A review by librarymouse
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

emotional funny reflective sad 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? No

5.0

I read Hope Was Here for the first time in 5th grade. I got in so much trouble for writing my name on the wall because the school was a place I didn't want to forget and that I didn't want to forget me, the same way Hope does in the book. She was smarter about it than I was.
As someone who doesn't generally enjoy Christian fiction, Hope Was Here is one of the few books I read as a child, with strong Christian messaging, that has held up to be enjoyable to my adult self. This novel has great messaging encouraging individuals to take a part in their systems of government in order to make the change they want to see in the world. Addie is so deeply funny and relatable to me, especially her reaction to having gone on a date with GT. I love a book where an odd woman gets to be loved as she is. I cried at Hope getting a dad, and I cried even harder when GT died, leaving her having had a dad for far less time than she deserved. This book is a great work of realistic fiction.
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