Pictures of Hollis Woods

Reader reviewed by Dice

Hollis woods is about a 12 year old orphan who never stays with a family that long. Some of her previous foster parents called her a mountain of trouble. But she goes to live with an older person named Josie. Josie can't take care of herself. Normally her cousin Beatrice would take care of her but Beatrice goes to draw pictures in the dessert. When Beatrice leaves Hollis woods gets news that she has to go to a different family and leave Josie. Hollis woods dosn't want to leave Josie alone and they run away to the summer house of Hollis woods previous family. Will they get caught?Read to find out. I think Hollis woods is a very emotional book and is a book that everyone should read.

Reader reviewed by LitTeacher

Hollis Woods is a foster child who moves from family to family; her foster parents often give up on her, and sometimes Hollis gives up on them.  And then there was Josie Cahill and Henry the cat. The story is told through the eyes of Hollis: a defensively smart adolescent, a talented artist, and a vulnerable child who desperately wants a family to call her own.  Hollis has a severely painful memory that the reader slowly learns about through the creative element of the flashback.  Many of Hollis's childhood memories are carefully drawn, and the gaps are slowly filled in with the vivid colors from Hollis's pencil box.  What did Hollis do to deserve the last visit from the mustard lady?  Does Hollis's continual journey end in triumph, or in tragedy?

Reader reviewed by Caity

I liked this book because it showed us that no matter who we are, someone cares.  Hollis Woods is an orphan loving in foster care, she doesn't like many of the people that she has lived with, that's why she never stays with them long. Hollis is a drawer and she draws down a lot of the things that happen to her. She doesn't know who she is or where she is going to end up, but when she is put to the test, Hollis does evrything she can to save the one she loves and gain the family she always wanted.

Reader reviewed by mearley

Hollis Woods has spent much of her life in foster homes. Just when it seems she's found a family where she belongs, something goes horribly wrong. Hollis goes then to live with Josie, a woman who shares her passion for art, but who is also growing older and losing her memory. Afraid she'll be moved yet again, and knowing Josie shouldn't be left alone, Hollis makes a bold decision

The chapters alternate between telling the story of Hollis and Josie, and the story of Hollis and her former foster brother, Stephen. The alternating chapters build up the mystery regarding what exactly happened between Hollis and her foster family. I was afraid there might be a heartbreaking ending for Hollis, but in the end, all the details came together and allowed everyone to be happy and cared for. Sadly, too many foster children today do not have that kind of experience...

Reprinted here with author's permission.

Reader reviewed by tf3196

I enjoyed this book. about a young orphan name hollis who is a "motains of trouble" and has always wanted a family. She is very tough, smart, creative, doesn't really let you get close to her unless she loves you, and creaative. oh and hollis is an artist. she can draw everything and anything. she draws all her favoritre memories. she is a very good artist

hollis usually runs away she gets a new house when she goes to. then the agency gets her and she goes to a new hme. well on summer she meets a family is has the time of her life. she is only there for the summer though. but then they decide they want her to live with them forever. hollis loves them and thye love hollis. so they decide yes., then something goes teribly wrpng. ahe runs away. they come looking for her and ask her to move back. she refuses too sad and blaming everything on her. she gave up everything sge wanted. than she moves in with josie who is old and used to be an artist herself. josie forgets a lot of thing and acts lik a little kid. soo instead of josie taking care of hollis hollis is taking car eof joise. and then she meets and old friend.

patricia giff had done it again. this book is a newbery honor book and is well written. it shows a lot of trait in the character and u would recomend it for teen and children. a must read awsome book!

Reader reviewed by Ellen


Pictures of Hollis Woods is a story about a twelve year old orphan girl named Hollis Woods. She grew up in a town called Hollis Woods, hence the name Hollis Woods. Throughout the book it skips from the description of a picture, to the chapter in the book. Every time Hollis moves to a new foster home, she runs away that is, until now. She moves into a home with an elderly woman named Josie, whom she adore. This might be the right place to be, and Hollis ends up loving her life with Josie. After a while Josie gets Altzheimer disease and Hollis chance of staying with Josie are very limited. Hollis has already escaped the system before; this time shes taking Josie along for the ride.
In this story, as I said before, there are changes between descriptions of different pictures, and chapters in the story. I love this because when the descriptions are taking place, they are giving background information, description, and flashbacks of Hollis life. These photos are usually about Hollis old family, the Regans. I think this is a good way to write the book because it gives me another format that I can learn from. The only bad thing about this book, I think, is that at some parts the book gets very complicated and wordy. That is what I think about the book Pictures of Hollis Woods.

Reader reviewed by stellargurl

hollis woods is an orphan who's been put into lots of foster homes but always ends up running away then she gets sent to the regans family where she is treated fairly and is offered a home there but something goes wrong and she decided to run away yet again. this time shes been sent to josie, and elderly artist. hollis and josie become great friends but as the days go by, josie grows more and more forgetful. when hollis realizes this she also realises that is social service finds out, she'll be sent to some other foster family and josie will be sent home. what will hollis do to save her friendship and bond with josie? read this excited and adventuraous book. i would recommend it to anyone 12+

Reader reviewed by Nicole

Hollis Woods finds herself jumping from foster family to foster family. She left one family because of an "accident". But, now she finds that she has created a special bond with Josie.
Josie's health fails. Hollis does not want to leave Josie so she packs up and they head to the family that she had lefts vacant home. Will they be caught? Will Hollis get sent to different place again? Read this excellent book by Patricia Reilly Giff to find out!