Fair Weather

by Richard Peck

Book Overview

Thirteen-year-old Rosie Beckett has never strayed further from her family's farm than a horse can pull a cart. Then a letter from her Aunt Euterpe arrives, and everything changes. It's 1893, the year of the World's Columbian Exposition-the "wonder of the age"-a.k.a. the Chicago World's Fair. Aunt Euterpe is inviting the Becketts to come for a visit and go to the fair Award-winning author Richard Peck's fresh, realistic, and fun-filled writing truly...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142500348
• ISBN13: 9780142500347
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

What a sweet story!

Those are the words that kept going through my head as I read this very homey and touching story. Richard Peck really knows how to tell a tale. I came to love each and every character--they made me laugh out loud as well as tear up. I also got a real sense of the time. In fact, I almost could have sworn this had been written in the 1890's. Very authentic. I intend to get my hands on other Richard Peck books as soon as possible. I highly recommend this book!

Fair Waether

I liked this book,for one reason is because it was in the time period that my grandparents were growing up in. Also my grandparents told me alot about that time and the things they had to do and deal with. Like alot of people had a small farm so they could raise food for their family. Like the young boys were taut how to hunt and work for their food. Lastly how the mother's and sisters worked in the kitchen making butter and things from the milk they got from their cows And the eggs they got from their chickens. I think the best part in the book was where the country folks got to come to see the fair. Also how fascinated they were about everything. Since they were so fascinated they did an excelent job of discribing the story. The stry was very clear an understanding. Like when they went to the midway of the fair how they described it like all of the bad and good shows out at night. When they went to the buffalo bill show like they described it so well you could actually see the show your self. This story would probably be a conflict story with all of the conflict they have between the characters. As for instance the town the fair is held in there is alot of rich people.

A nostalgic delight

Richard Peck's "Fair Weather" is a fun read. Deftly written, it is the charming story of thirteen-year old Rosie, herolder sister and younger brother and obnoxious granddad's adventure from the farm in Christian County to the amazing World's Columbian Exposition - "the wonder of the age" - in Chicago. They stay in the mansion home of their stuffy, delicate Aunt Euterpe. They embarrass Aunty no end, in running off her staff, in front of society ladies from whom she desperately covets approval, and at the fair. But, they all seem a little less worse for the wear when it's over and the reader is left smiling.

<br>Recommended by SPECTRUM Home & School Magazine

Peck is the award-winning writer of more than twenty-five novels for young readers. "Fair Weather" deserves to be on Oprah's adult list as it would have great appeal to her core audience and Peck's writing is delicious. By no means do I want to suggest that this is solely a female's book. It's a terrific story to read aloud with the whole family. It is 1893. Thirteen-year-old Rosie Beckett lives on a small farm in southern Illinois with her parents, grandpa, older sister, and younger brother. It's a rugged life of early morning chores and long days of work. It's a life without electricity or anything frivolous or luxurious. The children only wear shoes for special occasions. The Becketts have no complaints-it is the life they know. But everything changes when their aunt sends them train tickets and invites them to Chicago for a week to visit the World's Columbian Exposition. The trip is a whirlwind adventure of fact and fiction you won't want to miss.