Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
Bibliography:
Bauer, J. Hope Was Here. G.P. Putnam's Sons. (2000).
Summary:
Hope is a waitress. A good one. At sixteen years old, that's both unusual and fortunate, as she and her aunt, Addie, travel across the country finding work in quality but unsuccessful diners. When a business partner swindles Addie out of her most recent Brooklyn diner's money, Hope and Addie find a new start in Wisconson, where a mediocre diner is in need of a revamp. The Welcome Stairways diner is owned by G.T. Stoop, a middle-aged man battling cancer and needing a break from the rigors of diner management. Hope struggles to adjust to life in a small town, befriends the short order cook, and finds herself swept up along with the whole town in the most recent mayoral elections, when G.T. unpredictably places his name on the ballot. Teaming up with G.T. supporters around the town, Hope becomes actively involved in proving to the townspeople why Stoop is a better candidate than the crooked incumbent, despite his struggles with cancer and lack of political experience. In the process, Hope develops a father-like relationship with Stoop and finds herself feeling more and more at home in the most unlikely of places.
Thoughts:
Knowing that this was a story of a girl raised by her aunt, constantly on the move from city to city, I was afraid that Hope Was Here would be a heart-wrenching, discouraging novel that called attention to teenagers' feelings of abandonment and unbelonging. While these themes ran through the book, I was pleasantly surprised by the more prevalent presence of hope and triumph of human spirit amidst adverse circumstances. Hope is a regular teenager with an unnatural gift for waitressing and for reading people. She struggles with typical struggles any teen on the move struggles with- fitting in, fear of the unknown. When Hope and Addie move to a new town in the middle of Wisconson (a far cry from Brooklyn!), the reader hears about how Hope handles the culture shock and ultimately finds similarities and familiarity with the people of this cheese-loving town. Trust issues are dealt with, and though Hope's mother who left her with Addie does not come back, and her father (missing since forever) does not miraculously find her, and cancer overtakes her new father figure, Hope manages to press on. The realities faced in Bauer's tale are those faced by teenagers everywhere, yet offer a look at what life can be like if one keeps a hopeful outlook rather than giving in to the problems that come about. I would recommend this book to any teenager, regardless of family life, background, or life circumstance, as all teenagers could use a lesson in hope and trust.
Reviews:
"Bauer serves up agreeable fare in this tale of a teenage waitress's search for a sense of belonging. Sixteen-year-old Hope has grown used to the nomadic life she has built with her aunt Addie, a talented diner cook. She doesn't mind the hard work it takes to make a diner hum; she seems to have inherited a knack for waiting tables from her free-spirit mom (Addie's younger sister) who abandoned her years ago. But Hope would gladly give up always having to say goodbye to friends and places she loves. When Addie accepts a new job that takes the pair from Brooklyn to the Welcome Stairways diner in Mulhoney, Wisconson, Hope never could have imagined the big changes ahead of her. She and Addie shine in the small-town milieu and gladly offer to help diner owner G.T. Stoop, who is battling leukemia, run for mayor. Along the way, Addie and Hope both find love, and Hope discovers the father figure she so desperately wanted....[Readers] are likely to gobble this up like so much comfort food." -Publisher's Weekly
"When it comes to creating strong, independent, and funny teenaged female characters, Bauer is in a class by herself and the 16-year-old waitress in this book is no exception. Hope Yancey and her Aunt Addie, a much-sought-after diner cook, have toured the country, one diner at a time. With each move, the teen leaves her mark, "HOPE WAS HERE," in ballpoint pen somewhere on the premises. Now in Mulhoney, WI, she has no idea that the residents of this small town will make their mark on her.... The mix of dealing with illness, small-town politics, and budding romance for both Hope and Addie is one that will entertain and inspire readers. Bauer tells a fast-paced, mulitlayered story with humor but does not gloss over the struggle of someone who is unable to trust, someone who has been left before, and who avoids getting close to anyone for fear of being left again...." - School Library Journal
Ideas for Use:
Get your teenagers on the campaign trail! Discuss with the class how supporters of G.T. Stoop rallied for his election, despite the odds that were stacked against him. What made him a good candidate, in spite of his illness and lack of political background? Divide the class into campaign teams, and give each team a fictional candidate with tough odds (similar to G.T.'s cancer) and a brief background (job, age, hometown, reputation, etc.). How can the teams put a positive spin n what could be problem issues in an election? Make campaign posters, slogans, etc., to pitch to the other teams. Have the class vote on the best candidate (they cannot vote for their own!) and see who comes out on top.
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