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The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
Hank is struggling to hold his family together when his mom doesn't come home.
When eleven-year-old Hank’s mom doesn’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact.
But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he's been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes--he could lose everything.
When eleven-year-old Hank’s mom doesn’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact.
But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he's been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes--he could lose everything.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2024
110 people are currently reading
5507 people want to read
About the author
Gennifer Choldenko
43 books735 followersThere’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.
What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.
While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.
One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.
I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.
While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.
One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.
I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 606 reviews
June 27, 2024
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
“How am I supposed to pull myself together when my whole life is falling apart?”
I may not be on the Newbery Selection Committee, but if I were - I would nominate Gennifer Choldenko's latest middle-grade release in a heartbeat - without hesitation. 🌟 It's a heartfelt and an emotional story that immediately reached for my heart strings and held on tight as it made me feel so much for eleven-year-old Hank Hooperman and the difficult choices he has had to make to care for him and his three-year-old sister, Boo. The situation only worsens when his mother doesn't return home for a week, and they're faced with the eviction notice. Not knowing where else to turn, he and Boo set off to find Lou Ann, a woman unbeknownst to them but who is listed as their emergency contact. But, when they arrive in her care, it opens up a whole other can of worms of questions concerning their mother - questions he's been trying in vain to keep secret that could threaten his own well-being - leading him to believe that maybe it was a mistake to come here, after all. But it is the The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman that really puts him to the test - one which places him in the grave position of where he truly takes that step forward into - not quite adulthood, but learning to live with the mistakes he has made, and what future he wishes to have for him and his sister. 😔
“Anyone who doesn’t know that their mom is the most important person in their life has never gone without her. When she’s around, you might get mad at her for stuff.
But when she’s gone, it’s terrible.
And you want to tell her how sorry you are about the mistakes.”
Hank has my heart - he was such a good and caring brother - a brother who tried so hard to do what was right always for him and Boo - his heart was always in the right place - even when he so desperately wanted to be a part of his new school, knowing that it couldn't last because the minute they found his mother, they would return to the life they led. 🥺 Boo was so precious - I loved that she behaved like a real three-year-old; the bond between the two of them, how he so desperately fought for them not to be separated, knowing that most people - especially Lou Ann would prefer caring for a little baby girl than a tween like him. Torn between doing what is right for her, while also torn about losing the precious time he had with her - it was so bittersweet, but so beautifully captured - never pushing to be over-sentimental, just this loving and healthy bond that made my heart ache for the challenges he has to face. Be it the threat of foster care separating them or the risk it'll take to return to a life with their mother. 😞
“He’s right…it’s wrong, so I redo it. I’m way more careful after that. I don’t want to make another mistake.”
It hurt to see how careful he had to be with his actions - how he feared that one misstep would risk the safety net that he has made for him and Boo - worried that at any moment child services could deem that Lou Ann wasn't responsible nor capable of caring for the two of them and they would have to go back to the dreary dungeon that was their lives. As much as it pained him to see the steady growth in Boo's personality and her ability to care for her own personal well-being more, it was a comfortable and happy place for them. 😟 'I’m depressed, then worried, then angry, then afraid. Does Mom have any idea how bad this feels?' His anxiety over Lou Ann taking that away because she's disappointed in his behavior - losing even the comforts of a new school, which was opening the door to so many better opportunities for him - caring and kind-hearted and easy-going friends who accepted him without question and playing basketball, that gave him this sense of finally belonging somewhere. Some place where he could leave his mark. Is it too much to want the things that are granted so easily to those who take it for granted? Food, shelter, love, family - are these not the basic necessities of life - why should one ever feel threatened at the risk of losing it - having to work to attain it. 'Patient? What if Este didn’t know where she’d be sleeping tomorrow? I’d like to see how patient she’d be.' How Hank had to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that nothing could endanger that - not even if it meant holding onto that fervent hope that once they found their mother, everything would be restored in order. Despite how each clue that led him closer to finding her, hinted that maybe she just was not in the mood of being found. 😥
“Mistakes burn brighter than the good things I do.”
I have a like-dislike relationship with the adults - ones that I know genuinely had Hank and Boo's best interests at heart, but were going about in a manner that made me worried at how it would evidently play out. Each respective adult played a unique role in shaping Hank's view on what it means to be a family. What it feels to love without reason or expectation, simply to know that someone is out there that cares enough for your own happiness. Ray and Coach P. were the missing father figures in Hank's life - the ones who showed him how capable a brother he is and appreciate his own special talents. It is Lou Ann, their grandmother's best friend, who I feel the most conflicted about - and rightfully so - the one who represents the tough love feeling - the one who doesn't quite understand why Hank is so adamant in keeping Boo with him. 'I’m so mad at her, it’s hard to think of what to say. She knew how sad I would be without Boo. And how sad Boo would be without me.' 😒 The one who is mean-spirited and honest in what she really thinks of Hank - making him feel guilty of simply existing or doing something wrong unintentionally, and it made me angry on his behalf. How he wasn't anything like that at all, but had to keep his mouth shut, simply to keep Boo safe; I did not fault him for being mad at the end and how she misjudged him so harshly - leading her to act in a way that broke Hank's spirit. But, the thing about misunderstood in her stead, also gives us a chance to see how maybe we may have misunderstood LouAnn's toughness and harshness, too; that under the strict expectations she enforced on him, harbored her own sadness, in which she acted out of her own ways of expressing love and kindness, that helped her realize her own mistake in misjudging him, too. They both learned something from each other, and if that isn't positive character growth, then I don't know what is? 🥹
“I sometimes imagine telling her off. But mostly I just miss her. I cry for a long time, until I feel…better. Not better, like all of this is gone. But better, like this is the way it is.”
I've been steadily impressed with the middle grade releases this year so far; the authors are really getting to the heart of the matter - touching upon heavy and serious topics, but not making it too emotional so that it feels unrealistic or tiresome to read. Very well-written with a cast of characters that envelope you into their lives - I felt Hank's joys - I felt his pain. I teared up at the letters, yes, I did - the plea for forgiveness, the gratitude he expressed for the kindness granted, the request for Boo's happiness - how much burden is fair to put on a young boy's heart? Even now, I'm getting kinda choked up, because he only ever wanted what was best for him and his sister. 🤧 The author may have painted the mother in a not-so-flattering image - one who is a victim of substance abuse and reluctant to seek treatment - but what I respected the heck out of it was that the author did not take away the love he had for his mother. 'I love my mom and she loves me. But everything she does gets me in trouble. What happens when you love someone like that?' Maybe years from now, Hank will look back - maybe rewrite the painful memories with happier ones, but for now, that palpable fear when he searched desperately for her, that unwavering sadness that grips him when he recalls the lighter moments that they shared with her and brightened their days - it was those quiet reflections that showed me how big a heart he has. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 That, despite how poorly she treated them - despite the heartbreaking realization that she was not the safest bet for them - the feelings of motherly love is not something that goes away that easily or quickly. The ending gave me that realistic feeling that time will heal the wounds, but Hank is in that safe place where he knows it is okay to still care - just care a little bit more about his and Boo's future. And I admired that subtle addition to the story; maybe others won't, but I was touched by it and made me appreciate it just a little bit more. 🤍
A lovely read - a heartwarming and emotional one; and did I mention how adorable Boo was? How lovable and wholesome and precious her love for her older brother was; how she knew he was her big brother who would protect her forever and she would be so lonely if he were gone. 🫂 Yes, Boo stole my heart, too. Hank Hooperman may have made his fair share of mistakes in his life, but earning the happy ending he deserved was definitely not one of them. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
“How am I supposed to pull myself together when my whole life is falling apart?”
I may not be on the Newbery Selection Committee, but if I were - I would nominate Gennifer Choldenko's latest middle-grade release in a heartbeat - without hesitation. 🌟 It's a heartfelt and an emotional story that immediately reached for my heart strings and held on tight as it made me feel so much for eleven-year-old Hank Hooperman and the difficult choices he has had to make to care for him and his three-year-old sister, Boo. The situation only worsens when his mother doesn't return home for a week, and they're faced with the eviction notice. Not knowing where else to turn, he and Boo set off to find Lou Ann, a woman unbeknownst to them but who is listed as their emergency contact. But, when they arrive in her care, it opens up a whole other can of worms of questions concerning their mother - questions he's been trying in vain to keep secret that could threaten his own well-being - leading him to believe that maybe it was a mistake to come here, after all. But it is the The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman that really puts him to the test - one which places him in the grave position of where he truly takes that step forward into - not quite adulthood, but learning to live with the mistakes he has made, and what future he wishes to have for him and his sister. 😔
“Anyone who doesn’t know that their mom is the most important person in their life has never gone without her. When she’s around, you might get mad at her for stuff.
But when she’s gone, it’s terrible.
And you want to tell her how sorry you are about the mistakes.”
Hank has my heart - he was such a good and caring brother - a brother who tried so hard to do what was right always for him and Boo - his heart was always in the right place - even when he so desperately wanted to be a part of his new school, knowing that it couldn't last because the minute they found his mother, they would return to the life they led. 🥺 Boo was so precious - I loved that she behaved like a real three-year-old; the bond between the two of them, how he so desperately fought for them not to be separated, knowing that most people - especially Lou Ann would prefer caring for a little baby girl than a tween like him. Torn between doing what is right for her, while also torn about losing the precious time he had with her - it was so bittersweet, but so beautifully captured - never pushing to be over-sentimental, just this loving and healthy bond that made my heart ache for the challenges he has to face. Be it the threat of foster care separating them or the risk it'll take to return to a life with their mother. 😞
“He’s right…it’s wrong, so I redo it. I’m way more careful after that. I don’t want to make another mistake.”
It hurt to see how careful he had to be with his actions - how he feared that one misstep would risk the safety net that he has made for him and Boo - worried that at any moment child services could deem that Lou Ann wasn't responsible nor capable of caring for the two of them and they would have to go back to the dreary dungeon that was their lives. As much as it pained him to see the steady growth in Boo's personality and her ability to care for her own personal well-being more, it was a comfortable and happy place for them. 😟 'I’m depressed, then worried, then angry, then afraid. Does Mom have any idea how bad this feels?' His anxiety over Lou Ann taking that away because she's disappointed in his behavior - losing even the comforts of a new school, which was opening the door to so many better opportunities for him - caring and kind-hearted and easy-going friends who accepted him without question and playing basketball, that gave him this sense of finally belonging somewhere. Some place where he could leave his mark. Is it too much to want the things that are granted so easily to those who take it for granted? Food, shelter, love, family - are these not the basic necessities of life - why should one ever feel threatened at the risk of losing it - having to work to attain it. 'Patient? What if Este didn’t know where she’d be sleeping tomorrow? I’d like to see how patient she’d be.' How Hank had to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that nothing could endanger that - not even if it meant holding onto that fervent hope that once they found their mother, everything would be restored in order. Despite how each clue that led him closer to finding her, hinted that maybe she just was not in the mood of being found. 😥
“Mistakes burn brighter than the good things I do.”
I have a like-dislike relationship with the adults - ones that I know genuinely had Hank and Boo's best interests at heart, but were going about in a manner that made me worried at how it would evidently play out. Each respective adult played a unique role in shaping Hank's view on what it means to be a family. What it feels to love without reason or expectation, simply to know that someone is out there that cares enough for your own happiness. Ray and Coach P. were the missing father figures in Hank's life - the ones who showed him how capable a brother he is and appreciate his own special talents. It is Lou Ann, their grandmother's best friend, who I feel the most conflicted about - and rightfully so - the one who represents the tough love feeling - the one who doesn't quite understand why Hank is so adamant in keeping Boo with him. 'I’m so mad at her, it’s hard to think of what to say. She knew how sad I would be without Boo. And how sad Boo would be without me.' 😒 The one who is mean-spirited and honest in what she really thinks of Hank - making him feel guilty of simply existing or doing something wrong unintentionally, and it made me angry on his behalf. How he wasn't anything like that at all, but had to keep his mouth shut, simply to keep Boo safe; I did not fault him for being mad at the end and how she misjudged him so harshly - leading her to act in a way that broke Hank's spirit. But, the thing about misunderstood in her stead, also gives us a chance to see how maybe we may have misunderstood LouAnn's toughness and harshness, too; that under the strict expectations she enforced on him, harbored her own sadness, in which she acted out of her own ways of expressing love and kindness, that helped her realize her own mistake in misjudging him, too. They both learned something from each other, and if that isn't positive character growth, then I don't know what is? 🥹
“I sometimes imagine telling her off. But mostly I just miss her. I cry for a long time, until I feel…better. Not better, like all of this is gone. But better, like this is the way it is.”
I've been steadily impressed with the middle grade releases this year so far; the authors are really getting to the heart of the matter - touching upon heavy and serious topics, but not making it too emotional so that it feels unrealistic or tiresome to read. Very well-written with a cast of characters that envelope you into their lives - I felt Hank's joys - I felt his pain. I teared up at the letters, yes, I did - the plea for forgiveness, the gratitude he expressed for the kindness granted, the request for Boo's happiness - how much burden is fair to put on a young boy's heart? Even now, I'm getting kinda choked up, because he only ever wanted what was best for him and his sister. 🤧 The author may have painted the mother in a not-so-flattering image - one who is a victim of substance abuse and reluctant to seek treatment - but what I respected the heck out of it was that the author did not take away the love he had for his mother. 'I love my mom and she loves me. But everything she does gets me in trouble. What happens when you love someone like that?' Maybe years from now, Hank will look back - maybe rewrite the painful memories with happier ones, but for now, that palpable fear when he searched desperately for her, that unwavering sadness that grips him when he recalls the lighter moments that they shared with her and brightened their days - it was those quiet reflections that showed me how big a heart he has. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 That, despite how poorly she treated them - despite the heartbreaking realization that she was not the safest bet for them - the feelings of motherly love is not something that goes away that easily or quickly. The ending gave me that realistic feeling that time will heal the wounds, but Hank is in that safe place where he knows it is okay to still care - just care a little bit more about his and Boo's future. And I admired that subtle addition to the story; maybe others won't, but I was touched by it and made me appreciate it just a little bit more. 🤍
A lovely read - a heartwarming and emotional one; and did I mention how adorable Boo was? How lovable and wholesome and precious her love for her older brother was; how she knew he was her big brother who would protect her forever and she would be so lonely if he were gone. 🫂 Yes, Boo stole my heart, too. Hank Hooperman may have made his fair share of mistakes in his life, but earning the happy ending he deserved was definitely not one of them. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
May 19, 2025
This was my very first Gennifer Choldenko book, and it definitely won't be my last. Filled with so much heart and emotion, The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman takes a close look at the long lasting affects/impact of parental neglect and abandonment. Though gut-wrenching at every turn, Choldenko beautifully crafts a support network of community members for Hank and his sister. It is important that these glimpses of hope exists for the betterment of the main character. Clearly done with empathy and consideration for the children that experience these things, this isn't a middle grade realistic fiction title that you'll want to miss. If you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts about this one, be sure to check out my full April wrap-up here: https://youtu.be/e_2buE2J330
September 17, 2024
This was excellent. It's quite possibly my favorite middle-grade read of 2024 thus far.
This is the kind of story that sucks you in from the very beginning. I couldn't stop thinking about Hank and his sister Boo. When Hank's mom didn't come home, he started to worry. When it had been a week, and the landlord threatened to evict them, he did the only thing he could think of - take his little sister Boo and go to the stranger their mother had listed as an emergency contact.
The relationship between Hank and Boo was very sweet; I loved all their little rituals. But the fact that such a relationship was necessary, the fact that his mother abandoned them and they had no other family, the fact that a child needed to carry so much responsibility...I spent much of the book livid.
I love a hard-hitting middle-grade story. There is a kid out there who needs this book. It was engaging, and it made me feel so many things. It made me yell, cry (both sad and happy tears), and laugh.
Thank you to Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
This is the kind of story that sucks you in from the very beginning. I couldn't stop thinking about Hank and his sister Boo. When Hank's mom didn't come home, he started to worry. When it had been a week, and the landlord threatened to evict them, he did the only thing he could think of - take his little sister Boo and go to the stranger their mother had listed as an emergency contact.
The relationship between Hank and Boo was very sweet; I loved all their little rituals. But the fact that such a relationship was necessary, the fact that his mother abandoned them and they had no other family, the fact that a child needed to carry so much responsibility...I spent much of the book livid.
I love a hard-hitting middle-grade story. There is a kid out there who needs this book. It was engaging, and it made me feel so many things. It made me yell, cry (both sad and happy tears), and laugh.
Thank you to Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
April 30, 2024
After his mother has been gone for a week, eleven-year-old Hank and his toddler sister Boo are forced to seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact. But with Lou Ann’s help comes social workers and a new school, and Hank worries he might have made a huge mistake.
I don’t read much middle grade nowadays, but I was intrigued by this book because I haven’t read any middle grade book dealing with foster care and parentification before. The author’s note about her own brother’s experiences only added more depth and meaning to the story that followed.
I was immediately sucked into the story of Hank, who feels that he must do everything to look after his sister Boo and has trouble trusting the new adults who have come into his life and try to take that responsibility away from him. I enjoyed reading about how Hank slowly starts to build a life for himself in his new home despite the unstable foundation it rests on. The search for his mother kept me engaged, as well as his dawning realization that his life with her was not really safe or normal.
However, I wish at times that we got a deeper glimpse into the lives of the others that Hank meets, especially his new friends at the school. We get some inkling of motivations for how they treat Hank as far as adults such as Ray and Lou Ann, but the way the kids immediately hang onto Hank and pull them into their circle, while endearing, felt somewhat unrealistic. I wished we’d seen more of how their friendships became stronger.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I don’t read much middle grade nowadays, but I was intrigued by this book because I haven’t read any middle grade book dealing with foster care and parentification before. The author’s note about her own brother’s experiences only added more depth and meaning to the story that followed.
I was immediately sucked into the story of Hank, who feels that he must do everything to look after his sister Boo and has trouble trusting the new adults who have come into his life and try to take that responsibility away from him. I enjoyed reading about how Hank slowly starts to build a life for himself in his new home despite the unstable foundation it rests on. The search for his mother kept me engaged, as well as his dawning realization that his life with her was not really safe or normal.
However, I wish at times that we got a deeper glimpse into the lives of the others that Hank meets, especially his new friends at the school. We get some inkling of motivations for how they treat Hank as far as adults such as Ray and Lou Ann, but the way the kids immediately hang onto Hank and pull them into their circle, while endearing, felt somewhat unrealistic. I wished we’d seen more of how their friendships became stronger.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Read
April 2, 2025This took me a bit to get into but I ended up loving it (reminded me of Fighting Words but less tragic).
August 8, 2024
After eleven-year-old Hank Hooperman’s mother has been missing for a week, he takes his three-year-old sister on a cross town bus to an address of someone he has never heard of, but was listed as an emergency contact. Hank is able to get temporary help and begin to build a new life while worrying frantically about what may have happened to his mother. Boo thrives in the new setting, but will she and Hank be able to stay together in the long run if their family cannot be put back together?
After just stating that my least favorite trope in middle-grade is children dealing with the fallout of their parent’s choices, I give this book four stars, even though that is exactly the trope. Choldenko gives us likable characters and healthy in unhealthy relationships. The reader cannot help but root for Hank and despise his mother, notwithstanding all the times Hank assures us she is a good mom. The ending might be a little too fantastic, but I really needed it.
After just stating that my least favorite trope in middle-grade is children dealing with the fallout of their parent’s choices, I give this book four stars, even though that is exactly the trope. Choldenko gives us likable characters and healthy in unhealthy relationships. The reader cannot help but root for Hank and despise his mother, notwithstanding all the times Hank assures us she is a good mom. The ending might be a little too fantastic, but I really needed it.
September 14, 2024
A little bit of a slow start on this one, but once I was to the halfway point, I was all in to see what was going to happen to Hank and his younger sister Boo whose mother leaves them for over a week before returning. Thankfully Hank is resourceful and reaches out to Lou Ann, a contact of his mother and deceased grandmother's who takes them in, perhaps only temporarily. Will their mother return, what will happen if she does? Could Lou Ann's be a permanent home for them? Or will CPS separate the two siblings?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2024
Anyone else feel like middle grade authors are competing to see how much childhood trauma they can pack into one character? I see your impoverished, grandparent-less child of an unknown father abandoned in a trailer that gets blown away by a tornado—and I raise you with an impoverished, grandparent-less child parenting his sibling after being abandoned in a apartment by a mom with a personality disorder and alcoholism.
Hank is a likable 11 year-old boy under tremendous stress as he cares for his 3 year-old sister by himself for a week due to his mother’s abandonment. He then manages to locate an old friend of his late grandmother who reluctantly takes them in.
It could be a difficult read for kids; parents and teachers might want to be aware of some of the challenges Hank faces: neglect, poverty, parentification, hunger, eviction, abandonment, unknown whereabouts of the mother, no extended family support system, fetal alcohol syndrome, drunk driving, unknown father, siblings with a different father and threat of being separated, a parent in jail, a parent in rehab, group home, and foster care.
This book is unrelentingly optimistic and has a fairy tale ending—but let’s be honest—things are probably not going to be okay, and definitely not this good. Is it fair to suggest that it will be?
For the child who has never faced this trauma and isn’t even capable of imagining it, is it fair to strip away their innocence? Daniel Tiger stirred up fear in my household by suggesting that he might go down the bathtub drain…could Hank introduce yet unimagined fears to the youngest middle-grade readers?
Hank’s reality feels different from other tough books about war, oppression, or grief—maybe because the one person he should have relied on to get him through it is the source of the pain?
Maybe it’s because readers will know that the optimism and hope is a facade required of middle grade novels.
That said, this had really good character development, and I see it competing with And Then Boom for a Newbery. But I think educators or older middle school/high school students are the more appropriate audience.
Hank is a likable 11 year-old boy under tremendous stress as he cares for his 3 year-old sister by himself for a week due to his mother’s abandonment. He then manages to locate an old friend of his late grandmother who reluctantly takes them in.
It could be a difficult read for kids; parents and teachers might want to be aware of some of the challenges Hank faces: neglect, poverty, parentification, hunger, eviction, abandonment, unknown whereabouts of the mother, no extended family support system, fetal alcohol syndrome, drunk driving, unknown father, siblings with a different father and threat of being separated, a parent in jail, a parent in rehab, group home, and foster care.
This book is unrelentingly optimistic and has a fairy tale ending—but let’s be honest—things are probably not going to be okay, and definitely not this good. Is it fair to suggest that it will be?
For the child who has never faced this trauma and isn’t even capable of imagining it, is it fair to strip away their innocence? Daniel Tiger stirred up fear in my household by suggesting that he might go down the bathtub drain…could Hank introduce yet unimagined fears to the youngest middle-grade readers?
Hank’s reality feels different from other tough books about war, oppression, or grief—maybe because the one person he should have relied on to get him through it is the source of the pain?
Maybe it’s because readers will know that the optimism and hope is a facade required of middle grade novels.
That said, this had really good character development, and I see it competing with And Then Boom for a Newbery. But I think educators or older middle school/high school students are the more appropriate audience.
June 10, 2024
This was a very good, emotional middle grade read. This book immediately pulled me into the story and was very hard to put down. I loved the sibling relationship between Hank and Boo and I felt very invested in their story. This was a heartwarming story that covered some serious situations very well and it was extremely well written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this realistic fiction story and recommend giving it a try.
Thank you to the publisher for this gifted copy.
Thank you to the publisher for this gifted copy.
July 7, 2024
Hank has my whole heart! This poor kid is put in impossible situation after impossible situation. It was absolutely maddening to see adults treat an 11-year-old kid like he’s supposed to be able to make decisions way above his maturity level. I appreciated the realistic and hopeful nature of the ending. 💙
January 17, 2025
wow wow wow. it’s only January and I don’t know if I’ll read a better book this year. 10/5, hope it gets the newbery or honor
July 20, 2024
I had to sit with my feelings about this book before I could write any type of review. To summarize my thoughts, I would not recommend this book to a kid for multiple reasons. One, I am so tired of books for kids where the kid is living a really hard life and dealing with things they should not have to, but they are like a perfect kid. Choldenko gets close to showing how unrealistic this is when Hank thinks about all the times he missed so and started failing. Compare this to Fighting Words, where the main character, Della, had a different type of trauma, but she was written to be so realistic. She wasn't this perfect kid who was polite and good at everything. When adults write kids to be perfect, they do not acknowledge that kids are human with emotions and they are still learning to deal with those emotions.
Something else that drove me crazy in this book is how annoying the adults were. When Hank first gets to Lou Ann's all she cares about and all Ray cares about is does Hank have homework. Are you kidding me??? How about showing some compassion, letting this kid who doesn't know where his mom is or even if she's alive and has been taking care of a three-year-old get some rest? I almost stopped reading at this point, but I stuck with it because I was hoping someone would stand up to Lou Ann. Instead, we just see her being awful to Hank and sweet to Boo. Her apology to Hank is not great. Hank is 11 almost 12 in this book. Of course, he did what his mom told him to do. He needs counseling, which of course is not addressed in the book. I can't remember the time I have hated a character as much as Lou Ann. I realize it's realistic. Many adults from Lou Ann's generation do not have the compassion to handle kids, especially ones who have been through something traumatic (because let's not forget, Hank who is 11, was abandoned by his mother and forced to take care of a toddler!!!). The more I think about this book, the more I just absolutely hate it. Kids deserve books that show them they are safe to ask for help and it's ok if they are not perfect. They do not have to be cute, good at school, good at sports, etc. to deserve love and safety.
Something else that drove me crazy in this book is how annoying the adults were. When Hank first gets to Lou Ann's all she cares about and all Ray cares about is does Hank have homework. Are you kidding me??? How about showing some compassion, letting this kid who doesn't know where his mom is or even if she's alive and has been taking care of a three-year-old get some rest? I almost stopped reading at this point, but I stuck with it because I was hoping someone would stand up to Lou Ann. Instead, we just see her being awful to Hank and sweet to Boo. Her apology to Hank is not great. Hank is 11 almost 12 in this book. Of course, he did what his mom told him to do. He needs counseling, which of course is not addressed in the book. I can't remember the time I have hated a character as much as Lou Ann. I realize it's realistic. Many adults from Lou Ann's generation do not have the compassion to handle kids, especially ones who have been through something traumatic (because let's not forget, Hank who is 11, was abandoned by his mother and forced to take care of a toddler!!!). The more I think about this book, the more I just absolutely hate it. Kids deserve books that show them they are safe to ask for help and it's ok if they are not perfect. They do not have to be cute, good at school, good at sports, etc. to deserve love and safety.
June 15, 2024
You guys are going to love Hank!
February 24, 2025
"Once you slip on the devil's dancing shoes, they aren't so easy to get off."
—The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, PP. 53-54
Now and then an author’s work takes a sudden cosmic leap forward. Good as Gennifer Choldenko was in Al Capone Does My Shirts, a 2005 Newbery Honoree, she made that sort of cosmic leap with The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman in 2024. The emotion levels up to uncomfortable degrees of intensity, exactly what you want from memorable art. Hank is eleven years old when his mother disappears. A small-time actress, she's stepped out briefly before, but it's been a week and there's no sign of her return for Hank and his three-year-old sister, Boo. The apartment manager wants his rent money, and is becoming suspicious that no one answers his knocks at the door. Hank finds a name and address on an emergency contact sheet and leaves with Boo on a city bus.
Lou Ann Adler was a friend of Hank's grandma Mae, but will she let a couple of kid strangers stay in her house until they get in touch with their mother? Lou Ann runs a day care center and has a no-nonsense disposition; she distrusts Hank but takes pity on Boo. She agrees to keep them under her roof for now, but calls the police and Child Protective Services. Her daycare assistant, Celia, helps watch Boo during the day, and Celia's adult brother, Ray Delgado, offers support from his house next door. CPS assigns Hank and Boo each an agent and enrolls Hank in the local school, but many mysteries remain. Has Mom relapsed into drugs or alcohol? Is she in jail, or worse? Anxieties peck at Hank daily, exacerbating tensions with Lou Ann. When will the nightmare cease?
McNulty Middle School is surprisingly stress-free. Ray's nephew, Tadeo, is a student there, and Hank makes friends with purple-haired Carmen, a boy named Legend who loves basketball as much as Hank does, and Ana Lopez, who takes a special liking to Hank. Legend asks Hank to try out for the basketball team, but he’s reluctant. Nice as it is to feel socially accepted for once, as soon as Mom shows up he and Boo will be gone from McNulty. As Carmen, Legend, and Ana pull Hank into their orbit, he knows leaving will be hard, but what can he do? Meanwhile, Hank and Lou Ann are barely civil to each other; if she didn't adore Boo he'd probably be on the street. Ray helps ease tensions when he can, but his influence is limited, and the biggest stress test is on the horizon.
What if Mark Chesley, Boo's biological father, claims her? He isn't Hank's dad, so the kids could be separated. Boo would be destroyed; Hank is her lifeline in a world of loved ones who abandon her. Alternatively, what if Mom shows up and wants to remove Hank and Boo from Lou Ann’s? With CPS involved there are legal hoops to jump through to get the go-ahead and resume her duties as parent, and Mom was never patient. As pressure rises, Hank is certain he's about to make a mistake bad enough to send the whole rickety edifice crashing down. He'll lose his mom, Boo, and become a ward of the state. Hank wishes he could lean on Lou Ann, but her past traumas prevent her from warming up to him. Everything is funneling toward a dim future for Hank and his sister. Can hope find a way to bail them out of this dismal day that goes on and on?
Human nature makes us yearn for a savior. Someone older, wiser, more powerful to step in and spring us from the trap that ensnares us. Hank's mom can't be a savior; personality and substance abuse problems drag her from her children. There's no telling if that will improve. It's natural to count on Lou Ann to save the day as surrogate grandmother, but she has taken heavy damage in her own life. She treats Hank and Boo unfairly, even while going above and beyond the call of duty on their behalf. Lou Ann, like their mother, will ultimately let Hank and his sister down. Ray is a loving heart, but has his limits too. In a broken world, we offer only what we can and it has to be enough. Like Hank, we tread water and hope not to drown. Keep at it and never surrender to the waves, and someday you might realize that against all odds, you made it.
I'm fond of Al Capone Does My Shirts, but The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman is another world of excellence. Its raw, real emotion made me sweat, clench my fists and jaw, and physically squirm where I sat. The anxiety took a toll on me, but it's good sometimes to really wrestle with a narrative. It burrows deeper into your mind so the message lingers on bad days of your own. Many predicted this book to win the 2025 Newbery Medal, and it would have been a wonderful pick. I won't forget the experience these characters gave me, and I'll never view Gennifer Choldenko quite the same again. I might rate The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman four and a half stars, and if it ends up as the defining artifact of the author's legacy, I won’t be upset.
—The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, PP. 53-54
Now and then an author’s work takes a sudden cosmic leap forward. Good as Gennifer Choldenko was in Al Capone Does My Shirts, a 2005 Newbery Honoree, she made that sort of cosmic leap with The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman in 2024. The emotion levels up to uncomfortable degrees of intensity, exactly what you want from memorable art. Hank is eleven years old when his mother disappears. A small-time actress, she's stepped out briefly before, but it's been a week and there's no sign of her return for Hank and his three-year-old sister, Boo. The apartment manager wants his rent money, and is becoming suspicious that no one answers his knocks at the door. Hank finds a name and address on an emergency contact sheet and leaves with Boo on a city bus.
Lou Ann Adler was a friend of Hank's grandma Mae, but will she let a couple of kid strangers stay in her house until they get in touch with their mother? Lou Ann runs a day care center and has a no-nonsense disposition; she distrusts Hank but takes pity on Boo. She agrees to keep them under her roof for now, but calls the police and Child Protective Services. Her daycare assistant, Celia, helps watch Boo during the day, and Celia's adult brother, Ray Delgado, offers support from his house next door. CPS assigns Hank and Boo each an agent and enrolls Hank in the local school, but many mysteries remain. Has Mom relapsed into drugs or alcohol? Is she in jail, or worse? Anxieties peck at Hank daily, exacerbating tensions with Lou Ann. When will the nightmare cease?
McNulty Middle School is surprisingly stress-free. Ray's nephew, Tadeo, is a student there, and Hank makes friends with purple-haired Carmen, a boy named Legend who loves basketball as much as Hank does, and Ana Lopez, who takes a special liking to Hank. Legend asks Hank to try out for the basketball team, but he’s reluctant. Nice as it is to feel socially accepted for once, as soon as Mom shows up he and Boo will be gone from McNulty. As Carmen, Legend, and Ana pull Hank into their orbit, he knows leaving will be hard, but what can he do? Meanwhile, Hank and Lou Ann are barely civil to each other; if she didn't adore Boo he'd probably be on the street. Ray helps ease tensions when he can, but his influence is limited, and the biggest stress test is on the horizon.
What if Mark Chesley, Boo's biological father, claims her? He isn't Hank's dad, so the kids could be separated. Boo would be destroyed; Hank is her lifeline in a world of loved ones who abandon her. Alternatively, what if Mom shows up and wants to remove Hank and Boo from Lou Ann’s? With CPS involved there are legal hoops to jump through to get the go-ahead and resume her duties as parent, and Mom was never patient. As pressure rises, Hank is certain he's about to make a mistake bad enough to send the whole rickety edifice crashing down. He'll lose his mom, Boo, and become a ward of the state. Hank wishes he could lean on Lou Ann, but her past traumas prevent her from warming up to him. Everything is funneling toward a dim future for Hank and his sister. Can hope find a way to bail them out of this dismal day that goes on and on?
Human nature makes us yearn for a savior. Someone older, wiser, more powerful to step in and spring us from the trap that ensnares us. Hank's mom can't be a savior; personality and substance abuse problems drag her from her children. There's no telling if that will improve. It's natural to count on Lou Ann to save the day as surrogate grandmother, but she has taken heavy damage in her own life. She treats Hank and Boo unfairly, even while going above and beyond the call of duty on their behalf. Lou Ann, like their mother, will ultimately let Hank and his sister down. Ray is a loving heart, but has his limits too. In a broken world, we offer only what we can and it has to be enough. Like Hank, we tread water and hope not to drown. Keep at it and never surrender to the waves, and someday you might realize that against all odds, you made it.
I'm fond of Al Capone Does My Shirts, but The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman is another world of excellence. Its raw, real emotion made me sweat, clench my fists and jaw, and physically squirm where I sat. The anxiety took a toll on me, but it's good sometimes to really wrestle with a narrative. It burrows deeper into your mind so the message lingers on bad days of your own. Many predicted this book to win the 2025 Newbery Medal, and it would have been a wonderful pick. I won't forget the experience these characters gave me, and I'll never view Gennifer Choldenko quite the same again. I might rate The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman four and a half stars, and if it ends up as the defining artifact of the author's legacy, I won’t be upset.
August 22, 2024
Eleven-year-old Hank Hooperman was in the mists of trying to potty train his three-year-old sister, Boo when the apartment manager comes banging on the door. Hank's mom is six months behind on the rent and they're about to get evicted. It's been a week since Hank has seen his mom. A week of cutting school to take care of Boo and trying to keep them both fed. They can't even go to Grandma Mae's house anymore because she passed away last year. What will they do after tomorrow for a home?
Then Hank notices a familiar name under emergency contact on his permission slip for his field trip at school, Lou Ann Adler. The name rings a bell as being one of Grandma's friends. Hank is really worried that he's making a mistake, but with no other options, he takes the bus pass that he found in the apartment and his sister and heads out in search of Lou Ann. Four hours later he arrives at her door. Lou Ann is a little surprised by the unexpected company, but still offers to take them and contacts Social Services to have them try and track down Hank's mom.
Meanwhile, Boo is set up in Lou Ann's daycare and Hank starts to attend a local school. Hank meets their neighbor, Ray and his sister Celia who works with Lou Ann. Ray offers to help Hank in following some leads on his mom and takes him to their apartment to pick up a few things. Ray and Hank form a sort of bond, which comes in handy because Lou Ann isn't fond of teenagers, although Hank is only eleven, and Ray acts as a go between the two. Hank begins to make some friends at school and even is chosen to try out for the basketball team. A pretty girl, Ana even shows an interest in him by inviting him to her birthday party. But then Hank gets unsettling news about Boo's dad maybe adopting her and find's out where their mom has been this whole time. Even worse their mom shows up at school wanting to take them both to Arizona and Hank makes the ultimate mistake in getting in the car with her. Hank realizes his mistake too late and ends up angering Lou Ann who proceeds to push Hank into foster care. How will Hank be able to look after his younger sister now? Can he regain the trust that he broke with Lou Ann, and will his mother ever find the help that she needs?
Hank is such a good kid with a big heart. He's resolved in trying to keep him and his younger sister together. He puts a lot of faith in his mother and that there has to be an explanation for why she's been gone for so long. Sometimes he made a lot of excuses for her, but it's very plausible a kid would feel this way about their mom. He searches all of her favorite haunts and follows up with all of her friends and coworkers. Following every possible clue as to where she is. The love and caring that he shows to his mom and younger sister are so heartwarming. Now their mom, it was harder to get a feel for her, other than being so upset with how she treated her kids. She was already absent at the beginning of the story, and aside from some of Hank's early happy memories of her you don't really get a sense of who she is and why she was gone for so long. Some of her friends and Lou Ann allude to her having problems, possibly alcohol or drug use, but Hank is convinced that she's just busy. It isn't until she reappears that my fear ramped up for Boo and Hank. Luckily, things quickly began to improve for them.
At first, I wasn't very fond of how Lou Ann made Hank feel like he was walking on eggshells around her. He tries to make her happy by doing chores without even being asked and keeping an eye on Boo. But Lou Ann makes him feel like he's a nuisance, and he doesn't understand why she want's Boo to learn to cope with being separated from him. Once her reasons were explained, you get a better picture of why she acted the way that she did. Eventually, they all come together, and Hank and Boo find a beautiful place in their new supportive, found family. Hank is able to fix his mistakes, and the story has an ending that is hopeful for the sibling's future. A truly compelling read that had me reading way to late in the night but was well worth it for that ending.
**A huge thank you to Media Masters for the hardcover copy for review.**
Then Hank notices a familiar name under emergency contact on his permission slip for his field trip at school, Lou Ann Adler. The name rings a bell as being one of Grandma's friends. Hank is really worried that he's making a mistake, but with no other options, he takes the bus pass that he found in the apartment and his sister and heads out in search of Lou Ann. Four hours later he arrives at her door. Lou Ann is a little surprised by the unexpected company, but still offers to take them and contacts Social Services to have them try and track down Hank's mom.
Meanwhile, Boo is set up in Lou Ann's daycare and Hank starts to attend a local school. Hank meets their neighbor, Ray and his sister Celia who works with Lou Ann. Ray offers to help Hank in following some leads on his mom and takes him to their apartment to pick up a few things. Ray and Hank form a sort of bond, which comes in handy because Lou Ann isn't fond of teenagers, although Hank is only eleven, and Ray acts as a go between the two. Hank begins to make some friends at school and even is chosen to try out for the basketball team. A pretty girl, Ana even shows an interest in him by inviting him to her birthday party. But then Hank gets unsettling news about Boo's dad maybe adopting her and find's out where their mom has been this whole time. Even worse their mom shows up at school wanting to take them both to Arizona and Hank makes the ultimate mistake in getting in the car with her. Hank realizes his mistake too late and ends up angering Lou Ann who proceeds to push Hank into foster care. How will Hank be able to look after his younger sister now? Can he regain the trust that he broke with Lou Ann, and will his mother ever find the help that she needs?
Hank is such a good kid with a big heart. He's resolved in trying to keep him and his younger sister together. He puts a lot of faith in his mother and that there has to be an explanation for why she's been gone for so long. Sometimes he made a lot of excuses for her, but it's very plausible a kid would feel this way about their mom. He searches all of her favorite haunts and follows up with all of her friends and coworkers. Following every possible clue as to where she is. The love and caring that he shows to his mom and younger sister are so heartwarming. Now their mom, it was harder to get a feel for her, other than being so upset with how she treated her kids. She was already absent at the beginning of the story, and aside from some of Hank's early happy memories of her you don't really get a sense of who she is and why she was gone for so long. Some of her friends and Lou Ann allude to her having problems, possibly alcohol or drug use, but Hank is convinced that she's just busy. It isn't until she reappears that my fear ramped up for Boo and Hank. Luckily, things quickly began to improve for them.
At first, I wasn't very fond of how Lou Ann made Hank feel like he was walking on eggshells around her. He tries to make her happy by doing chores without even being asked and keeping an eye on Boo. But Lou Ann makes him feel like he's a nuisance, and he doesn't understand why she want's Boo to learn to cope with being separated from him. Once her reasons were explained, you get a better picture of why she acted the way that she did. Eventually, they all come together, and Hank and Boo find a beautiful place in their new supportive, found family. Hank is able to fix his mistakes, and the story has an ending that is hopeful for the sibling's future. A truly compelling read that had me reading way to late in the night but was well worth it for that ending.
**A huge thank you to Media Masters for the hardcover copy for review.**
October 15, 2024
I liked this, but I think the audiobook narrator got in the way a bit. It was like he thought his audience was 5yos instead of 9-13yos. He also sounded unnatural sometimes because of the cadence of his speech and the words he would emphasize in a sentence. Not my favorite.
Also, I think I would've liked this more if I hadn't already read a lot of similar books. I've seen a few reviews address what this book may or may not add to the canon of middle-grade novels about kids who end up in foster and kinship care. Here are some books that came to mind while I was reading this:
I loved Homecoming when I was a kid so I will naturally compare Hank to Dicey. They are both parentified, forced to grow up too soon to take care of little siblings.
I'm also a big fan of Orbiting Jupiter, which is darker and sadder than this but hits some similar notes. Hank's fierce bond with Boo is akin to Joseph and Jupiter. Both Joseph and Hank are assumed to be bad kids until they find allies.
One for the Murphys is similar in portraying a kid who is loyal to their birth parent despite being put in harm's way by them.
Like my favorite literary orphan Anne of Green Gables, Hank has to prove his worth and be nice and likable in order to be loved and accepted into a family, which is harsh but real for some children.
I just re-read The Great Gilly Hopkins after reading this, and oh boy would Gilly have been out on her ass so fast if she had ended up with a LouAnn. LouAnn is no Trotter, that's for sure.
Now I'm also thinking about Bud, Not Buddy because I read a negative review about how Hank finds an unlikely savior . It reminded me of Bud's luck.
Also, I think I would've liked this more if I hadn't already read a lot of similar books. I've seen a few reviews address what this book may or may not add to the canon of middle-grade novels about kids who end up in foster and kinship care. Here are some books that came to mind while I was reading this:
I loved Homecoming when I was a kid so I will naturally compare Hank to Dicey. They are both parentified, forced to grow up too soon to take care of little siblings.
I'm also a big fan of Orbiting Jupiter, which is darker and sadder than this but hits some similar notes. Hank's fierce bond with Boo is akin to Joseph and Jupiter. Both Joseph and Hank are assumed to be bad kids until they find allies.
One for the Murphys is similar in portraying a kid who is loyal to their birth parent despite being put in harm's way by them.
Like my favorite literary orphan Anne of Green Gables, Hank has to prove his worth and be nice and likable in order to be loved and accepted into a family, which is harsh but real for some children.
I just re-read The Great Gilly Hopkins after reading this, and oh boy would Gilly have been out on her ass so fast if she had ended up with a LouAnn. LouAnn is no Trotter, that's for sure.
Now I'm also thinking about Bud, Not Buddy because I read a negative review about how Hank finds an unlikely savior . It reminded me of Bud's luck.
May 28, 2025
This was a very touching tween book about the foster care system. I fell in love with Hank and Boo right away. The adults in their life felt very real to me. This is a hard subject and I felt the author did an excellent job writing for tweens. A great book for kids and adults to read on their own or for adults to read to kids.
July 16, 2024
What a great book! Deals with many tough topics in a way very appropriate for younger readers. The audio book is fantastic- the narrator captured Boo’s character so well. I just wanted to reach through the pages and hug her. I appreciated how the story depicted how unfair and tough it is for older boys in the foster care system. This would be a great title to read with or along side your child to discuss. Lots of rich conversations could be had about all the adult decisions, good and bad in this story. Highly recommend for a read aloud in classrooms- 4th grade and up. What I really appreciated was how the story captured really tough issues without driving an agenda- very authentic. I hope to see this on some award lists. Seems like kids with horrible parents and a dead wonderful grandparent are popular plots this year- similar conflict to- And Then, Boom!
July 10, 2024
Pretty good. I wonder if I would've liked it more if it wasn't the third Newbery contender I've read this year that's about an absentee/unfit mother and kids surviving on their own. The writing was okay, but the character development of Hank was excellent. It wouldn't be a Newbery pick for me.
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October 25, 2024This book made me feel a lot of emotions. I do wonder like. hm. would .... a middle grade audience enjoy this book? idk. I don' want to underestimate kids - I know they can handle dark topics when discussed appropriately. And it was appropriate here. But it was also so BLEAK at times.
I think the entire character of Ana felt awkward and tacked on - I didn't get the sense he liked her back. And the character of Lou Ann I have so many mixed feelings on. Which I think is intentional...?
For the first 2/3rds of the book I really did take Hank as an unreliable narrator. He kept saying "Lou Ann doesn't like me, Lou Ann doesn't trust me", but to me like... it didn't come across that way?
It felt to me like she was trying to make Hank do his own thing because she was concerned that this 11 year old had spent so much of his life as the psuedo-parent to this 3 year old. I thought the reveal was that like... this entire time Lou Ann had been looking out for him. That she was doing it clumsily but that she did have his best interests in mind.
But the truth is. well. Damn! damn. I understand why she'd be upset with him. But my feelings are best summed up by this review:
Also, I did not like the amount of potty humor. It doesn't bother me as much as it usually does, because it's a 3 year old doing the potty humor. to me it added to the bleakness of the situation that this 11 year old boy who - well, I suppose some 11 year old boys still like potty humor, but i feel like this is the age that most kids are growing out of it. and to me it did add to the bleakness that like. no he had to worry about potty training his sister because his neglectful mom wasnt there. but also its hard when theres emotional moments and the sister is calling him pooperman yknow.
anyway. iconic freak middle grade cinema. i think it had its problems but also it made me feel
I think the entire character of Ana felt awkward and tacked on - I didn't get the sense he liked her back. And the character of Lou Ann I have so many mixed feelings on. Which I think is intentional...?
For the first 2/3rds of the book I really did take Hank as an unreliable narrator. He kept saying "Lou Ann doesn't like me, Lou Ann doesn't trust me", but to me like... it didn't come across that way?
It felt to me like she was trying to make Hank do his own thing because she was concerned that this 11 year old had spent so much of his life as the psuedo-parent to this 3 year old. I thought the reveal was that like... this entire time Lou Ann had been looking out for him. That she was doing it clumsily but that she did have his best interests in mind.
But the truth is. well. Damn! damn. I understand why she'd be upset with him. But my feelings are best summed up by this review:
I wish someone, even Hank himself, had given voice to the idea that while Hank obviously made a terrible choice in lying to his caregiver, he also had been told in no uncertain terms that he and his sister would be split up soon. The "you're split from your sister in a group home because of your own stupid actions" was never countered with "and if I'd done everything perfectly, I'd still be in this group home because you told me over and over that you'd keep Boo but not me, and I was taking the only solution I saw to keep us together" and also no acknowledgement that Hank was incredibly responsible in refusing to get in the car once he realized his mother was drunk. It was just all "you make horrible choices so you deserve all the consequences." And while obviously he shouldn't have lied, it just felt unfair to me, and would have made me so angry when I was a kid.
Also, I did not like the amount of potty humor. It doesn't bother me as much as it usually does, because it's a 3 year old doing the potty humor. to me it added to the bleakness of the situation that this 11 year old boy who - well, I suppose some 11 year old boys still like potty humor, but i feel like this is the age that most kids are growing out of it. and to me it did add to the bleakness that like. no he had to worry about potty training his sister because his neglectful mom wasnt there. but also its hard when theres emotional moments and the sister is calling him pooperman yknow.
anyway. iconic freak middle grade cinema. i think it had its problems but also it made me feel
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2024
This book. Wow.
I am adding to my list of top picks for Newbery. Because beautifully written, captivating characters, heart and humor and grief.....oh my goodness this book does deserve a lot of the attention it is getting on SLJ.
Hank is a character you root for. Because the odds are stacked against him. He's been abandoned by an alcoholic mother...and he's left to take care of his three year old sister, Boo. (Who is adorable and spunky and reminds me of my toddler). Upon overhearing the landlord threatening eviction, Hank and Boo journey to his emergency contact....a woman named LouAnn.
What follows is a story of seeking answers and seeking to belong. It's also set across the backdrop of turning twelve which is a huge time in a child's life. And what's going to happen to Hank and Boo?? LouAnn loves toddler Boo but Hank less so? Will they be separated? Will their mother return?
I am adding to my list of top picks for Newbery. Because beautifully written, captivating characters, heart and humor and grief.....oh my goodness this book does deserve a lot of the attention it is getting on SLJ.
Hank is a character you root for. Because the odds are stacked against him. He's been abandoned by an alcoholic mother...and he's left to take care of his three year old sister, Boo. (Who is adorable and spunky and reminds me of my toddler). Upon overhearing the landlord threatening eviction, Hank and Boo journey to his emergency contact....a woman named LouAnn.
What follows is a story of seeking answers and seeking to belong. It's also set across the backdrop of turning twelve which is a huge time in a child's life. And what's going to happen to Hank and Boo?? LouAnn loves toddler Boo but Hank less so? Will they be separated? Will their mother return?
September 19, 2025
4.5 / 5 stars
Not all families are held together by the grown-ups. Sometimes, as in the case of Hank in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯, it’s a good kid who holds it all in balance.
Hank and Boo’s mom hasn’t been home for a week, and they don’t know where she is. They are officially out of money and food so Hank and his little sister go to someone’s house they’ve never met. Lou Ann was their Grandma Mae’s best friend and an emergency contact on a field trip permission slip. Lou Ann takes them in, though she’s upfront that she doesn’t like teenagers. Despite Lou Ann enrolling Hank in a new school, one where he makes kind friends and finds out he’s good at basketball, Hank is waiting for it all to fall apart.
While the subject matter of foster care and not being able to trust people you love is tough, the book was very readable. It had its sad parts, but it wasn’t overly sad. There were caring humans in the book. I think this would make a great read aloud for a mature class of 5th graders and middle school.
Author Gennifer Choldenko also wrote the Tales from Alcatraz/Al Capone books.
Not all families are held together by the grown-ups. Sometimes, as in the case of Hank in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯, it’s a good kid who holds it all in balance.
Hank and Boo’s mom hasn’t been home for a week, and they don’t know where she is. They are officially out of money and food so Hank and his little sister go to someone’s house they’ve never met. Lou Ann was their Grandma Mae’s best friend and an emergency contact on a field trip permission slip. Lou Ann takes them in, though she’s upfront that she doesn’t like teenagers. Despite Lou Ann enrolling Hank in a new school, one where he makes kind friends and finds out he’s good at basketball, Hank is waiting for it all to fall apart.
While the subject matter of foster care and not being able to trust people you love is tough, the book was very readable. It had its sad parts, but it wasn’t overly sad. There were caring humans in the book. I think this would make a great read aloud for a mature class of 5th graders and middle school.
Author Gennifer Choldenko also wrote the Tales from Alcatraz/Al Capone books.
September 9, 2024
Earlier this year, I praised Kirby Larson’s Gut Reaction for its accomplished writing, even though it broke little new ground. I’d say the same thing here. This story has been oft told (last year’s Lasagna Means I Love You for example has almost exactly the same resolution), and while reading this one, I was actively waiting for what I consciously thought of as the “Gilly event.” But this is some of Choldenko’s best writing (and she’s a good writer so that’s saying something) and I was happy reading it.
November 10, 2024
Fantastic middle grade read from the author of the Al Capone… books. The reality told in this book is far more common than most people know—young children fending for themselves and siblings, and dealing with things they never should have to experience. Great story and great characters. I hope the right kids find this book and know that things can be okay. Reminder that this world needs more caring social workers and foster parents, and that mental health assistance and food pantries are integral to the success of the poor and should be available in all public schools.
June 17, 2024
What a heartbreaking story.
A H
A H
November 22, 2024
This book is phenomenal. I think every adult should read it.
February 13, 2025
The sweetest, YA book that deals with TOUGH subjects. Cannot wait for my students to read this!!
July 12, 2025
LOVED LOVED LOVED this one! I fell in love with Hank Hooperman on page one. He's an 11 year old boy who is forced to care for his 3 year old sister because his mom is missing. He's smart and caring. He deals with so many heavy things because of the choices of the adults around him.
I couldn't stop reading this one!
I couldn't stop reading this one!
September 8, 2025
Read. This. Book.
November 27, 2025
I read this in one day. From the start, the desperation of Hank and Boo's situation grabbed me by the heart. The author deals with the subject of child abandonment due to addiction sensitively, yet not with easy pat answers. Admittedly, I have almost no exposure to this all too frequent reality, but I felt like the story was honest and believable.
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