Luckily, Grandma's treats prove far sweeter than her tricks: at the party, Mrs. Dowdel dishes up home-baked pies made with "borrowed" pecans and pumpkins.

In spring, Grandma takes in a New York artist, Arnold Green, as a boarder for a whopping $2.50 a day as Mary Alice invites Royce over for an ostensibly "study" focused-date.

Wedding bells ring at the end of World War II, and Mary Alice returns to marry Royce McNabb in Grandma's front room.

According to Kirkus Reviews, "Peck's slice-of-life novel doesn't have much in the way of a sustained plot; it could almost be a series of short stories strung together, but the narrative never flags, and the book, populated with distinctive, soulful characters who run the gamut from crazy to conventional, holds the reader's interest throughout.

"[2] Jim Gladstone wrote in The New York Times, "I suspect that parents and grandparents will enjoy reading these conversationally cadenced stories aloud, savoring Peck's sweet (but never too sentimental) evocations of, say, Kate Smith, 'the Songbird of the South,' singing; Armistice Day celebrations; W.P.A.

"[3] Kitty Flynn wrote in The Horn Book Magazine, "While the escapades are diverting, the seven stories, which span the school year, don't have the cumulative power of those in A Long Way from Chicago... Peck presents memorable characters in a satisfying sequel, and those looking to be entertained once again by Grandma Dowdel will enjoy their visit.