After his mother has been gone for a week, eleven-year-old Hank and his toddler sister Boo are forced to seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact. But with Lou Ann’s help comes social workers and a new school, and Hank worries he might have made a huge mistake.

I don’t read much middle grade nowadays, but I was intrigued by this book because I haven’t read any middle grade book dealing with foster care and parentification before. The author’s note about her own brother’s experiences only added more depth and meaning to the story that followed.

I was immediately sucked into the story of Hank, who feels that he must do everything to look after his sister Boo and has trouble trusting the new adults who have come into his life and try to take that responsibility away from him. I enjoyed reading about how Hank slowly starts to build a life for himself in his new home despite the unstable foundation it rests on. The search for his mother kept me engaged, as well as his dawning realization that his life with her was not really safe or normal.

However, I wish at times that we got a deeper glimpse into the lives of the others that Hank meets, especially his new friends at the school. We get some inkling of motivations for how they treat Hank as far as adults such as Ray and Lou Ann, but the way the kids immediately hang onto Hank and pull them into their circle, while endearing, felt somewhat unrealistic. I wished we’d seen more of how their friendships became stronger.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.arcs9 s EmilyAuthor 1 book631

This was excellent. It's quite possibly my favorite middle-grade read of 2024 thus far.

This is the kind of story that sucks you in from the very beginning. I couldn't stop thinking about Hank and his sister Boo. When Hank's mom didn't come home, he started to worry. When it had been a week, and the landlord threatened to evict them, he did the only thing he could think of - take his little sister Boo and go to the stranger their mother had listed as an emergency contact.

The relationship between Hank and Boo was very sweet; I loved all their little rituals. But the fact that such a relationship was necessary, the fact that his mother abandoned them and they had no other family, the fact that a child needed to carry so much responsibility...I spent much of the book livid.

I love a hard-hitting middle-grade story. There is a kid out there who needs this book. It was engaging, and it made me feel so many things. It made me yell, cry (both sad and happy tears), and laugh.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

arcs3 s Jaime553 25

This was a very good, emotional middle grade read. This book immediately pulled me into the story and was very hard to put down. I loved the sibling relationship between Hank and Boo and I felt very invested in their story. This was a heartwarming story that covered some serious situations very well and it was extremely well written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this realistic fiction story and recommend giving it a try.

Thank you to the publisher for this gifted copy. 2 s Diana200 3

I've read at least a dozen books this year that fit the criteria for the 2024 Newbery medal, but this is the first title I would put on a short list for next January's Newbery -- yes, it's that good. I was rooting for Hank from the very first chapter when his mom didn't get home and he was left to figure out how to care for Boo, his two-year-old sister. As the days drag on, Hank doesn't have any family to turn to, so he ends up on the doorstep of his emergency contact, the best friend of his recently passed grandmother. Lou Ann takes him in, but her help comes with lots of changes and questions. Hank himself begins to question the meaning of family as his life becomes more and more challenging. Yes, he makes mistakes, but he's hard on himself, and you just know he deserves a better hand than the one he's been dealt. This book is not a light read, but it's one to cherish.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. I'll be purchasing this one for my middle school classroom library.middle-grade-fiction realistic-fiction1 Jennifer Hottinger477 3

A must read!!!1 Ms. Yingling2,482 498

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

**Spoilers, which are somewhat necessary to understand the whole story.**

Hank is used to taking care of his three year old sister, Bridget (Boo) when their mother Geri is out working or socializing, but when she doesn't come home for a week, things get desperate. He's missing school, and they are out of food. When the landlord pounds on the door and says that eviction proceedings will begin tomorrow, Hank decides to head to visit the only emergency contact he can find; Lou Ann, who was a friend of his grandmother's. His grandmother passed away recently, which has taken away needed support. Finding a bus pass of his mother's, he packs a few things and heads to Rancho Renato. Lou Ann is suprised to see them, but since she runs a day care from her home, agrees to help them. Celia, who works with Lou Ann several days a week, was friends with Hank's mother. Social services is contacted, and everyone works to find Geri. Celia's brother, Ray, is a computer programmer who works from home, and since Lou Ann is not thrilled with having a teenager Hank around (he's in 7th grade, but tall for his age), Hank starts to spend a lot of time with Ray and his dog, CPU. When Geri can't be found, Lou Ann arranges for Hank to start in the local middle school. Since Lou Ann doesn't seem to him, Hank goes out of his way to do whatever he can to make her happy, especially since Boo is thriving under her care, learning numbers and letters and becoming potty trained. School actually goes well, and the kids are nice to Hank. Ana in particular takes a liking to him, and invites him to her birthday party. Hank starts playing basketball with Ray, and the coach at school notices his progress, inviting him to try out for the team. Hank is uncertain what the future will bring, so is hesitant to make committments. When he finally finds where his mother is, things are even more uncertain. His mother, who has had a problem with alcohol in the past, was arrested on drunk driving charges, and has to go through rehab before being released. When his mother shows up at school on the day of basketball tryouts, he leaves with her, even though he is apprehensive. He even tells Lou Ann he is taking Boo "for a walk", and is soon driving to Arizona with his mother. When she stops at a gas station and gets drunk, Hank knows that he can't let Boo in the car with her. He calls Lou Ann, but because of her past problems with a teenage son, she forces Hank to go into the foster care system. Hank knows he has made mistakes, but misses the strong and supportive community he had at Lou Ann's. Will he be able to regain it?
Strengths: There is something both compelling and soothing about stepping into the shoes of children who have not been given proper care, and watching as they find a new and supportive community. Hank is such a good kid, and he takes excellent care of Boo. He's resourceful, but knows when he needs help. He love for his mother and grandmother is clear, but his desire to have Boo taken care of is what drives his choices. Lou Ann's feelings that she should take the children in out of her loyalty to their grandmother, but also he dis of teen agers, are realistic competing emotions that ring true. Ray is a great character who has his own reasons for including Hank and Boo in his life. The best part of this, which Choldenko mentions in the end notes, is that the kids at school are accepting of Hank, even when he can't tell them everything about his life. They are kind, understanding, and help out when they can. Even Tadeo, Ray's nephew who is jealous of Hank for several reasons, is nice to him. When Geri returns, Hank has a major dilemma, and he handles it in a way that I think most 7th graders would handle it. It's his MOM. Of course, he goes with her, but when she puts Boo in danger, he must rely on his new, supportive network. While the most compelling thing in Hank's life is finding his mother and pinning down a living situation, he is also a typical tween, and it was great to see him try out for the basketball team, have an interest in drawing, and go to birthday parties. Even kids in crisis are still kids.
Weaknesses: The only weaknesses I can find in this are that Hank is almost too well behaved, and the resolution works out too well. I had rated this as four stars, but considering how much the world needs hopeful stories and examples of good in a world that is often very terrible, I'm moving this to five, because too much optimism should be rewarded in children' literature. The current trend to show tweens how terrible life can be cannot be helping with the rise of anxiety in children.
What I really think: This is probably my favorite of Choldenko's books so far. It's a great choice for readers who hopeful, sometimes funny realistic fiction, and goes well with other modern books about children in foster care, including Galante's Strays Us, Winston's Shark Teeth, Moranville's Forget-Me-Not Blue, O'Shaughnessy's Lasagna Means I Love You, Bailey's Snow Foal, and Farr's Pavi Sharma's Guide to Going Home.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review5 s Josephine Sorrell1,744 33

Meet Hank, a very mature eleven year old. His responsibilities include, being the sole care giver for his three year old sister they call Boo, (Bridget) and everything involved in living. Their mother Geri is out working, socializing, or getting high and drunk. Then, mama doesn't come home for a week, and things get desperate. Hank is truant from school, and they are out of food. There’s no more coins in the couch cushions to buy something to eat. Now the landlord is banging on the door and says that they will be officially removed from the apartment tomorrow.
Well this 11 year old uses his wits and decides to visit the only emergency contact he can find… someone named Lou Ann. Her name and phone number are filled in, on the emergency contact line, his mama wrote on his field trip form.

He later learns, Lou Ann was a friend of his grandmother's. His grandmother passed away recently, which has taken away needed support. Hank locates his mother’s bus pass, packs a few things and heads to Rancho Renato. Lou Ann is of course suprised to see two strange children on her doorstep. But since she runs a day care from her home, and was his grandmother’s long time friend, she agrees to help them. Celia, who works with Lou Ann several days a week, was an aquaintenance of Hank's mother and knows a little bit about her character. CPS is called and everyone works to find Geri, because the service’s goal is to keep families together. Celia's brother, Ray, lives next door. Ray is a computer programmer who works from home. Hank and Ray hit it off and Hank starts to spend a lot of time with Ray and his dog, CPU. This is good because Lou Ann s little kids but not so much teenagers as she refers to Hank even though he’s only eleven.
It seems mama has disappeared, maybe for good, so Lou Ann arranges for Hank to start in the local middle school. Sensing Lou Ann’s dis for older kids, Hank goes out of his way to do whatever he can to make her happy, especially since Boo is thriving under her care. Boo is learning numbers and letters and even gets potty trained. School is surprisingly, a positive experience for Hank. The kids are nice to Hank. Ana in particular takes a liking to him, and invites him to her birthday party. Hank displays excellent skills in basketball and the coach at school notices him and asks him to try out for the team. Can life be good again?

But then there is his missing mama always in the back his mind. After all he does love her and knows she loves him and Boo.

The characters in this story are so well portrayed, especially little Boo and Hank. And don’t fault Lou Ann. She’s in her sixties and doesn’t feel equipped to raise a preteen.
One of the the best parts that Choldenko mentions in the end notes, is that the kids at school are accepting of new kid, Hank, even when he can't tell them everything about his life. They’re kind, understanding, and help out when they can. There are no bullies! Even Tadeo, Ray's nephew who is jealous of Hank for several reasons, is nice to him.

But living with Lou Ann will not be a permanent situation. Will mama come back and if she does will she be fit to care for two children and herself?

As a reader/reviewer of a great deal of middle grade/YA novels, this is hands down, my favorite of 2024. Lesley422

“…I watch the stores and gas stations and buildings sail by. But I can’t help wondering if there are other kids in those apartments whose moms are lost. Or if it’s just Boo and me.” (ARC, 59)

When their single mother leaves eleven-year-old Hank Hopperman and Bridget (Boo), his three-year-old sister, alone in their apartment, Hank stays home from school and takes care of his sister, trying to toilet train her and feed her with any change they find (“Winner, Winner, Lunch and Dinner”). When a week goes by and he hears the landlord threaten to evict them the next day, Hank knows they have to go somewhere. His beloved grandmother who kept the family together and the kids safe, despite their mother’s drinking and disappearing, has died, Hank doesn’t know who his father is and Boo’s father left before she was born, and there is no one else. Resourceful as always, Hank looks on his school trip form and finds a name for emergency contact, Lou Ann, his grandmother’s friend who happens to run a daycare center.

Lou Ann agrees to keep them for a short time even though she does not teenagers who she says are trouble. Hank is only 11, but in her eyes looks a teen. Hank uses all his limited resources to find his mother while being taken under the wing of Lou Ann’s adult neighbor Ray. At Lou Ann’s Hank starts a new school where he makes friends and he is even picked for the popular Legend’s basketball team in gym class—and by his first ever cool nickname,
“’Hoop.’ Legend points to me and I grin, big. When do I get what I want in my life?
First time ever.” (ARC, 142)

But Hank has to worry about being put in foster care and being separated from Boo. “Patient? What if Este [the CPS worker] didn’t know where she would be sleeping tomorrow? I’d to see how patient she’d be.” (ARC, 208)

When his mother is found, Hank has conflicting emotions: “It all come flooding back. Going to bed hungry. Waiting for her to come home. F’s at school because I was absent and absent and absent again. The lies. The eviction.” (ARC, 233) “I love my mom and she loves me. But everything she does gets me in trouble. What happens when you love someone that?” (ARC, 250)

I finished reading this book about two siblings who are as devoted and mutually dependent as siblings can be just in time for National Siblings Day. This is a story of resilience. And this is a story that all teachers and those who work will children should read, as many of these children are hiding in plain sight in our classrooms and communities. This is a story that many readers will need, some to see that they are not alone and others to understand and gain empathy for their peers. It is a story about abandoned children, foster children, and children living with a parent who has substance-abuse problems.2024 Laura2,912 83

Hank’s mother is missing, and he has to stay home from school to take care of his three-year-old sister. They are able to last a week before they run out of food, and have to go out and find help. He finds the name of a family friend that his mother once used on a form for school, and takes a bus to her house, and appears at her front door, with his baby sister in hand, hoping she can help him.
LouAnn, the friend of his grandmother, takes him in, in her memory, but she doesn’t teenagers, as she calls Hank, even though he is only eleven. Then begins his search for his mother, with the help of Hand, the next door neighbor. They look up hospitals, morgues, and jails. They visit old friends. All the while he makes sure the Boo, his baby sister, is taken care of and loved.
And always hanging over his head is the fact that child protection services can take him away at any point if LouAnn decides she has had too much of him.


This is both an uplifting and total tear jerker. Of course we hope everything will turn out in the end, but it pulls at your heart strings as Hank tries to find his mother, because even though she has abandoned him, she is still his mother.


The author said that she based the story on her own experience of mentally checked out parents, as well as other stories of kids that have had to take responsibility for their younger siblings.


Very caring character that I found I connected with right away. And yes, he does make mistakes, as it says in the title, but they are kid mistakes, that anyone could make, though behold himself at a higher standard.


Any book that makes me stay up past my bedtime and has tears running down my cheeks in the last quarter of the book has got to be a good book. And this book did that.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 11th of June 2024.
abandonment absent-mother foster-care ...more Valerie McEnroe1,635 56

Higher than 3 stars, but not quite 4.

I enjoy Choldenko's writing. I'm a fan of the Al Capone books. I the historical bent on most of her work. This realistic story about an 11-year-old boy trying to hold his life together when his mother doesn't return home is better than average, but still not a home run. The beginning does it's job well. It sets up the story of Hank's challenging life, trying to care for his 3-year-old sister when his mom abandons them for days on end. This time is different. It's been a week. There's no money for food. He has no relatives. No dad. No grandma. The emergency contact name on his field trip form becomes his only hope.

Lou Ann turns out to be a friend of his deceased grandmother. She and her neighbor, Ray, step in to provide care until their mother can be found. She enrolls Hank in school where things go surprising well. He makes friends and is encouraged to try out for the basketball team. But Hank still desperately wants to find his mother. When she shows up, in the oddest of circumstances, his judgement goes out the window. He makes a decision Lou Ann just can't forgive.

Unfortunately, there's a lull in the middle of the book where I kind of just wanted it to be over. My attention started to wane. It became a bit ho-hum. Nothing really exciting going on. Then his mother entered the picture unexpectedly, re-energizing the plot. Hank is a great kid. Everything works out a bit too nicely for a kid in this kind of situation. That detachment from a true reality left me feeling disappointed. I have found books by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Jennifer Richard Jacobson and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley to be more convincing. dysfunctional-family foster-care friendship ...more Pam547 3

Hank has always taken good care of his sister Boo. His mom is unreliable, and has drunk too much. But when she has been gone for a week and the landlord is threatening eviction, Hank remembers the name that his mom put as the emergency contact on his school field trip form, and figures out how to get Boo and himself there. Lou Ann cares for toddlers in her home, so Boo fits right in, but Lou Ann has reasons to distrust teenagers, even though Hank is only almost 12. Hank makes friends at his new school, befriends Ray, the adult next door who plays basketball with him, and decides to try out for the school team. But he finds out where his mom is, and is confused when she arrives at his school to ‘take him to a doctor’s appointment’. His mom encourages him to tell Lou Ann that he is taking Boo for a walk, and the three of them head off to Texas where his mom’s friend will let them live with him. But his mom starts drinking when they stop at a convenience store, and Hank brings Boo into the store so his mom can get sober. But she drives away. He calls Lou Ann, who is furious and hurt that he would lie. She takes in Boo but not Hank. He is sent to a foster care during Christmas. Ray eventually takes him out and offers to foster home and Boo. And then offers to adopt. Hank stills holds out hope for his mom, so it is decided that Ray will adopt Boo and foster Hank for now, and the kids will not be separated.
I heard Gennifer Childenko speak at PLA, and she said Hank was her brother, caring for her and being overly good so the kids would stay together.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Therearenobadbooks978 23

A sensible theme that is well done in so many ways. Short chapters, easy to read with paragraph breaks, too. 

The author dives us into a very sad situation. Eleven-year-old Hank has been home alone with his three-year-old sister for a week now because their mom left, and they don't know what happened. Now, they will be evicted.

The boy is very careful, protective, responsible, polite, shy, kind, smart... and does all he can for his sister while trying to find their Mom without alerting the "System". He doesn't want to be separated from his little sister. 

He knows when to ask for help and to accept it even when the person is a bit unfair and too strict. His fear and anxiety to make all things better make him very obedient and quiet. The way the boy holds all inside is very emotional.
More characters have a positive influence on their situation.

Hank has to attend a new school and make new friends even a romantic interest, but it's hard to be selfish, and he is always feeling guilty. Themes stress, anxiety, and insomnia in children from worrying too much about adult stuff. Also irresponsible and absent parents, and foster care. Although the elder taking care of them (temporarily), looks mean, she also has her fears, and she does what she can thinking to be best for them. 

I am glad for a realistic and good ending.

I got a copy for an honest review. Christie136 2

This book!
ALL THE FEELS!

There was hope and joy, but there was also ugly crying, fear, and worry.
There was pure love for characters and also some disappointment in circumstances and the way things sometimes are in the world.
Boo and Pooperman were characters that Choldenko made you love so much you wanted to adopt them right out of the book and bring them home to live with you. Their relationship was incredibly special, and the "Dear Reader" letter at the beginning really set the intentions right from the get go. It captured what it's for a young kid to have more responsibility than a young kid should. Ray was another favorite character of mine, and such a perfect fit for them. There is so much to love about this book. It falls into the category of books I call the "Huggable" ones. The ones that make you want to squeeze them tight to your chest when you close the book after reading.

Thank you for bringing this book into the world, Gennifer! It is certainly special. Jenny Ashby822 10

I have recently read several titles with a similar theme - undependable parents and the kids who are trying to keep everything together. These stories really tug at me because they remind me of the home life of my stepkids and our helplessness to solve their issues. So while the ending of this book is too neat, I would not be happy with it ending more realistically. And it DID have quite a few moments of despair before we got to a more pleasing ending. Hank and Boo are great and his devotion to her is lovely to see, and even more heart-wrenching at the times they are separated. I also appreciate that Hank is such a great boy who reads as all the middle schoolers I know, with diverse interests and beginning crushes, despite his turbulent home life. And with Hank being so great, I got tired of Lou Ann's crankiness towards him simply because he was a "teen" (not really), and her previous issues with a teen. Alexa Hamilton2,358 23

I think Choldenko does such a great job digging into the very complicated feelings in a variety of situations. In this case, the feelings are super complicated as Hank's mom has disappeared for a week, leaving Hank to care for hist 3 year old sister Boo. It's not surprising, except it's long. Hank is always caring for Boo as mom needs help. But they have nowhere to turn as Grandma Mae died last year. Eventually, Hank risks it all to find the person his mom wrote as an emergency contact on his field trip form.

There's social workers and foster care discussions. There's the struggle of being a large boy who looks a teenager even if he's only 11. There's stopping being a parent to your sister--and always remembering how and that it's your responsibility. It's handled very well, there are some major issues, though the ending is quite happy (but still believable).

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy, this was a joy to read.tween Karen Reeder102 5

Hank Hooperman has such an incredible story and author Gennifer Choldenko immediately hooks you with this compelling story from chapter one. The reader meets Hank on day 7 of him wondering where his mom is. She’s disappeared before, but not for this long and now they are out of options. They need to find help somewhere, so off Hank and his 3-year-old sister go. Their journey together is one of such hope, but also constant struggle and sadness. Hank is always worried about making mistakes, but some mistakes are worse than others. Hank rates his mistakes on a scale of 1-10 and maybe this will cause readers to reflect on their own mistakes as they read this. I hope that my kids reading it would see that some mistakes are not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things. One valuable lesson from Hank is considering what is most important in life and what is worth taking risks for. If you want a book with all the feels, then this book is for you. middle-grade-realistic-fiction Darla3,930 890

All the big brothers in the world could learn a few things from Hank Hooperman. Talk about a kid who has a few challenges. His little sister Boo is just three and Hank is eleven. Their mother disappears and after a week, Hank has to do something. They travel across town to stay with a good friend of the grandma they lost a year ago. And wait for their mom. And wait. And wait. This book is a heartbreaking reminder that good parenting takes work and it is hard for broken people to consistently care for their kids. Loved the people Hank and Boo met who stepped up to fill the gap left by the family members who were lost or missing in action. One thing that Hank can consistently work at is basketball. His name is just perfect. I dare you to read this book and not want Hank Hooperman to be your big brother.

A big thank you to Knopf Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.family middle-grade40 s18 comments Crys Bauermeister72

Your heart just gets all the feels on this one. You celebrate the resilience 11-year old Hank has for all that is thrown at him. You leak from your eyes at the down and out times.

Hope. That’s the best word to describe this book, which twists around Hank’s last name, Hooperman. Our foster systems are broken, but social workers are trying their best. No child needs to live in a scary world, yet some do. While this book doesn’t paint the world perfect, it sure gives us a glimpse of the mess some people face just on a day to day basis.

There are so many reasons to read this book, but hope for a way out, hope for humanity, hope for a family are a few of the more compelling reasons.

Hank’s character is well developed. We feel the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, the love he has for those around him, the betrayal, and finally, the experience of still being a kid who sometimes has to assume a grown up role. 2024 Jennifer1,100 32

Hank and his little sister, Boo, have been left alone in their apartment for a week. He has no idea where his mother is and they've been searching couch cushions for loose change so he can buy food at the corner store. When he realizes that he needs help, Hank and his sister reach out and get taken in by a family friend. What happens next is a story that may be all too real for some kids--living with an unreliable parent and facing foster care. There really aren't many books about this topic for middle readers, so this a welcome addition and Hank and Boo are in great care in Choldenko's hands. Readers will fall in love with both of them and hope everything works out for the best. Review from e-galley. Jame_EReader938 1 follower

Thank you @randomhousekids for this gifted copy.
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