A Season of Gifts

A Season of Gifts

Richard Peck

A Season of Gifts tells the story of twelve-year-old Bob and his family who have just moved to a rural Illinois town.  Their neighbor just happens to be a grouchy old woman named Mrs. Dowdel.  Although Mrs. Dowdel makes it clear that she "doesn't neighbor", she helps each member of Bob's family as they adjust to their new community.  

The very first paragraph of A Season of Gifts captured my attention.  

You could see from here the house was haunted.  Its crooked old lightning rods pointed bony fingers at the sky.  It hadn't had a lick of paint since VJ Day, maybe the war before that.  A porch sagged off the side.  The kitchen screen door hung from a hinge.  Only the snowball bushes crowding its foundations seemed to hold the place up.

The dilapidated shack in the story belongs to Mrs. Dowdel, the rough, tough and larger than life elderly lady that claims to be "no church woman." The house seems to reflect her temperament.  Throughout the story, however, we learn that Mrs. Dowdel is kind-hearted and truly loves her community. She believes in justice and helping those in need. In fact, she gives special gifts to each member of Bob's family.  Although these gifts are not tied up in pretty packages and delivered on Christmas morning, they are life-lessons that help Bob and his family appreciate the selfless acts of kindness that come from an unlikely source.  

Filled with humor and heartwarming moments, A Season of Gifts is a must-read.  Grandma Dowdel is also featured in Peck's  A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way from Chicago.  I can't wait to read more about this unconventional bighearted character.