Reviews

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

hannahlrapaglia's review

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4.0

I’ve read this twice before but it gets me every time! Such a sweet story.

simplymary's review

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5.0

Probably the best thought-out and beautiful book I've read in a long time. I'm a sucker for Newbery Honor books for adolescents, and this story teaches that love and kindness are all tough kids need to turn around. Hollis was an abandoned baby and goes from foster home to foster home, often running away before she gets kicked out. Melancholy but not depressing, overflowing with perfectly described detail, especially of things she observes in nature. She's an artist, and I wished I could have seen the drawings that were described. Lovely and rich relationships. It was such a quick and wonderful read that I couldn't put it down last night.

happytreereads's review

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My heart, which has been feeling a bit frigid of late, was warmed by this book, and I am so glad I read it. (THE ENDING. *happy cries*) Honestly, I think I'd read it again...and I'm not even huge into re-reading books.
But, still, I can't seem to come up with a rating for this book and I'm gonna choose to be okay with that.

jamiehr's review

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4.0

I’m so so sad

sundeviljewels's review

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4.0

I read this with two of my top readers. Sad

tay_nel's review

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emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

book_tribute23's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I read this for a second time as a novel study in school. Highly recommend, short, easy read. Great to annotate, beautiful quotes. 

madisonboboltz's review

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3.0

3.5!

Great look at what it means to belong, what it means to feel wanted, and what it means to be a family.

jcschildbach's review

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5.0

A quick read, I suppose intended for later-grade elementary-school kids, or perhaps junior high kids, I bought this for my kid years ago and pulled it off the shelf on a whim. It's about a kid in foster care, who has a talent for art, as well as self-sabotage, but who may just have met a few people who see through the negative image she blasts out into the world, and who help her to start seeing through that image as well.

hxlia's review

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4.0

I read this book to teach it in an English as a foreign language class. My gosh, every school should put this book in their curriculum. I read most of this book in cafes, and I shamelessly cried in public as I read. Such a sweet little book to read for the winter holidays. I can’t wait to teach the rest of the book. I’m going to try my hardest to help my students understand the story enough to enjoy it as much as it did.