The Great Gilly Hopkins
Fifth graders have begun reading in class The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. It is about a sixth grade foster care child who has lived with numerous families during her nine years in the system. She has been repeatedly disappointed by relationships (and the lack thereof), and her mother strings her along by sending her postcards every couple of years “wish[ing] Galladriel would come live with [her].” Gilly yearns for the love of her mother and each postcard renews her determination to get back to her “real family”.
Gilly is currently staying with a warm-hearted, amazingly patient foster mom, but Gilly is doing her best to get herself out of this house. She bullies others at school, threatens her younger foster brother, and is mean to her sweet foster mom. Gilly expresses her heartbreak in innumerable mean ways on a daily basis: she is quick to hurt others or make them look foolish – before they try to hurt her or make her look foolish.
There is a lot to learn about life from Gilly Hopkins. While keeping their principles firmly in view, fifth graders may end this book with a bit more insight and empathy for others.
Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.