lasting impression. It is hard not to laugh out loud at the stories and fans of the previous books will want to add this to their collection while new readers will want to go back and check out the other novels. Great, heartwarming fun.