A Long Way from Chicago — Richard Peck

Meet the unforgettable Grandma Dowdel!
Each summer over the nine years of the Depression, Joey and his sister, Mary Alice -- two city slickers from Chicago -- make their annual visit to Grandma Dowdel's sleepy Illinois town. Soon enough, they find that it's far from sleepy... and Grandma is far from typical. From seeing their first corpse (and he isn't resting easy) 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 nine summers they'll never forget!