Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
So first things first. How come they must give Newbery books the WORST covers ever. If this cover of Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer didn’t have the Newbery Honor Book seal on it, there is no way I would have given it a second glance. Take a good look at that cover. What would you think this book is about? I even asked my husband. His response: it’s about a boy who comes into a restaurant to look at the waitress. How old do you think this boy is? His response: twelve. Wrong on both counts!
This cover makes you believe that the book is entirely about something that it isn’t. First, the “boy” is a high school graduate. Probably nineteen. Second, he’s one of the cooks that works in the back (on closer examination, I do see he’s on the correct side of the counter, but it doesn’t easily read that way, or at least to me, it didn’t). Third, not once does he sit around and make googly eyes at the waitress. Fourth, nobody in the book glows. But they sure look angelic on the cover.
The book I have is the scholastic cover, so I looked up the other covers. They are even worse! Yuck, yuck, triple yucks. This book needs a major book cover makeover. Seriously, who would pick up any of these books based on the covers?
On that note, I did like the story. Hope is used to change. Every few years, her and her Aunt Addie pack up and move. With each move, Hope doesn’t take much with her. She has her Webster’s dictionary, because words are important. The Roget’s thesaurus, because sometimes finding the right word requires assistance. And her globe because you can’t act like you’re the only person on the planet who matters. And eleven scrapbooks of her significant moments in life. “Addie says it’s easy to go to a new place and feel like you don’t have a history, so you have to lug your history around with you or it’s too easy to forget.”
In this particular move, Hope and Addie are headed from Brooklyn to the farm country of Wisconsin to work in a diner that needs desperate help from the owner who has just been diagnosed with luekimia. Just as they arrive in town, the mayorial race is getting under way. G.T., the guy with luekemia, decides to run against the current mayor who’s knee deep in corruption. Hope Was Here would be a excellent book to teach kids about the election process and the power of just one individual.
Hope is adjusting to her new life in the diner, making friends (with the boy on the cover), helping with the election, praying that G.T. doesn’t die before it’s over and yearning for a father that she’s not even sure exists. The book does end with a over the top perfect ending. Everything was wrapped up so nicely and happy that you feel really good about Hope but a part of you knows that nothing can be that good. And that’s taking into consideration that something bad does happen.
The one part that made me laugh out loud is when Hope is talking about how much they move:
Eight grade. Pensacola, Florida. Day one.
I stand on the basketball court and shout,”Look, does anyone here want to be my friend?”
Two kids come forward. That’s the power of assertiveness training.
I don’t know why that one got to me so bad. A couple of other quotes from Hope Was Here,
It’s more important to get the big concept than be an expert in the small stuff.
I don’t expect life to be easy. It hasn’t been yet and I’m not holding out for smooth sailing in the future. Not everyone likes this philosophy, but it makes sense to me because when life hits the skids, I don’t have to regroup as much as the people who walk around in a cloud like the world owes them a joyful existence.
And a warning, don’t read this book if you’re hungry.
I’m with you! That’s one yucky cover but I do have to read this soon. Newbery’s are rarely bad thank goodness
on September 17th, 2008 at 5:20 pmI loved this book. It was so great. I have the fourth cover, (neon signs) and I don’t think it’s that bad as a cover. Maybe not screaming read-me, read-me, but not nearly as bad as the first one.
on September 17th, 2008 at 5:28 pmAll four of those covers would make really great billboards for cheesy 80’s after-school specials. Ick. I wonder how much influence the author has over such things and how they feel about these covers. Perhaps when asked, she said her vision included squeezy ketchup and mustard bottles.
on September 17th, 2008 at 5:29 pmI loved this book! I think I read the one with the car on the cover.
on September 17th, 2008 at 5:43 pmHaven’t read it, but I think the other three covers are quite a bit better than the one you have. Yours? Awful. None of them are grand, though.
on September 17th, 2008 at 7:31 pmOh, and congrats on your BBAW category win!
on September 17th, 2008 at 7:32 pmI agree, Newbery covers are often quite horrid. I tried to read Hope Was Here a while back, but I just wasn’t that into it. I keep meaning to pick it up again, though, because I know it’s supposed to be a wonderful book. This sounds terrible to say, but the reason I couldn’t get into it was because Hope was so upbeat.
on September 17th, 2008 at 9:56 pmLadytink_534 - I’ve enjoyed most all of the Newbery’s I’ve read thus far with the exception of Criss Cross which I really didn’t like.
Becky - Mine is really horrid.
Tracie - LOL!!
Suey - I hate the car cover too!
Word Lily - Thanks!
Charley - I thought she was way to upbeat at the end.
on September 17th, 2008 at 10:07 pmI really liked this book. I think I have read all of Joan Bauer’s. Yes, her books tend to wrap up pretty nicely. I think my favorites of hers are Thwonk and Peeled.
on September 17th, 2008 at 10:40 pmcovers are definitely terrible. by chance is there going to be an interview with the author? i think it would be interesting to see what she thinks of the covers. oh! and i’m anxious for a recipe, seeing as how you said not to read if your hungry! yum food!!!
on September 18th, 2008 at 6:37 pmI’ve been reading the newberry’s to my older daughter…and I gotta agree…they have some of the most terrible covers. Of the ones we’ve read I’ve only liked the cover of “The Tale of Despereaux”.
on September 19th, 2008 at 8:40 amThat cover art is terrible! I am with you, if that Newbery badge was not there I would probably never read this. Based on your review, it sounds like it is a good thing that badge is there.
on September 19th, 2008 at 10:51 amyou know.. i try to keep appearances from influencing my pre-conceived notions about a book..but it IS really tough.. honestly, i would NEVER pick this book if i was just browsing in a bookstore. It has zero appeal! But thanks to your review, i might actually try this one if i ever came across it!:)
on September 19th, 2008 at 12:56 pmGood call on the unfortunate covers. I loved this book, but I can never get my students to read it because of the cover. (We have the one with the car and the city scene.) You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but almost everyone does!
on September 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pm[...] Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer The book does end with a over the top perfect ending. Everything was wrapped up so nicely and happy that you feel really good about Hope but a part of you knows that nothing can be that good. And that’s taking into consideration that something bad does happen. (tags: blog-reviews joan-bauer hope-was-here) [...]
on September 20th, 2008 at 3:32 amIt is unfortunate about the covers. Four covers and not a single one says “I’m sitting here in the book store, pick me up and buy me.” Sounds like a decent read though, so I’ll have to check it out!
on September 20th, 2008 at 2:05 pmI have yet a different cover on my copy. Haven’t read it yet, though!
on September 20th, 2008 at 9:23 pmI think the cover should be re-done with a remake of Hope’s signature. She leaves one behind everywhere she’s been and I think any artist who has read the book could come up with a cool way to show that. Everyone knows kids like to carve things up- anyone ever been to camp?
I thought the book was a fun read with a good message for youth about the power of working for what you believe in. I agree with what you said about the ending, but I must admit, I much prefer those endings over the unresolved ones.
on September 22nd, 2008 at 10:50 pm