Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

This is a short little story about 12 year old Hollis Woods who has been moved around through several foster homes.  She has been misunderstood and under-appreciated.  She has been told she is trouble so many times that she believes it.  She is an amazing artist, and she skips school.

I liked her character.  I think the story is well-written and interesting.  I enjoyed the style of writing, and how the chapters alternate between present day, and pictures Hollis has drawn.

I did get super annoyed that the big event that happened last summer that destroyed her first chance at a happy family is kind of held hostage until the very end.  I understand why authors do this, but I wish they wouldn't.  The good news is that the book is short, 166 pages.  If you read it in an afternoon or evening, you might not have been as annoyed as I was.  I spread it out to long, and had to resist flipping to the end to read the details when they were finally revealed.

The ending is sweet and happy.  This is worth a read, and I would guess that girls in 4th or 5th grade would really like it.

PS.  There was a TV movie made in 2007, with Sissy Spacek, I've got to track it down!