‘Hope Was Here’

[FEB. 28, 2001]   Hope Was Here," Joan Bauer, J.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2000, 186 pages.

Hope Yancy is a 16-year-old waitress who lives with her Aunt Addie, a well-known diner cook. Hope was born too early and too small, and her mother, Deena, didn’t want the responsibility, so she gave her to her sister Addie. There is no father in the picture, much to Hope’s distress, and Deena appears only once again in the story.

 

Hope says that her mother left her with two things. One she kept was her gift of waitressing. The other she threw away: her birth name, Tulip.

Hope and Addie live an interesting life working in diners across the country. With each move, Hope leaves her mark, "HOPE WAS HERE," in ballpoint ink somewhere on the premises.

As the story opens, Hope and Addie have been working in the Blue Box Diner in Brooklyn, N.Y. Addie was chief cook and part-owner of the diner with her partner, a man named Gleason. One evening he decided to clean out the cash register and the bank account and head for parts unknown with the night waitress, Charlene. Addie tried to hang on for a few months but had to close down before the bill collectors took it. That is the reason Hope and Addie are headed for Mulhoney, Wis., and the Welcome Stairways Diner.

[to top of second column in this review]

G. T. Stoop, the Quaker owner of the diner, has leukemia and needs Addie’s help to keep the diner running. Things get even more complicated when G.T. decides to run for mayor of Mulhoney against a corrupt incumbent, Eli Millstone. As the story progresses we are introduced to a myriad of colorful characters, from the diner employees to the residents of the town.

G.T.’s campaign is beset with problems from the start. There is a lot of crooked politics going on in Mulhoney, and Eli Millstone is right in the middle of it. Hope and Braverman, a young man that cooks at the diner, throw themselves into the campaign and each other’s lives.

 

The political theme of the story has a very contemporary plot twist that will entertain and interest anyone who followed our nation’s presidential race. The mix of dealing with G.T’s illness, small-town politics, and a budding romance for Hope and Addie, along with strong messages about values and self-esteem, makes for a very enjoyable and inspiring story.

Joan Bauer has written several highly acclaimed novels for young adults, including "Thwonk," "A Taste of Smoke," "On My Honor," "Backwater" and "Rules of the Road." This book is recommended for grade eight and up.

For more information, visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call (217) 732-8878.

[Linda Harmon,
Lincoln Public Library District]

It's Tax Time

Come see the tax professionals at

Meier Accounting

and Tax Service

Dale Meier, Enrolled Agent

519 Pulaski, Lincoln

217-735-2030

Tell a friend about

Lincoln Daily News.com

Blue Dog Inn
111 S. Sangamon
217-735-1743

Open for Lunch  Mon.-Sat.
Open for Dinner  Tues.-Sat.

Click here to view our
menu and gift items

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Weather

A Day in the Life... | Milestones | Obituaries | Diaspora

Crime Stoppers | Organizations | Events | Good Neighbors | Honors & Awards | Law & Courts

Crosswords | Games

The Arts | Spiritual Life | Health & Fitness | Book Look | Movies & Videos

Letters to the Editor | About LDN | Corrections

Still Waters | What's Up With That? | Where They Stand | the em space | How We Stack Up | By the Numbers

Happy Ads | TechLine | Elsewhere