The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson, is the story of 11 year-old Galadriel "Gilly" Hopkins.  The book opens with Gilly entering her newest foster home.  Throughout her young life, Gilly has lived in various foster homes; never able to stay in one place long.  Miss Ellis, Gilly's social worker is bringing Gilly to Ms. Trotter's home.  Defiant and stubborn, Gilly is determined to make life difficult for "Trotter" and her foster brother W.E.
Gilly longs to be with her biological mother, Courtney, who lives in California.  One day, Gilly writes a letter to her mother and dishonestly makes the claim that Trotter is an unfit foster mom and that she lives in an unhealthy home.  However, after Gilly sends the letter, she starts to love Trotter and W.E.
After the letter is sent, Gilly's maternal grandmother comes to take Gilly home with her.  Reluctantly,Gilly complies and leaves the foster family she learned to love.  Through this experience, Gilly learns that family is everywhere, and that everyone deserves love.

If I were to teach this book in the classroom, I would use it to further a discussion on family.  We would discuss the plethora of different families and that biological family is not the only type of family.

The Great Gilly Hopkins. ISBN 0-690-03837-2. Katherine Paterson. 1978. Newbery Honor Book. Age 9+. Fiction.