The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson

“I don’t understand why a smart girl like you goes around booby-trapping herself. You could have stayed here indefinitely, you know. They’re both crazy about you.” (Paterson, 1978, p. 121).

Summary
The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Patterson, tells the story of a lonely foster child, who covers the pain of moving from home to home with a cruel exterior. Gilly makes every effort to shut out those who try to befriend her. She is a tough kid; one who bullies others and terrorizes teachers. Being shuffled from home to home has made Gilly a cynical, resentful, eleven year old girl who is determined to reunite with her biological mother. Gilly is certain that once her mother learns of her plight with the foster care system, she will rescue her immediately and live a life of love and luxury.

Will Gilly’s feelings stay intact when she is finally given the opportunity to live the life she has been hoping and dreaming about? Or will she realize that family is really about those who are there for you and never give up on you, even when the times are rough?

Character Development & its Impact on Readers
Because Gilly is such a strong-minded, feisty character with a tremendous amount of anger, readers will be impacted as they watch her transform from a resentful young girl, to one who accepts and appreciates the path she has been given. Gilly’s transformation gives readers hope; with love and stability, anything can happen. Many of these transformations occur because of her foster mother, Maime Trotter. Students would benefit from selecting specific novel passages that reflect this transformation.
In addition, students would be impacted by the deep moral that unfolds as the story comes to an end. Students will be left with the understanding for the importance of giving all beings a chance, regardless of their looks, interests, behaviors, or socioeconomic status. What really matters is what is inside.

Let's Explore
Learn more about our award winning author, Katherine Paterson. Check out her website:
http://www.terabithia.com/