The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

There are two tiny hints on the first page of this book that tell you something is not quite right - that Hank and his three-year-old sister Boo (short for Bridget) are all alone. 

"Grandma Mae taught me how. She said a big brother has to know how to change diapers in case his mom forgets."

"I don’t want to run into anyone who might ask about Mom."

Grandma May - past tense - so she is gone and clearly mum is not there either but why? How long has mum been gone? Hank is only eleven - do these kids have money? Is there any other family they can call on for help? AND then there is a dreadful knock on the door:

“Open the door. Mrs. Hooperman. Geri! Geri Hooperman.” He bang-bang-bangs. “I know you’re in there, Mrs. Hooperman. And I have every right to enter the premises.” He rattles the doorknob. Boo puts her hands over her ears and burrows into my leg. We get in the shower stall, but we can still hear. “You owe six months’ rent, Mrs. Hooperman. I’ve given you multiple warnings. We have started eviction proceedings. I need payment in full by tomorrow morning or you and your kids will be forcibly removed. Did you hear that, Mrs. Hooperman?” He slaps the door."

Hank knows that he has to leave. Mum has disappeared before but never for a whole week. On his field trip permission form (yes he had to miss the field trip) his mother wrote a name and an address. Hank knows Lou Ann was a friend to his late grandmother. Early the next morning they set off. The journey takes all day and several bus changes until eventually they arrive and while this place feels safe it also feels very temporary.

"Why is my life a Would You Rather game? Not a funny one, like Would you rather have a cute girl tell you your fly is down or announce to everyone that you have dragon breath? Mine is, Would you rather be evicted or take a bus for four hours to a person’s house you don’t know?"

Finally let's go back to the title. The tenth mistake. Here a quote to explain this (without tell you Hank's worst mistake):

"I hate making mistakes. Little ones are not so bad. You forget to write your name on your homework. On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, that’s a level two. You can survive a level two mistake. You don’t get credit for doing the assignment that day. Big deal. But mistakes on the eight, nine, or ten level…they’ll take you out. You forget to hold your little sister’s hand and she runs in front of a car. TEN! TEN! TEN! I never did that, but I came close. Even an almost TEN! is terrifying. I don’t want to choose wrong. But doing nothing can be a mistake too."

One of the many parts of this book that I truly loved was the way the other kids at Hank's new school were so fantastic - thank goodness he didn't have to encounter an awful bully as happens so often in realistic fiction books like this one. I just wanted to hug Ana, Carmen, Legend, Tadeo and Quincy.  And of course Ray, the man next door is a true hero in this story. He felt so real I actually thought about writing him a thank you letter.

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. Ms Yingling

There are also small but deeply moving acts of kindness in this story - a lady on the bus gives Hank exact instructions about how to find Lou Ann's house; his mum's hairdresser has no idea where mum has gone but she carefully recuts Hank's hair after the disastrous one from Lou Ann; Coach P recognises Hank has a talent for basketball (you can see that on the cover); Carmen invites him to sit with her group on his first day at lunch time (this is huge); and there is always the nutty up nutty down song:

“Nutty up, nutty down, nutty turn yourself around. Nutty pillow, nutty bed, nutty covers over your head,” and she climbs in bed. Then I hold her hand until she falls asleep."

This book will break your heart. I was so invested in this story but I had to keep telling myself Gennifer Choldenko is sure to rescue Hank by the end of the book and yes, she does but not in a saccharine or contrived way - thank goodness. 

Publisher's Weekly said: "A gut-punch tale that is by turns heartbreaking and hopeful.” 

One of the most complex characters in this book is Lou Ann. She loves little Boo right from the start when the two kids turn up at her door late at night, but she is on her guard about Hank. He is tall for his age. He looks like a teenager. We only get glimpses of this, but it seems Lou Ann had a very bad time with her own teenage son - whatever happened all those years ago she has never recovered. 

I kept hoping Hank was misinterpreting Lou Ann's reactions and discipline and seeming lack of kindness or compassion. I expected a big scene at the end where Lou Ann would reach out a hug Hank and that he would understand her better but, my reading friend, that does not happen - and I am glad. How wonderful to not be able to predict the ending.

Several times each week I catch a bus to the city. It is about a 50-minute trip so it is good to have a book to read. I have loaded quite a few recommended US titles because, yes they have been recommended, but also it is often impossible or impossibly expensive to obtain the print copies of these here in Australia. (Note the paperback of The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman will be available here next month).

Yesterday I started reading The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman. I read it going to the city, I read it coming home, I read it before bed, I read it at 2am and I finished it over breakfast! YES, you know what I am going to say because I have said it before, this book is THAT GOOD! And the final chapter will make you sob.

Publisher blurb: When eleven-year-old Hank’s mom doesn’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact. But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he’s been trying to keep secret. And if they can’t find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes–he could lose everything. Gennifer Choldenko has written a heart-wrenching, healing, and ultimately hopeful story about how complicated family can be. About how you can love someone, even when you can’t rely on them. And about the transformative power of second chances.

IF I have not convinced you that this is a book you will love please take a look/listen to Colby Sharp talking about The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman. AND please read the Kirkus Star review too.

This book might remind you of The Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt. Here are some other companion books:

The Boy in the Suit

Small as an Elephant

Almost Home

The Star outside my window

You can see more books by Gennifer Choldenko. I previously LOVED these books:

No passengers beyond this point

Dogtown and Mouse and His dog

Sunshine on Vinegar Street by Karen Comer

Sport fans, especially fans of basketball and netball are sure to enjoy this new Australian verse novel due for publication in June 2023. This is the second book I have read by Karen Comer and I was happy to discover this one relied a little less on familiarity with Melbourne.

There are a few reasons I enjoy verse novels. They are quick to read of course but more than that they usually contain quite emotional stories. Sunshine on Vinegar Street didn't quite touch my heart but I did relate to Freya's fear of riding in lifts. At her age of twelve, I had a fear of riding on escalators. 

Back to the setting of this book. Freya has moved with her mother to the eleventh floor of a city apartment building. She has to navigate a lot of stairs each day and worse, she now has to navigate relationships in a new school. Especially relationships with awful girls who plan to be selected for the A Grade basketball team. Freya loves basketball and she is a skilled player but Val is determined to see her fail. Freya also has to cope with desperately missing her dad who is working in Broome. 

Across the road from their new apartment there is a Melbourne landmark - The Skipping Girl Sign or Skipping Girl Vinegar Sign, colloquially known as Little Audrey - an historic animated neon sign in the inner suburb of Abbotsford, Melbourne. You can read more about Little Audrey here. Turn off the sound and watch this video of the neon sign in action. 

Publisher blurb: Freya's world is turned upside down when she and her mum move to inner-city Melbourne. Now she's ... Stuck in a new apartment on the eleventh floor and Freya is afraid of lifts. Stuck in a new basketball team where not everyone likes a killer new player.  Stuck in a classroom of kids who don't know Freya is a donor-conceived baby. Stuck, just like little Audrey in the Skipping Girl sign suspended in mid-air over the suburb of Abbotsford. Being the new girl makes Freya feel like a dark cloud on a summer's day. Can she figure out how to belong on Vinegar Street?

Here is Karen Comer's previous book which was also a verse novel but aimed at an older reader:

True (sort of) by Katherine Hannigan

Before you read about True (sort of) you might like to read my review of Ida B also by Katherine Hannigan.

True (sort of) is even better.  Delly Pattison is bursting with wonderful ideas about how to have fun and how to have adventures but sadly for Delly every  single time things back fire and Delly ends up in trouble.

"Delly Pattison was tiny.  Her hair curled tight to her head, like a copper halo.  Her voice was raspy, as if a load of gravel lined her throat.  And Delly Pattison was trouble, little trouble on the way to big TROUBLE, and getting closer to it every day."

There are six kids in the Pattison family - Dallas, Tallahasse, Montana, Galveston, Dellaware and RB but it is the mother I loved the most.  She loves her kids and she especially wants happiness for Delly.

While Delly is trying hard to stay out of trouble while still enjoying special dellyventures and waiting for a surpresent a new kid arrives in town.  Her name is Ferris Boyd and there are two things you need to know about her : "Here is the information I shared with the class, before Ms Boyd arrived, which you need to know,' ... 'First, Ms Boyd does not speak.' ... 'She can hear, but she does not speak.  In addition, she must not be touched."  What the teacher (he always addresses the children as Ms and Mr) fails to mention in this strange introduction is that Ferris Boyd is a girl of great patience, wisdom and she has brilliant basketball skills.  It is these skills which bring her to the attention of the third important character in this complex story - Brud Kinney another local boy who lives for basketball.

There are some holes in this story - we never meet the mother of Ferris Boyd and it is very disturbing the way the adults in the town and school seem completely oblivious to the reasons why Ferris is mute.  That to one side I loved Delly and the tender love of her little brother RB.

This is a book for senior students.  It does deal with very sensitive issues but it is also an uplifting story and I am sure these characters will linger with you for a long time.

If you enjoy True (sort of) you should also look for Camo Girl.