The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Great Gilly Hopkins. ISBN978-0-06-440201-9By Katherine Paterson.Newbery Honor. Ages 11-14

The Great Gilly Hopkins is the Story of a girl named Galadriel "Gilly" Hopkins. At age 11 she has spent her life being bounced from one foster home to another. Gilly is a very independent and bright girl who throughout the story uses her intelligence to her benefit. When Gilly is placed in the Trotter household, the reader can sense that this place will be different for Ms. Trotter does not waver or respond to Gilly's poor actions. Ms. Trotter's only real response is ever love towards Gilly. She also continues to hold on to the idea the her birth mother Courtney Rutherford Hopkins will one day return to bring her home. She receives a postcard from her mother saying that she hoped that Gilly would one day be able to join her in California. This postcard has a return address. Gilly sees this as a way to find her mother all she needs is the money to get to California. First however she writes to Courtney telling about the horrible place she was living in and begging her to send money so she can go to California. When Gilly does not here from her mother she plots to get the money by stealing it from the neighbor Mr. Randolph, who is also apart of the Trotter extended family. When caught Gilly is faced with the reality that her mother will probably never come from her.
While she is working to pay Ms. Trotter back the money she stole something happens she realizes that the Trotter home might be the home and family she has always wanted. However it might be to late because as the flu takes over the home Gilly's grandmother appears to claim her and she is forced to leave the Trotter home. In the end Gilly realizes that what we imagaine and what is reality are rarely the same. Because in the end her mother never wanted to come get her and she will forever live with her grandmother and she must live with the fact that her actions are the reason she can not return to the home she always longed for.

The Great Gilly Hopkins is a wonderful book to show students the development of character. Also it is a way to show what we think is and what is are two different things.