Review - Pictures of Hollis Woods

Pictures of Hollis Woods
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Date: 2002
Publisher: Dell Yearling
Reading level: MG
Book type: prose novel
Pages: 166
Format: paperback
Source: library

Hollis Woods has been in so many foster homes she can hardly remember them all. She even runs away from the Regans, the one family who offers her a home.

When Hollis is sent to Josie, an elderly artist who is quirky and affectionate, she wants to stay. But Josie is growing more forgetful every day. If Social Services finds out, they’ll take Hollis away and move Josie into a home. Well, Hollis Woods won’t let anyone separate them. She’s escaped the system before; this time, she plans to take Josie with her.

Yet behind all her plans, Hollis longs for her life with the Regans, fixing each moment of her time with them in pictures she’ll never forget.

(synopsis from Amazon)

I saw the TV movie version of this book a few years ago. It was a pretty good story, and I thought I might like to read the book. I finally got around to it. Unlike the last Newbery Honor book I read, this one really deserved the honour.

Hollis tells us the story in the first person.  She's not really as tough as she seems, and she's an interesting character.  I liked seeing the different aspects of her personality come out, depending on whom she was dealing with.  We also get to know the other characters by seeing them through her eyes.

There wasn't much I can complain about with this one.  I quite enjoyed it.  Even though it's a middle grade title, it doesn't really read like one; there's no condescension on the part of the author and it'll hold an adult's interest as well as a 10-year-old's.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Editing: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.57 out of 5