Call Me Hope: A Novel by Gretchen Olson
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.27, 2008, under Abuse, Battle of the Books 2008-2009, Bullying, Mental Health, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? People who want a true-to-life story about how a 6th grade girl copes with her mom’s verbal abuse and finds meaningful relationships in unlikely places would like this book. If you like purple boots, you’ll also want to read this book.
Why? Hope, the 6th grade protagonist of Call Me Hope, lives up to her name even though her mom calls her “Hopeless” and much worse. Inspired by Anne Frank’s writing, Hope devises a point system that helps her gauge the effects of the abuse. Hope likes her 6th grade teacher and is totally excited about camping at Outdoor School at the end of the year. When a cool pair of purple boots in a second-hand shop catch her eye, she seeks to buy them and ends up with two great friends. Hope finds help in many places, but the abuse hurled at her by her mom is still heartbreaking. The good outweighs the bad in this book, and even though it made me really cry at the end, I still felt that it was more of an upper than a downer. It’s a Battle of the Book 2008-2009 selection, probably because the author is from Oregon.
The details: 288 p. 2007
