Know "A Long Way from Chicago": Dakota County Library launches One Book, One Rosemount

Know A Long Way from Chicago

Dakota County Library launches One Book, One Rosemount

 

Books bring people together. That's one of reason for One Book, One Rosemount. The Dakota County Library and the city of Rosemount are connecting people through the shared experience of reading the Newbery Honor Award-winning book A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck during the month of October.

 

The book tells a story set during the Great Depression. Joey and his sister, Mary Alice—two city slickers from Chicago—make their annual summer visit to Grandma Dowdel's sleepy Illinois town. They discover it's far from sleepy and Grandma is far from typical. From seeing their first corpse to helping Grandma trespass, pinch property, catch the sheriff in his underwear and feed the hungry—all in one day—Joey and Mary Alice have seven summers they'll never forget.

 

Peck will talk about the award-winning novel when he visits the new Rosemount Steeple Center, 14375 Robert Trail S. on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The event is for all ages, and it's free.

 

Peck has written more than 20 novels. He has won a number of major awards including the Margaret A. Edwards Award from School Library Journal, the National Council of Teachers of English/ALAN Award, the 1991 Medallion from the University of Southern Mississippi, and is a two-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award from Mystery Writers of America.

 

One Book, One Rosemount is made possible by community support from organizations including Dakota County Library, SKB Environmental, Taco John's and the city of Rosemount. This project was funded in part with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.