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“One of those rare and important books . . . Hank Hooperman may well be the most resourceful, courageous, and loving big brother in the history of children’s literature.”—Katherine Applegate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan
A CALIBA GOLDEN POPPY AWARD FINALIST • A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
When eleven-year-old Hank’s mom doesn’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact.
But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he's been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes—he could lose everything.
Gennifer Choldenko has written a heart-wrenching, healing, and ultimately hopeful story about how complicated family can be. About how you can love someone, even when you can’t rely on them. And about the transformative power of second chances.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 11, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781984833730
- File size: 200088 KB
- Duration: 06:56:50
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 27, 2024
Eleven-year-old Hank Hooperman’s mother has been missing for a week, forcing him to stay home from school to care for his three-year-old sister, Boo, and scavenge for coins to buy food. But when the power is shut off and the apartment manager threatens eviction, Hank seeks out his late grandmother’s old friend Lou Ann Adler. With Child Protective Services’ oversight, Hank and Boo stay with Lou Ann, who runs a day care and readily accepts precocious Boo, yet her ambivalence toward Hank causes him and Lou Ann to clash. Though he’s aware of his mother’s past incidents of drunk driving and abandonment, he is defensive of her (“My mom is a good mom”) and yearns for a reunion. As days turn into months, Hank bonds with an adult neighbor over basketball and makes friends at his new school, unaware that his continued search for his mother could carry disastrous consequences. An author’s note from Choldenko (One-Third Nerd) describes the book’s emotional core as reminiscent of her own life; that personal connection makes for a gut-punch tale that is by turns heartbreaking and hopeful. Hank, Boo, and Lou Ann read as white. Ages 10–up. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. -
Javier Prusky is believable as Hank Hooperman, an 11-year-old with way too much responsibility on his shoulders. Hank's grandmother passed away recently, his mom has disappeared, and he's been taking care of his 3-year-old sister, Boo, all on his own. Prusky's Boo sounds like the enthusiastic toddler she is--she calls Hank "Pooperman" because they've been working on potty training. When their situation gets desperate, Lou Ann, a friend of his grandmother, takes them in, at least temporarily. Even as Hank is able to make a fresh start at a new school and befriend Lou Ann's next-door neighbor, their precarious situation hangs over him. Things get worse before they get better, and listeners will be hoping hard for a happy ending for Hank and Boo. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
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