Reviews

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

arrrgh_schooling's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

yapha's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

All we can do is the best we can with what we have at the time. And that is exactly what Hank does. When his mother disappears for a week, he takes his three year old sister to the only place he can think of, his grandmother's best friend who his mother listed as an emergency contact on a field trip form. Hank is torn in every situation -- what is right for Boo? For him? Hank tries so hard and his heart is in the right place. This book is a must read. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

therearenobadbooks's review

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A sensible theme that is well done in so many ways. Short chapters, easy to read with paragraph breaks, too. 

The author dives us into a very sad situation. Eleven-year-old Hank has been home alone with his three-year-old sister for a week now because their mom left, and they don't know what happened. Now, they will be evicted.

The boy is very careful, protective, responsible, polite, shy, kind, smart... and does all he can for his sister while trying to find their Mom without alerting the "System". He doesn't want to be separated from his little sister. 

He knows when to ask for help and to accept it even when the person is a bit unfair and too strict. His fear and anxiety to make all things better make him very obedient and quiet. The way the boy holds all inside is very emotional.
 More characters have a positive influence on their situation.

Hank has to attend a new school and make new friends even a romantic interest, but it's hard to be selfish, and he is always feeling guilty. Themes like stress, anxiety, and insomnia in children from worrying too much about adult stuff. Also irresponsible and absent parents, and foster care. Although the elder taking care of them (temporarily), looks mean, she also has her fears, and she does what she can thinking to be best for them. 

 I am glad for a realistic and good ending.

I got a copy for an honest review.

rosemaryandrue's review

dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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.

heather_fallis's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0