The Best Man by Richard Peck

 From Goodreads, 

"Newbery Medalist Richard Peck brings us this big-hearted novel about gay marriage from a kid’s endearing perspective.

When Archer is in sixth grade, his beloved uncle Paul marries another man—Archer’s favorite student teacher. But that’s getting ahead of the story, and a wonderful story it is. In Archer’s sweetly naïve but observant voice, his life through elementary school is recounted: the outspoken, ever-loyal friends he makes, the teachers who blunder or inspire, and the family members who serve as his role models. From one exhilarating, unexpected episode to another, Archer’s story rolls along as he puzzles over the people in his life and the kind of person he wants to become…and manages to help his uncle become his best self as well."

Goodreads - The Best Man

The more I read middle school and young adult books, the more I find that I like certain authors.  Alan Gratz, Kwame Alexander, and Dan Gemeinhart all rank fairly high on my favorites list.  Richard Peck has slowly wormed his way into this list as well after I read A Long Way From Chicago.  I was surprised that he continued writing into his 80s before he passed away.  When I found this book on Scholastic Book Clubs it seemed like a good book that had a good message and good diversity. 

The Best Man is told by Archer who chronicles the time leading up to him being the best man at a wedding.  We learn of the mishaps throughout school and the friendships that were made and built along the way.  The entire book is a journey to turn archer into the best man he can be. 

I loved the LGBTQ+ support that was present in this book.  It was a bit of a subtle thing at the beginning.  And I honestly don't think that a middle school kid would easily pick up on the hints that were dropped throughout the book about Archer's uncle.  And the entire journey that all of the men in this book were going through is a wonderful example of growing up and being the best you.  Archer and his dad have to learn to cope with the loss of Archer's grandpa.  And his dad has to learn how to readjust that aspect in his life.  Archer and his dad both help his uncle realize what he needs and wants and how to get it.  They are able to convince him to be happy with Archer's previous student teacher.  The book also touches on changes that are happening at the middle school age and the differences that start to become present between boys and girls.  This book was a wonderful coming of age story.  

The story wasn't quite what I was expecting.  The summary led me on to believe that the book was going to be about him being the best man at a wedding.  The entire book focused around school and everything that went along with it.  The wedding didn't happen until the final chapter of the book and even then it was a very brushed over event.  

The title of this book is definitely a double meaning.  Archer gets to be the best man at his uncle's wedding, but the big point is that archer learns how to be the best man.  He looks up to his grandpa, his dad, his uncle, and even his student teacher.  He learns what makes them the best men they can be and what he can do to be like them.  This was a good book, especially for it being Peck's final book before his death in 2018.  I give this 3 stars.  I think this book has the perfect balance with nothing that is too in your face and overwhelming.  

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

From Goodreads,

"Mary Alice remembers childhood summers packed with drama. At fifteen, she faces a whole long year with Grandma Dowdel, well known for shaking up her neighbors-and everyone else. All Mary Alice can know for certain is this: when trying to predict how life with Grandma might turn out . . . better not."

Goodreads - A Year Down Yonder

Awards and Nominations:

• Newbery Medal (2001)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2002)
• Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award Nominee (2003)

I read A Long Way From Chicago quite some time ago.  It started off slow, but the characters were always up to something with Grandma Dowdel leading the way.  I was excited to jump into this book to see what adventures and trouble Grandma Dowdel stirred up.  

Mary Alice spent multiple summers with her brother Joey at their grandmothers house.  Every summer was filled with some kind of trouble their Grandma Dowdel stirred up.  Joey is grown up and off working, and Mary Alice and her family is moving.  It was quickly decided that Mary Alice would live with Grandma Dowdel while her parents got settled.  Mary Alice dreaded the move to the middle of nowhere, but quickly found herself in all kinds of drama with her Grandma.

I liked this book more than I liked A Long Way From Chicago, which is saying a lot because I really liked the first book.  I loved that this book was told from the perspective of Mary Alice and that we got to see her grow and change over the course of a book.  I think that Mary Alice's transformation from hating being with her crazy Grandma to worrying about her was my favorite part.  At the beginning of the book she was just a normal teenager who cared only about herself.  As the book progressed I noticed she was worrying about her Grandma more and more until she didn't even want to leave her to go back home to her parents.  I think that young kids need to learn that their grandparents and even parents are older and that they should look out for them.  We need to take care of and look out for our elders.  We also need to spend as much time with them as possible because they won't be here forever.

I still love the short story format in which this book is written.  This book had a deeper connection between Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel in my opinion.  I give this 5 stars and recommend it to everyone.  It's a great book with a great lesson about family.  

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck

From Goodreads,

"Join Joey and his sister Mary Alice as they spend nine unforgettable summers with the worst influence imaginable--their grandmother!"

Goodreads - A Long Way From Chicago

Awards and Nominations:

• National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (1998)
• Newbery Medal Nominee (1999)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2000)

I remember checking this book out when I was in school.  I tried to read it, but found it boring.  So naturally I hadn't planned on reading this book.  But I had planned on reading A Year Down Yonder because it is the 2001 Newbery Medal Winner and I'm reading through the list.  But once I realized that A Year Down Yonder is the second book of this trilogy, I knew I had to read the first book.  

This book is narrated by Joey as he tells of the summers he spends with his sister Mary Alice and his grandmother, Mrs. Dowdel.  They first visit in 1929 and end up visiting every summer.  Each chapter is the story and adventures of what happened that summer. 

I read through this book in a few hours.  It was so good.  This book is set up in a unique format because each chapter is a different year and snapshot of the summer that Joey and Mary Alice spent with their grandma.  At first I thought that I was really going to dislike the format and lack of a storyline, but it really grew on me.  The grandmother is very quirky and interesting.  I think that the book being in short story format really allowed the grandmother to be interesting, but also give her some mystery because the kids never knew what she was going to do next. 

This book also had some strong messages that I really loved.  One of my favorites was the strength of women and their independence.  Mrs. Dowdel is very independent in this book and she is strong for being a woman in the 30s.  She does what she wants, when she wants.  The expectations of women during this time were for them to be a housewife and mother.  They were expected to be prim and proper, but Mrs. Dowdel broke all the rules.  She stood up for what was right.  In today's world we see women being overly sexualized and they are seen as objects.  I think that young girls need good role models in literature, and Mrs. Dowdel is an excellent role model for being strong and independent.  

This book is so unique and interesting.  I am so glad that I read it and I'm extremely excited to read A Year Down Yonder.  I think that many kids would enjoy this book as a read aloud.  I am definitely considering reading this to my class.  I give this book 5 stars.