The Great Gilly Hopkins

"We do different things with our anger, of course. I was always taught to deny mine, which I did and still do. And that makes me envy you. Your anger is still up here on the surface where you can look it in the face, make friends with it if you want to."

Gilly Hopkins is an 11-year-old kid who has been in the foster system all her life. In less than 3 years, she's been moved to 3 foster homes. Somewhere along the way, she has set her heart to be unpleasant and gutsy, "great Gilly Hopkins" who doesn't need any help. Her anger often makes her competitive in school and among others. But deep inside her heart, she still carries the picture of her beautiful mother, Courtney Hopkins, who sends her an occasional postcard, but never comes to see her.

Now Gilly is placed in a new foster home with a "gross guardian and a freaky kid". She is determined to drive both of them crazy before they know it. Until one day she receives another postcard from her mother with her mailing address in California. Gilly decides to get enough money (any way possible) to buy herself a one-way ticket to go and stay with her mother. But things don't turn out the way she planned. Not at all.

This contemporary and humorous story won't leave anyone indifferent - Gilly's journey and transformation are quite realistic and emotional. She learns the hard way that life is not full of illusions and happy endings, not always, but it only makes it more exciting and worth living for. After all, as Mrs. Trotter says on the last pages of the book, "Nothing to make you happy like doing good on a tough job, now is there?"

Julia Shpak
Author of "Power of Plentiful Wisdom". Available on the store.
For more reviews visit my blog "Julia's Library" at: ForwardQuoteDOTcom

Eleven-year-old Galadriel "Gilly" Hopkins has been shuffled from foster home to foster home since she was three years old. Every time she becomes used to a new family, they find a reason to get rid of her. And so, to protect herself against the hurt, Gilly's decided to be awful to everyone. So what if she doesn't have friends? Gilly's decided that pushing everyone away from the onset is the only way to survive...that, and refuse to give up the idea that the beautiful mother she last saw as a toddler is actually planning to come rescue her any day now.

However, Gilly's newest foster mother, Trotter, isn't so easily pushed away. She's used to difficult children, and she's determined to get through to Gilly -- who, in turn, is repulsed by her large size, by quiet little foster brother William Ernest, and by Mr. Randolph, the elderly blind neighbor who eats with the family each night.

Just when Gilly's finally beginning to accept Trotter's home as her own, fate intervenes, and once again, Gilly's world is turned upside down.

Some readers reject this book, as Gilly is something of a racist, and there is a particular scene where she writes a nasty poem to her sixth-grade teacher, who is black. However, I disagree with banning it -- I feel that Gilly's behavior is on target with her upbringing and inner turmoil. Paterson isn't throwing in racist situations gratuitously, but rather using them as fodder for Gilly's personal development -- and, in fact, showing readers the world as it really is. It's up to Gilly, and everyone, to learn how to deal with prejudices and establish a strong sense of self.

I finally picked up this book almost 30 years after I first tried to read it. When I was nine or 10, the age when I first tried to read it, I remember not liking it. Gilly, the main character, is foul-mouthed, racist, a thief, and a thoroughly unlikeable little brat. As a kid living in a middle class, two-parent home, in a rural community where I had lived since birth, I found Gilly completely incomprehensible. She shocked me, she disturbed me, and I wondered why her name was pronounced like fish gills. I also found the lack of a clear happy ending annoying. I tossed it aside and picked up Madeleine L'Engle.

When I read it again as a much older adult, I'm no longer shocked and I suspect today's kids are probably less likely to be shocked than I was, though I think it's likely to appeal more to kids who are familiar with some of the problems Gilly experiences as a foster child. This is an extremely well-written book with well-drawn characters and a poignant ending. I see it's being made into a movie and I think it can still be readily adapted. Irresponsible parents, grandmothers raising grandchildren, and a glut of kids in foster care are still pretty common occurrences, unfortunately.

I loved this book because it has a lot emotion and also has so many characters that madder to Gilly. One reason I recommend this book is because if you like reading about people who have troubles with life this is a great book for you. She always trys to go to her mom and one she stole money from a blind man and spent it on a train to California. Ihope you read this amazing and suspenseful book.

As someone who reads decently often I was not happy with the presentation of this book. It felt like the literature's Oscar bait. An uplifting story with an unlikable character until the very end doesn't really fit with the modern problems of today. The theme was to out in the open and very common. But I don't know, this might be your favorite book I just did not like it. (keep in mind right now I'm reading "Ready Player One") It just kind of felt as if the author poured herself into this book. But if you like other stuff by this author by all means read it I just myself are not fond of this book.

The book the Great Gilly Hopkins was wonderfully written was personaly my favorite book I've ever read! Katherine Paterson is my favorite author and really makes the reader get a great feeling for her terrific novels. As Gilly experiences lots of foster homes and figured out that not one family was good enough for her until she gets to the Trotter's. As Gilly takes you through a whole new world of love, frightfulness, upsetting, and happyness scenes, you will see how hard being a foster child can really be. Gilly really wanted to find her mother and live with her until the day of all her dreams came true and she wasn't happy. Because of all of this, at the end she wanted Trotter but she new it wasn't going to happen, Trotter would never be part of her life again. The one beautiful part at the end, the last line of the book really is the best part of the book. It brings hope and encuregment from her good pal, Trotter and so, here on the store.com, you can buy this book and treasure it in your heart like I do. It truely is beautifully written and I recommend it to all readers over 9 years of age. And remember, only the authers can put it out on the shelves of stores and on the Internet, but what really is happening is a lump of magic is brought into your home from a terrific author, Katherine Patterson. Remember, they do the work, you make the magic come to life.

Eleven-year-old Galadriel Hopkins ("Gilly" to the plebs she is forced to mix with in foster care) is not known for being cute or cuddly. Instead, she is the girl with the harsh words, mean attitude and, most recently, the really big bubble of gum that blew up in her face. Gilly is not the girl any foster parent in their right mind would want to adopt.

Which is just fine with Gilly because she already has a mother. A real mother. A movie star beautiful mother named Courtney Rutherford Hopkins who misses her and wishes they could be together.

For Gilly, that's enough. Knowing that somewhere Courtney is wishing for her daughter as badly as Gilly is wishing for her mother can get Gilly through anything.

At least, it could before she arrived at Mrs. Trotter's front door. Everything about this foster home is wrong. Trotter is fat and ugly. William Ernest, the other foster child, isn't too quick on the uptake. And (gasp) a wrinkled, old black man lives next door. Trotter and her band of misfits might be more bizarre than Gilly could ever imagine. But could they also be just what she needs? It's enough to make Gilly hatch an escape plan (or three) in The Great Gilly Hopkins (1978) by Katherine Paterson.

First things first: The Great Gilly Hopkins was the 1979 Newbery Honor book (The Westing Game won the gold that year). It made it to #55 in Betsy Bird's Top 100 Children's Novels poll. I haven't been following the poll too closely because the posts overwhelm me, but the segment about Gilly is necessarily relevant to this review. Katherine Paterson herself was also just recently appointed National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

In other words, everything about this book is a big deal.

Personally, I had very mixed feelings about The Great Gilly Hopkins (although I'm finding that to be true about a lot of children's classics lately). On the one hand I wanted very badly to be on Gilly's side and pull for her as an abandoned child that really needs someone to love her in her own right, not as a temporary commodity. On the other hand, Gilly works so hard at pushing people away that, at a certain point, it becomes hard to care too much or cheer too loudly for this girl who is all hard edges and anger.

This next part is going to have spoilers because just about everyone in the entire world has already read this book: Paterson does a great job creating Gilly as a character she is fully developed even though she is loathe to tell readers everything about her less-than-ideal past in the foster system. The book also handles a bold topic: looking at a little girl who is in the foster system not because she is an orphan but because her parent did not want her. The abandonment is extreme and, in the story, becomes palpable even as Gilly clings to the idealized vision she's created for her mother from a photograph and a note.

That said, I also had a lot of issues with the book. Gilly is essentially racist at the beginning of the story. She does grow and evolve and move past that, but it's one of those elements that seemed to be added to a book for a wow/edgy factor than for the actual story (in other words, I don't know that Gilly had to be racist to make the book work). It also seems like race wouldn't have been such a hot topic by that time--I might be mistaken though since I wasn't actually alive in 1978.

The adults in the novel also bothered me. A lot. If the grandmother cared so much about Gilly why was she ever in foster care? Miss Ellis was also quite frustrating when she essentially tells an eleven-year-old girl that she screwed up because she wasn't able to just suck it up until things got better. Really, Miss Ellis, really?

Finally, I found the message of The Great Gilly Hopkins to be really frustrating. Essentially, Gilly has a chance at having a real family with Trotter and William Ernest and Mr. Randolph but she blows that chance by writing to her mother about being unhappy that ruins everything and forces Gilly to lose yet another family. That seemed to translate to saying that children only get punished when they talk about being unhappy because things will only get worse which seemed problematic. (Do you have a different interpretation? Please share it in the comments!)

In summary, The Great Gilly Hopkins remains a bold, moving novel that is ripe for many rich discussions. It is widely honored and beloved by many. It's also controversial and for some, self included, the allure is not always clear.

The main character of this book is Gilly a foster child who has been moved around a lot. She struggles with fears, anger, and feeling alone and unloved. She lies, steals, bullies other kids, is prejudiced, and uses profanity.

She learns to eventually trust and love her foster family before being removed to live with her grandmother. At the end of the book, she finally meets her biological mother only to find that her mother does not love her and is not interested in living with her.

This is a great book for discussion but it may be disturbing for kids reading it on their own. I think it is most appropriate for kids over 13. Kids ages 11-12 may or may not be okay reading it due to its themes, but I think the profanity is inappropriate for children. Kids 10 and under will probably be disturbed by the themes unless they have a troubled past.

My 10 year old was very uncomfortable after she read it on her own. She did feel better after we discussed it. I wish that she had read it at an older age and that we had read it together and discussed it throughout.

I personally enjoyed the book and think it is a good book to discuss with youth 13 and older. It's a wonderful book for developing empathy and understanding how anger and fear affect people. It shows the affects that out-of-wedlock pregnancies can have on the children born and how the lack of good parenting affects young children. It also teaches how to love those who are deeply wounded. It's a good jumping off point for discussing how to deal with tough situations (when life isn't fair).

Contemporary. Absorbing. Insightful. Reflective. Dramatic. Humorous. These are just a few adjectives that can be heaped on this excellent novel for children. Ms. Paterson has written a book that can stand the test of time with its multiple themes: conflict resolution, facing reality, the universal need by all for security, and to a lesser degree, the inhumanity of man to man. As Gilly may have put it, "This is one damn good book!'
As I began to read the selection, I was unnerved somewhat by Gilly's frequent uses of profanity. I thought this be unsuitable in a book intended for children. However, as I progressed, I realized that his provided the reader with an essential character trait of the young lady. From years of being shuffled from one home to another, Gilly had become angry and mistrusting of others. Her language and actions were defense mechanisms she used to cope with her feelings of unworthiness.
I could relate to the child's prejudices because as an African-American, I have been witness to some of the same ignorance possessed by the story's central character. It is admirable of the author to include such thinking for it promotes discussion about how we see each other.
The supporting characters are memorable and well developed. From the kindness of the overweight Maime Trotter to the poetry-reciting blind Mr. Randolph, the "people" in the story are so realistically portrayed that the reader cannot help but have concern for them. Honestly speaking, I almost shed a tear when Gilly had to leave her new "family."
Speaking of Gilly, the young lady changes from an angry child to a loving individual who discovers that life is not always the way it's supposed to be.
In an era when foster families and abandoned children abound, this book speaks to all of us. It shows how important the family unit is, how children need support, and how we are dependent on each other.
Such a simple message this is, unfortunately, forgotten by most.

This is one of those books I had always wanted to read and never got around to checking out until now. When people talk of the cover the remember, I distinctly remember one of a scowling brunette girl with bangs in her face, wearing a denim jacket. Does anyone else remember this cover?

Poor Gilly has been let down by so many people in her life. Her mother abandoned her and she has been tossed from one foster home to the next for the majority of her young life. This has left her angry and distrusting of everyone. She doesn't want anyone to get too close to her to avoid the risk of having them leave her as well. She is a foul-mouthed girl with racist, prejudiced thoughts. The only light of hope in her life is the occasional letter from her mother promising that one day they will be together again.

Eventually she gets placed in Maime Trotter's house. At first Gilly tries to make Trotter's life as difficult as possible, but she has truly met her match with this woman. Trotter proves to be a loyal and loving foster parent. Unfortunately when Gilly finally realizes that life in the Trotter home is alright, it's too late and she has to leave. Why? Well you'll just have to read for yourself to see how the plot unfolds.

It's easy to judge a kid like Gilly and voice anger because she is so foul-mouthed, racist and nasty. However Katherine Paterson beautifully and subtly illustrates the horrible life Gilly has lived to become the way she is. A reader who truly "gets" this book will close the cover and feel empathy towards Gilly Hopkins.

Gilly Hopkins is a sixth grade foster child on her way to her new home after being abandoned by one and expelled from the other for bad behavior. A very angry little girl, Gilly just thinks of ways to hurt her foster mother, her timid foster brother, and her strict teacher. Gilly dreams of her mother coming to save her and to have a permanent home. The story is a bit dated (Gilly's mom was a flower child and she's quite tame for a foster child), but the message and the portrayal of such a child is still very significant and moving. The characters and situation and ending is very realistic and moving. Wonderful and engaging book. Grade: A

I first read The Great Gilly Hopkins when I was in third or fourth grade in elementary school. We read this, as well as Bridge to Terabithia.

When I read this book in class, I liked it so much that I bought a copy at our school's book fair. About two weeks ago, when I set up all of my books on my newly built book shelf, I stared at the smoke-stained pages of The Great Gilly Hopkins and sat down to read it. I couldn't really remember much of the book, at that point, besides that it was about an orphan. As I read through each chapter, I recalled more and more. I even remembered the title of the chapter "Harassing Miss Harris." Parts of this book left me feeling broken, still -- especially the ending.

I have a cousin who was in foster care, and my step-son is going through similar instances with his mother (but not rebelling, yet.) After rereading this and being so blown away, still, almost fifteen years later, I plan on sitting down with him to read together. If I had to choose one book from my childhood which was a staple, which also helped me to become more interested in reading and humanity, it is this book. I would recommend it to all students of all ages (with parental guidance for words that are "too big.") Five stars for a 10 year old AND for a 25 year old.

None of eleven-year-old Gilly Hopkins' foster families can measure up to the photograph of her beautiful, distant mother. At least that's what Gilly tells herself while she's torturing family after would-be family. But when she finally finds herself in the home of a woman who may just be prepared to love her the way she is, Gilly has to decide if she really wants to be part of a family at all.

The Great Gilly Hopkins is a story about love, hope, and not always getting what we want. It was a Newberry Honor book in 1979.

Let me begin by giving full praise to the original cover of "The Great Gilly Hopkins". I've seen the reissued covers and they fill me with sadness. On the original front cover is Gilly Hopkins herself. Hands placed firmly on her waist, elbows akimbo, she's blowing a bubble the size of her head. Her hair is short and mousy colored and she's wearing a shirt that I myself wore, I'm certain, in 1982. On the back cover the bubble has popped all over her face, giving her an odd bubbley mask. Compare such a beautiful illustration of this human being with the current spunky pink cheeked aw-ain't-she-sweet kid on the current covers. For shame, Mr. Publisher. For shame.
Now this book is great. Doggone it, I do this with every Katherine Paterson book. I walk in with the vague hope of not hating the book (paging "Bridge to Terebithia") and end up loving it as much as everyone else in the world loves it. What is not to like about this book? You begin with a thoroughly unlikable character. Sure, maybe she's been having some ups and downs in her life, but she's a racist, thieving, conniving little brat. And doggone it if you don't end up loving the little whelp by the end. Gilly changes, the reader changes with her, and the people around her are great. And the ending is far from perfect for poor Gilly, but she did bring it on herself and she's strong enough to survive it. The book's got pep, the girl's got pep, and the whole thing is thoroughly enjoyable. Two thumbs way way up for the Gilly gal.

As someone who spent his childhood surrounded by foster kids, The Great Gilly Hopkins was especially relevant. Being bounced around from home to home is no fun, so it makes sense that you would put up a wall and do your best not to get emotionally attached to anyone, right? I have to say that this story touched me deeply.

No vampires, zombies, or space aliens run amok, just a beautifully written tale about a young girl who ultimately wants nothing more than to be loved. The characters are richly drawn and immediately engaging. Aside from Gilly herself, Ms. Trotter, Gilly's foster mother, is rough around the edges and completely loveable. It's a supremely moving story about how we often fail to realize what we have until it's gone.

The Great Gilly Hopkins is a sad story, but people will not observe it unless they read the latter part of the story. In the story are several characters such as Miss Ellis, Gilly, William Ernest, Mrs. Trottor, Mr. Randolf, Anges Stokes, Harris, Nonnie, and Courtney.
The Great Gilly Hopkins is related to people's lives. Perhaps some people do not know what a foster child is, but we can feel those characters' feelings when we read it. Those are what we felt and feel in our daily lives. Besides, the words are simple and colloquial. People say them, too. It sounds that we really hear those characters talk. More importantly, the author understands what children and adults think and feel, and she can even touch their hearts. She may be telepathic. That is why she could describe those characters well. I think her experience is a very important element of her success. The Great Gilly Hopkins really touches people's hearts of hearts.

My 11-year old recommended this book. She had read it at school. So we read it together. We loved it! The story is fascinating and the characters are wonderful. It's the story of an 11 or 12 year-old girl who has become hardened and deceitful because of her experiences as a foster child that is moved around to different families. She's white and has grown up racist ... but this changes ... not in a sudden epiphany (how rare those are!) ... her feelings and behavior change slowly ... organically. I highly recommend this book.

Gilly Hopkins has traveled from foster home to foster home in hope of being sent to live with her real mother. But while living with the tenderhearted,Trotter, and her foster son, William Ernest, she finds herself learning to love those around her. The book offers some important messages about family and love,which may change a young reader's world forever. As in all of Paterson's works,the characters are rich,real creations who readers will think about,care for and love.

RATING:A

I read and RE-read this book about 100 times as a pre-teen and teenager. I found it absolutely fascinating because I didn't know anyone like Gilly in the real world.
Evidently some parents aren't giving their kids enough credit when it comes to reading books that have curse words or so called "questionable" issues. This is the real world and it has plenty of angry, hurt, and confused foster kids, cursing, and racial inequality. I was only about 10 or 11 when I first read the book and reading it did not make me cuss or use racial slurs. I inherently knew that the subject material must be sensitive and to me it was eye-opening. As I got older I read and re-read the book and learned more every time.
Parents, give your children more credit and if you don't like the book then talk to your kids about it. If nothing else it will facilitate a meaningful conversation about people that you may otherwise not have in your life. Do not make the mistake of simply not reading it because of these other poor reviews.

Are you searching for a good story book to read???You don't need to continue to find,because you have found it,¡¨The Great Gilly Hopkins¡¨.It is a very good story book.
"The Great Gilly Hopkins"was written by Katherine Paterson.The type of book is fiction.Why did I choose this book to read???The reason is the cover of this book.The cover attracts me to read it.On the cover,a girl was sitting in the floor and looking at a photo.She looks like very unhappy.I also feel her has many secrets.On that time,I think this book is very good,because she might have a touching story.I want to know the story of this girl.
In this book,the main character is Gilly Hopkins who is the girl on the book cover.She is eleven years old and a foster kid.She is in foster system all her life.She moves into her third foster home in less than three years.She wants to find her mother in Califormia.She also has a delusion that one day her real mother will live with her.Mrs Trotter,a fat countrywomen.She is a foster mother of Gilly.She also takes care about a metally slow foster child,is called Willian Ernest.
What is the ending of this story book???Finally ,Gilly with her mother and grandmother live.On that time,she wishes she is back living with Mrs Trotter.You want to know what happened before the ending,READ THIS BOOK~~!!
I like this book very much because it is very attractive.If you start to read this book,you will not want to stop it.You will continue to read and want to know what happened on the story.You will want to know whether Gilly find her mother at the end.Can she live with her mother??In this book,the discruption of characters and places are very detail.The editor describes the place are very detail to the readers because the editor wants the readers fuse into the story.This book is very easy to follow and the content is also very easy to understand.I have learnt what the thinking of the foster child have.They always feel alone and unpleasant.Their parents left these child,so they can't live with their parents and no one take care about them.They always think the reasons of parents left them are caused by them.We need to more take care about these foster child.
I recommend this book,¡¨The Great Gilly Hopkins¡¨ to all of you~~!!You don¡¨t need to continue to find another story book,you have found the best one~!!

Gilly Hopkins, a defiant child, has been through many foster homes. She takes pride in being sly and never growing attached to her foster families. Then Gilly moves in with Mrs. Trotter, a fat countrywoman, and William Ernest, a mentally slow foster child. Gilly has always wanted to move in with her mother, whom she believes loves her. She also believes that writing to her mother about these "deplorable" conditions will make her mother come to take her "back home." Just as Gilly begins to realize that she has actually found someone to love and to love her, Gilly's grandmother comes to take Gilly home with her. Gilly learns some hard lessons at a young age, such that happy endings usually do not exist.
For children who do not know what it is like to be a foster child, this book sheds some light on the anger, frustration, and confusion a foster child may go through. Non-foster children take many things for granted, such as the presence of their parents and the stability of a home; however, many foster children often wonder why their parents have left them in foster care. Gilly asks herself, "What kind of lies was the social worker telling Courtney (her mother) to keep her from coming to fetch Gilly?"(Page 15). Many non-foster children take for granted the fact that their home is with their parents, and unless their parents move, they do not have to move. Foster children move around so much that Gilly thinks to herself, "Unpacking�seemed such a waste of time�She never knew if she'd be in a place long enough to make it worth the bother" (page 9). This book teaches non-foster children not to take their home situations for granted; and it gives them insight into the emotions of a foster child, to help non-foster children better relate to foster children. This book also helps foster children understand the emotions they are going through, and it lets them know that they are not the only ones with these emotions.
This book has been banned because of the objectionable language and racism. I do not agree with the banning of this book. Gilly is such a defiant character that her character would not be complete without the bad language. I believe that this language helps children better understand the emotions through which foster children go. Furthermore, Gilly's racism helps to show how narrow-minded she is and highlights her negative attitude toward the world. By the end of the book Gilly's attitude has changed, she has learned to accept different races, and she has become much more mature. Without this racism, the book would not be complete because it helps show the change in Gilly's character.

I found The Great Gilly Hopkins to be an interesting tale about young Galadriel Hopkins, an eleven year-old girl who has been in and out of foster homes for most of her life. Where ever Gilly goes she stirs up trouble and leaves her mark, not always a good one, on the people who take her in. When she is sent to live with the Trotters she's expecting to do the same thing to this then, but she is surprised when Mrs. Trotter and William Earnest (W.E), the other foster child who lives there, don't react the way every other family has. As you read this book you'll find yourself cringing at all of the mistakes she makes, find relief as she learns from them and rooting for her as she continues to grow through out the course of the book.People who are sensitive to vulgar language need to be warned that there is some vulgar language in this book, but please do not let that decide whether you read the book or not, it is an extremely entertaining and educational book.

Gilly is tough--on the inside and out. This is her third foster home in less than three years. But who cares. She doesn't. She'll be a brat, run the place. After all, what do you expect from someone who wants to be with her OWN mother? Love? Loyalty? Not from Gilly Hopkins. This is a book of humor, surprises, joy, and sadness.

The Creative Teacher: Activities for Language Arts (Grades 4 through 8 and Up)

This is the kind of book that you are maybe looking for. Have you ever asked yourself, how privileged you are of having a family that loves you? This friendship, family and love story can really commode you. Because maybe we think that is obligatory that our parents take care of us, though in the bottom of our hearts we don't realize why they do they really do this... I couldn't stop reading since I started.
Gilly a ten year-old girl who does have a mother but has never met her neither her father. She lives in a foster home in Virginia. She is a very terrible girl, no one stands her cause she just cant behave. The only thing that motivates her is seeing the picture of her mother every night. She always think that some day she is going to met her. Gilly lives for her mother even though she doesn't know her, but in the letters she writes with her she seems to be very nice and funny. Her mother is the a [person who would do a lot of things for interest. She has never been really interested in her child.
No other book is so unique like this one, unpredictable also. It is fantastic because of Gilly's problem and maybe we found out ourselves there in the story because we had never realized how much parents could mean in our lives.
All characters are believable., they are as normal as us.
As I says Gilly is so terrible that she has already passed by three foster homes. But since the day that Gilly was sent to her third foster home all her life changed. Ms. Trotter was a fat lady; she didn't work but passed almost all the entire day in the kitchen. Edward was an 8 year old boy (he was also adopted) Gilly didn't like the idea of being with that family but she makes a lot of adventures with them. After a while, she seems to love them all and appreciate their love to her!
One day her grandmother goes to visit her even though Gilly didn't knew who she was, after she explains her Gilly knew that she wanted to take her to live with her ... Gilly was not so convinced but she thought that maybe that way she could meet her mom.
Will Gilly finally meet her mom? Would she go to live with her even though now, she loves the family she is in?
This fiction book, seems to be a real one, you can be one of those people out there that don't know how to appreciate a family. It made me feel of how lucky I am of having a family that loves me a lot.
Money is not worth everything!

My fourth grade teacher read this book to our class well she warned us there would be swearing except we all took it very well. The book other than that part was great I laughed and was very interested, my teacher said she cried. NO ONE in my class cried. I don't remember much of it except that I thought it was really good.

I love this book. it is about a foster child who keeps moving on to different homes.
I rated this review 5 stars because I love how the book can go without stopping, but they stop the book in a bad spot. But when you think about it, any spot would be a bad spot.

Gilly Hopkins, the main character of this book, is an imaginative and manipulative 11-year-old in the trying to control her life in the midst of the foster care system. The story begins with Gilly and her social worker going to meet Gilly's new "family" for the first time. This new family consists of a "mammoth-sized guardian and a freaky kid." As we learn that this will be her third foster home in as many years, we know that we are in for an exciting and tumultuous adventure!
Gilly's initial reaction to her new setting is that it is dark, cramped and filthy. Inside this home is where the majority of the book takes place, as they dine nightly with the old and blind man next door and where she concocts the drama behind her escapades.
Written in a limited point of view, the reader is given insight into understanding the mechanisms this child has adopted in order to adapt to her environment. She creatively gets the attention of her teacher, uses a classmate to her very best advantage, and uses loads of intimidation to control another foster child in the home. The plot is one of the individual (Gilly) against society (in this case the foster care system), and we receive creative insight into the workings of such a complicated system in our society.
Gilly's main goal is to escape her current situation, dreaming of the pot of gold at the end of her rainbow. She eventually gets her long awaited wish, only to be disappointed again by life. Gilly is eventually able to bond, in a unique sort of fashion, with the "misfits" whom she was thrust into a relationship with. She is able to care for them when they are sick, and form her own important place in the family structure. The tone of the book can at times be very dark and lonely as this child struggles with what she perceives as an intolerable circumstance with little or no support structure.
The simple sentence structure and vocabulary of this book makes it a good choice for the young reader. The use of short and concise sentences make it easy to read and the dialogue is easy to understand. While the book focuses on a very grown-up theme, it is a wonderful example of the fact that life is not always fair, and it is an excellent choice for the reader who would be at ease with the reality that not all stories have happy endings.

I will be 10 in November and reading books is one of many passions.
I thought the main character was a mean spirited and rude girl. Her language was crude,foul and very offensive. She did not show younger readers a good example in any way. I am sorry that I wasted my pocket money and precious time on this book. Please Children, DO NOT read or buy this book and I'm serious...

Some things are better unanswered, March 30, 2004
Reviewer: Casey Erikson from New Iberia, Louisiana United States
I highly recommend this book, the warmth and love it displays and the harsh reality of our actions. Author Katherine Paterson writes about the sensitive subject of foster care. Gilly Hopkins an eleven year old child has been in foster care all her life with the hope of her mom returning one day to get her. Gilly is a very bright and unmanageable child who is placed with the Trotter family to live. At first Gilly can only see what is on the surface of her new family, a large obese religious woman and a slow timid boy. Before she can see what is in the hearts of her new family she writes a desperate note to be rescued only the rescue is not what she expects and comes after she has learned the true meaning of family.

the great gilly hopkins is a great book. gilly was an intelligent child who was very hard to manage. she had recently moved into her new house with trotter, a religious kind person. gilly only saw the bad side of her and when she realized she was a good person, it was too late. i really liked this book.

An "Okay" book; for a story of an immature, self-centered kid who has been kicked around most of her life, this one is "okay." Looking for love, for a place to be, for dreams to come true (that mother of hers), it's all in there. I didn't much like the girl. Odd ending. Movie coming out soon.

This book was moving, heartwarming, and especially hilarious. It is about a misunderstood foster child who has moved so many times, she knows it is only a small amount of time before they moved her again. She is very suprised when she finds someone who loves her, but by then it is to late. Her mother figure is all wrong and she is sent to live with her Grandmother, "Nonnie". At the end of the book, Gilly learns about true love and how people are not always as they seem. This book has a few swears, but the great plot makes up for it. I recommend this book.

I like this book because it gives older foster children a story to read that relates to their lives. The story offers realistic views on some of the challenges encountered in foster care. The book also offers hope. -Cynthia Miller Lovell, author of The Star: A story to help young children understand foster care, and Questions & Activities for The Star: A handbook for foster parents

At first, Gilly's attitude toward just about everything (and everybody) offended me, and I considered closing the book and not re-opening it. But I was glad that I finished it and was happy to see the transformation that took place in Gilly's relationship with her foster mom, foster brother and neighbor. Gilly certainly isn't the ideal heroine, so I do recommend that, if possible, parents of pre-teens read it before allowing their children to. Lots for parents/children or teachers/students to discuss.

The Great Gilly Hopkins has a message for children of all ages but expecially my fifth graders. You've heard the expression " Be careful what you wish for" it might come true. So it goes for Gilly, who too late finally finds love in her fourth foster home. A brat, maybe, cussing, yes, but that's so minor if you consider the child was abandoned by her mother and other foster parents. Angry? Definitely, but who wouldn't be. Students fall in and out of love with Gilly, but end up wanting to be her best friend. Changes..but we all go through changes and hope to end up accepting them as Gilly does. The language doesn't bother me or my students when you fully understand Gilly.

Reading this aloud in class, most of our students, myself included, did NOT enjoy the story. I STILL don't understand the point of it, doing all of the projects & such. The beginning, or the whole first half, is really pretty boring. This litle brat, hating everyone unreasonably except her mother who she doesn't even know. the next thirty-or-so pages, the "best" part, she then turns into a loving, caring lil thing for her foster family after attempting to run away. Soon, swamped in her own doings, she is sent away, miserably from her home. The end is a cliffhanger. But, it seems like more of the story is supposed to go on before you are left guessing. Throughout the whole thing, the plot almost never leaves you guessing. You KNOW Cortney is going to come, you KNOW something bad is going to happen to Gilly. Just not worth your time.

This is one of the best (if not THE best) book I have ever read in my entire life! I read it for my Children's Literature class, and I could not put it down. I devoured it in a few hours, becoming completely engulfed and almost addicted to the characters and the story. I fell in love with these characters in such a short period of time, theres no wonder why Gilly did the same. I will say however, it is not a children's book and I do not understand why it is on any list for children. I thought that I would be bored reading a book for children considering I am a junior in college, but the material is quite mature and deals with very deep issues.

It's wonderful! Truly a beautiful story. I recommend it for mature teens and older, considering the issues and the language.

This book is vintage. I think my mom read it when she was younger than my age. Anyways I love this book! It's really humorous & out of the ordinary! I hope my children will get a chance to read this classic work of fiction:D
~Emma,13,CA

This was a good book. Gilly lives in foster homes and is moved to a new foster home. She is very stubborn and just wants to go live with her mom. While she is in this foster home, she starts out being mean. As she gets to know the people, she starts to have feelings for them. She really changes throughout the book. This book made me laugh, but it also made me feel sad. I don't want to say how it ends, I think you should read it for yourself to find out.

This is a marvelous book. I'm astounded by the reviews objecting to Gilly's swear words and racist attitudes. Of course she swears (mildly, by today's standards). She is deeply angry, and she aims to be tough. And her racist attitudes are certainly not condoned by the author--they are in fact changed by love in the course of the story. The book is funny, insightful, moving, and beautifully written. Katherine Paterson is a writer of the first quality. Don't let biased reviews deter you from reading this book.

Let me start by saying i've read a lot of books in my 61 years on this earth. Seen a bunch of movies. Never have i ever seen a movie as good as a book. Until now. Very good book, no doubt. Honest portrayal of a foster child. As you have probably read, maybe a little too honest for some people. But that's life. My suggestion. Skip the book and see the movie. Seriously. Just pales in comparison. Not sure why. Maybe the abrupt ending. Maybe something else. I don't regret having read the book, but i can say this. I won't read it again. No reason to do so. But i will definitely watch the movie again. Most likely many times.

That "reference to adultery" is overrated. She doesn't go into the details about sex, you can still keep that a secret from your kids, all she does is say "it's annoying when parents make you learn the ten commandments, but then refuse to tell you what they all are", pretty much. If you don't want your kid to ask you what adultery is, don't ever let him or her read the bible....

Imagine you are a foster child who keeps on moving from one house to the next. Well you're at another house. Then you feel your life will topple over you. Well Gilly Hopkins has the same problem. Gilly is not your average girl. She is a hurricane of control with a lot of attitude. The people she meets drive her CRAZY. Well maybe it will all work out ............or not. Read the Great Gilly Hopkins!

I first read this one day in class last year.We were going to be stuying it.At first,when I read the first 2 or 3 chapters i said "This is so boring!" but as i read more I loved it!Its a great story with lots of depth.Its about a girl who is forced to move in with a foster family.Really good book!

This book is my favorite book. my favorite character is trotter cuz i am sweet and loving just like her. but i also can be like gilly when im mad. i know how gilly felt for being in foster care. i was in it for 2yrs cause i ran away when i told my family i was gay. they freaked on me. thats y im in love with this book

I really liked this book in ways and I really did not like this book in ways. Some reasons why I found this book uninteresting is it has nothing much exciting happen. It is not adventures like I like them. So this book might be great for you if you are not a fanatiq about adventures book. This book was good in a way because I like how she has a goal. I always like to read about that. I thought this book was ok if you are a person like me!

This book follows Gilly a foster child as she gorws up. Through her feeling of hate toward her foster mother and brother to her angst at school. Gilly learns that no matter how much anger, discomfort, and hardships you put people through the ones who really love you aren't going to stop because you did something bad.

I love this book because it is awesome.I can't believe that Gilly can't go back home to her real home because she is already with somebody else and she also learns how to be nice to the people she is already with .I would recommend this book because it is awesome.

I read the book The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherin Paterson. It is about a girl that goes from foster family to foster family. She is moved in with a very unique foster family. She really does not like them at first but things start to change. I really liked this book and I think it has a good message in it. I would reccomend this book to people that like realistic books.

Great Gilly Hopkins

We thought there are only three words to describe the Great Gilly Hopkins. Adventurous. Searching. Love. We recommend this book highly. It is about a girl looking for her real mother and falls in love with the Trotters' along the way. It is action packed and filled with surprises. Although we were not a fan of the ending the rest of it made up for it.

In the book The Great Gilly Hopkins there is a girl who can get frustrated at times but is very loving. Gilly is a foster child so she moves place to place. But there is one place that feels like home. I would rate this 4 stars. I rate the book this because of the way Katherine Paterson sets the story up. One example is how Gilly's foster mom fell on top of her. "Oh mercy!" Trotter gave a little cry as she came crashing down pinning Gilly to the rug beneath her. Read the book to find out about this wonderful person.

I really liked this book because it told how the girl felt and why. I think this is a fantastic book to read because it makes you feel like you're there.It is one of the best books I have ever read.I would recommend this book to my friends and family because It was recommended to me by my sister.

This book is a wonderful exploration inside the mind of a child struggling with attachment issues. While it is a juvenile level book, I particularly enjoyed reading it. The honesty and humor with which the author writes makes it a great read for both young and old.

I first read this book in the fifth grade for homework assignment. And still today, 10 years after graduating from school..I still remember this book and still love it. It'd be awesome if there were a movie made out of it.

This book was one of the worst books in the world! There was no detail at all. This book isn't for kids because it cuses a lot. This book shouldn't have gotten any of those awards.
Gilly is a stuck up, snotty brat. She is prediduce and isn't kind. This book has the worst possible ending that you can think of. So do not buy this book!!!!!!

If Louisa Alcott's Little Women are dead to today's young girl readers it's because of characters like Gilly Hopkins being foisted as alternate moral examples past unsuspecting parents and into the reading lives and thoughts of their children. Thanks must go to booksellers, librarians, and teachers who give such books the imprimatur of literary awards and then recommend or assign them as texts worthy of precious reading time.

For why should a child struggle to master challenging vocabulary or learn the historical context of irrelevant olden days of false happy endings? Instead, courtesy of "The Great Gilly Hopkins," your child can be taught in easy language the current gritty reality of this foster kid's life, including all the details of how to

--swear ("h*ll," "d*mn," "d*mmit," "Jeez," and "my g*d/G*d" are throughout the book)

--fight

--lie

--manipulate other children by intimidating and tearing them down

--write racist poetry to a black teacher

-- steal money from a foster mother's purse and from a blind man's home (and be taught where to hide it)

-- run away from home and buy a bus ticket

--make fun of fat people ("lard can," "bale of blubber"), Christians ("religious fanatics"), and blacks ("I never touched one of those people in my life")

All of these life skills are provided complete with Gilly's cynical, sarcastic, and racist interior monologue. What child wouldn't be excited and energized to read about this, and spend time living in this girl's head? Just the thing to "stimulate" "reluctant" readers, whose needs for "relevance" or sensational content are too often used as the excuse to drive the curriculum.

But what of the child who loves to read, and is given this off-putting book, who recoils from the racism and mean-spiritedness as something "weird" and foreign; who finds the "bad words" disturbing and confusing in a book assigned in school? How's a parent to explain to a child of 9 or 10 why his teacher would provide something his mom or dad would kick to the curb?

That Gilly, the repugnant protagonist, eventually sees the errors of her ways and "grows" in a plot about as predictable as the average "I Love Lucy" episode, is probably the reason why anyone could claim to use this novel as a teaching tool--for teaching values, not literature (the writing itself is studded with odd similes and the characters are clumsily overplayed). Unfortunately along the road to this moral the reader learns that aberrant, hurtful, and self-destructive behavior is evidently explained if not excused by virtue of the protagonist being a victim, both of circumstances and her own bad responses. For foster child Gilly, age 11, this is a harsh reality, and a pill too harsh, even in novel form, for many young readers to have to swallow. Older teenagers may find the book amusing or intriguing or affecting beyond mere voyeuristic reasons, as they will have the capacity to understand and appreciate more of the emotional and psychological dynamics of Gilly and the other characters. But most children under 12 would not.

It is a long slog to hang in there through the muck to reach the point where Gilly begins to find some shreds of kindness within herself that the reader can finally warm to. The moral of the story, that life is tough and there are no guaranteed happy endings, can be much more graciously and artfully brought home by a book like Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events," where the orphaned children, while never reaching a happy resolution, nevertheless remain likeable, resilient, and resourceful, without ever once resorting to a swear word. This parent wonders: Aren't there better books (and better-written ones) to teach and inspire our preteen children to love reading and to be wise, strong, and kind in the face of harsh adversity?

Barbara Feinberg contends that most of the young adult novels that teachers assign to teenagers these days are dreary, depressing, and didactic ("Reflections on the Problem Novel: Do These Calamity-Filled Books Serve Up Too Much, Too Often, Too Early?). With "The Great Gilly Hopkins" it's clear that the preteen set has become a part of this regrettable trend.

In 5th grade my reading group was assigned this book. We all hated it because Gilly was an obnoxious, snotty brat. We spent most of our work time drawing comics in which she crawled out of the school toilets and attacked us, and we had to fight back and defeat the evil Gilly. So if you want your kids to waste time, buy this book; if you actually want them to read something meaningful and enjoyable, look elsewhere.

However, I do have to say that we weren't at all shocked or corrupted by the language. Kids learn that stuff anyway.

ok first of all the revewer "a kid" said he liked when Gilly didn't like black people so thats just racist and so is parts in this stupid book!!!!!! Im in a book club with three other girls even though the main character is a girl they still thinks it SUCKS!! and i do too!! the complete disrespect and racism is just flat out FREAKY!! and then using gods name in complete vain and basically cussing CHURCH!!!! this author has to understand that she is making a CHILDRENS book!!! and that maybe not her, but some other people (me included) are christian!!! and some people dont just like swear at god all over the place im not even half done with this stupid book and i already hate it! im VERY VERY VVEERRYY surprised that this is a newberry winner.

ya. i hated this book. okay. first i will admit that i didnt even finish it becuase it was so horrid. i was shocked. it was racist and mean and offensiveandit hadd some swear words in it. avoid this horrid book