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Screenwise Verdict
The Great Gilly Hopkins is a rare bird: a 1970s classic that doesn't feel like it's covered in dust. Gilly is angry, manipulative, and brilliant—a combination that still resonates with kids who feel like the world is stacked against them. It’s a tough read in spots, particularly because Gilly uses prejudice as a weapon, but the payoff is a profound lesson in what family actually looks like.
If your kid is tired of 'perfect' protagonists and wants something with real emotional teeth, this is the one. It’s a great bridge into more mature YA literature because it treats the reader like someone who can handle a story where not every problem is solved with a hug.
Age Fit
Best for ages 10 to 14. Younger kids might find Gilly's initial cruelty upsetting, but middle schoolers will appreciate the psychological complexity and the 'no-BS' tone.
WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
82
It models a messy, authentic version of love and redemption. While Gilly starts out as a 'difficult' kid, the emotional core is about finding belonging in the most unexpected places.
Imaginative
65
This is grounded realistic fiction. The 'imagination' here is in Gilly's internal monologues and her elaborate schemes to escape, rather than world-building.
Safe
70
Safe from a 'no-sex-or-violence' standpoint, but contains a racial slur and heavy doses of prejudice from the protagonist early on. It's used to show her character's ignorance, not to endorse it, but it requires a heads-up.
Enriching
94
Few books build empathy for 'unlikeable' kids better than this. It tackles foster care, abandonment, and the realization that parents are flawed humans with incredible depth.
Parent Info
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Why It Might Be Great
Gilly Hopkins is a refreshingly honest protagonist who isn't trying to be liked, making her growth feel earned rather than forced.
Maime Trotter is one of the most iconic foster mothers in literature, modeling patience and unconditional love without being a saintly caricature.
It provides a realistic look at foster care and the psychological defense mechanisms kids build when they've been let down by adults.
Katherine Paterson's prose is sharp and unsentimental, avoiding the saccharine 'after-school special' vibes of lesser middle-grade fiction.
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What to Watch For
Gilly uses a racial slur (the n-word) early in the book specifically to hurt and shock the adults around her. It's a character-defining moment of ugliness that sets up her later growth.
The ending isn't a perfect 'happily ever after.' It’s a bittersweet dose of reality that might frustrate kids used to neater resolutions.
There's some 1970s-era grit, including casual mentions of physical discipline and some dated social attitudes that Gilly eventually unlearns.
Conversation Starters
"Why do you think Gilly tries so hard to make people hate her?"
"Gilly has a very specific picture of her 'real' mother in her head. How does that compare to the reality of Courtney?"
"What makes Maime Trotter different from the other foster parents Gilly has had?"
"Do you think the ending was fair to Gilly, or did you want something else to happen?"
