Bibliography
Bauer, Joan. Hope Was Here. 2000. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons ISBN 0-399-23142-0
Critical Analysis
Hope Was Here is a heartfelt read that blends humor and realism beautifully. Hope and her Aunt Addie, her acting mother since her biological mother handed her over at a young age, have lived quite an exciting life, breezing in and out of diners, Addie cooking while Hope masters the art of waitressing- the only thing her real mother ever taught her- until they finally settle down at Welcome Stairway, a diner in rural Wisconsin. It is here where Hope learns her first lesson in politics, as the diner owner, G.T. Stoop- an good, honest man with leukemia- runs against the corrupt current mayor, Eli Millstone. As she gets involved with the local politics and starts helping G.T. campaign, young readers get a crash course in politics- the good, bad and the ugly. Bauer explores the ins and outs of the campaign trail and how quickly the tides can turn in the other candidates favor. She also discusses the importance of voting, that citizens have to register to vote, petition signing, and other aspects of a political election without sounding like a Government class textbook. Bauer integrates the factual aspects of politics throughout the novel so smoothly that young adult readers will learn the process of an election and won't even know that it's happening!
Hope Was Here goes far beyond being a novel about small town politics though. The relationships in the book are deep and genuine. Hope and Addie work well together and Addie is always honest with her telling her that she "never promised that life would be easy, but she did promise that if [Hope] hung with her the food would be good." Hope's relationships with the customers at the diner adds much comedic relief and leaves the reader impressed with her ability to read people so well and the tricks she has learned in her sixteen years. A slow budding romance builds between Hope and Bravermen, the short-order cook that works the grill adding another layer to the story. Their relationship is slow-moving and simple, yet still realistic. It is a great example for the young reader who cannot relate to books where the romantic relationships are fast-paced and deeply emotional.
One major character often mentioned, but mostly missing is Hope's father. She has never met him and has no idea who he is, but she waits patiently for him to find her. Throughout the years she has cut out pictures of men who she thought looked like they could be a father and kept them in an album, flipping through it often. As the relationship builds between Hope and G.T. Stoop she realizes that she might have found just what she was looking for.
Book Discussion Ideas
Have readers bring their favorite snack to the book discussion with new diner menu names to set the diner tone. During the discussion, have each person cut out pictures of people from magazines to represent what they think each character looks like and why, just like Hope cut out pictures of people who could be fathers. Discuss why voting is important, how to register to vote, if applicable have Voter's Registration Cards available.
External Assessment
"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 the free-spirit mom (Addie's younger sister) who abandoned her years ago. But Hope would gladly give up always having to say good-bye 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, Wis., 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 has so desperately wanted. Readers will recognize many of Bauer's hallmarks hereAa strong female protagonist on the road to self-discovery, quirky characters, dysfunctional families, a swiftly moving story, moments of bright humor. Her vivid prose, often rich in metaphor, brings Hope's surroundings and her emotions to life. The author resolves a few of her plot points a bit too tidily, but her fans won't mind. They're likely to gobble this up like so much comfort food." -Publisher's Weekly
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