In The Great Gilly Hopkins we look at life through the eyes of the main character Gilly… and we are beyond troubled at what we see. Much like the beginning of the book of Romans and other key places in Scripture, here the human condition without Christ is laid bare. This is depravity, displayed in the life of a neglected child. Gilly is mean, intentionally wicked, manipulative, racist and disrespectful just to name a few. She is constantly looking to cause trouble, gets happy when she hurts someone, gossips, pokes fun at someone with special needs, fights and enjoys it, is constantly thinking mean thoughts about her foster mother’s weight and takes the Lord’s name in vain. Beyond this, there are a couple of items that parents need to pay particular attention to. Gilly sets her heart and mind on running away and she eventually attempts it. In the process she steals money from a neighbor on two separate occasions and eventually her foster mother. There is also a strong teacher she is determined to get under the skin of. After everything she tries fails, she writes here a poem which ends with a blank pause that is meant to cause the reader to fill in the racist “N-word”. There may also be additional pause for children of challenging family/foster backgrounds.
Psalm 101:3
Quick Answer: Prayerfully Consider
Concern Level: High
In The Great Gilly Hopkins we look at life through the eyes of the main character Gilly… and we are beyond troubled at what we see. Much like the beg... → Continue reading below
The Great Gilly Hopkins
VERDICT: Prayerfully Consider
Concern Level: High
Christian Parent Review
This is a challenging book to review. As you may expect, the book does end in a drastic change for Gilly. This is due to the influence of the two Christian characters (the foster mother and the neighbor) who God uses to break through to her (the story shows their prayer, references in everyday speech about Him, referencing His Word, going to church, showing extreme grace, etc.). But with that being said, the concerning content above is thick and constant for what feels like at least 85% of the book. There are small cracks seen in Gilly’s armor a bit earlier in the book, but parents need to be prepared to buckle up and be engaged along the read with their child, ready to point them to the gospel and its power to penetrate even the darkest heart and what life looks like without Him. It should also be noted that the author chooses to end the book with the “good, but this world never turns out fully how we hope” ending and not the happy ending we expect, the type we love which points us forward to the time when God will make all things new. This can be a bit of a let-down. It should also be noted that while Gilly’s heart change comes from the two Christians in her life, the gospel is not put in focus as the reason. Note that there is a movie adaptation for this book.
Note: This information is typically from the publisher.
Use with caution
The timeless Newbery Honor Book from bestselling author Katherine Paterson about a wisecracking, ornery, completely unforgettable young heroine. Eleven-year-old Gilly has been stuck in more foster families than she can remember, and she's hated them all. She has a reputation for being brash, brilliant, and completely unmanageable, and that's the way she likes it. So when she's sent to live with the Trotters—by far the strangest family yet—she knows it's only a temporary problem. Gilly decides to put her sharp mind to work and get out of there fast. She's determined to no longer be a foster kid. Before long she's devised an elaborate scheme to get her real mother to come rescue her. Unfortunately, the plan doesn't work out quite as she hoped it would... This classic middle grade novel has moved generations of readers and inspired a major motion picture starring Octavia Spencer, Kathy Bates, Glenn Close, and Danny Glover. The acclaim for the book included the National Book Award, the Christopher Award, and the Jane Addams Award. The joys and struggles of adoption, told in a real and accessible way, are beautifully expressed in Katherine Paterson's The Great Gilly Hopkins.
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Redeemed Reader
Interesting review with some backstory on the author
While certainly worth reading and considering, this review feels like it takes a position to defend the book from the start, which may mask just how awful and how long-lasting Gilly’s behavior is for young readers.
Read ReviewScripture Reflection
As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
— Acts 17:10-11