Hope Was Here
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hope Was Here | |
 |
|
| Author | Joan Bauer |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young-adult fiction |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Publication date | 2000 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback), Compact Disc, Book on Tape |
| Pages | 186 pp (Paperback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN: 0142404241 or 0-698-11951-7 (Paperback edition) |
Hope Was Here is a 2000 novel by Joan Bauer. It was declared a Newbery Honor Book in 2001.
[edit] Plot Summary
At the beginning of the story, it is found that Hope is not living with her mother. Instead, she is living with her aunt, Addie. She does not know who her father is. (Hope has moved several times, but she always keeps a few scrapbooks with her to remind her who she really is.) Her mother originally named her Tulip, but she got it legally changed. When she moves to Wisconsin to work as a waitress, she finds out that her new boss, G.T., is running for mayor. However, he has leukemia. G.T. is up against Eli Millstone, the current mayor, who supports a local dairy that is a burden to the townspeople. Believing that G.T. can become mayor, even in his physical condition, Hope supports his political campaign.
After Hope arrives at her new workplace, Addie begins to change the menu of the diner. G.T. decides to run for mayor after giving his speech at a ceremony. He then leads the polls. Afterwards, Eddie Braverman, a young cook at Hope's workplace, is threatened for supporting G.T.'s campaign. Hope's mother visits the restaurant Hope works at, much to the dismay of Hope.
Eli Millstone continues his own campaign, displaying G.T. and his leukemia in a negative light. G.T.'s doctors then tell G.T. that his leukemia is in remission. G.T. wins the campaign for mayor after a rig in the polls led by Eli Millstone. Addie and G.T. marry, and Braverman starts to go out with Hope. After his marriage, G.T. decides to adopt Hope. Then, after a year and a half, leukemia returned, causing G.T.'s death. The story ends in Hope setting off for college, realizing how G.T. was her 'real' father.
