Books like The Great Gilly Hopkins (M Books)

A fiercely guarded child learns to dismantle her own armor in the embrace of a messy, unconventional found family. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Great Gilly Hopkins (M Books).

chaotic
gritty
tender
guarded

01
Catherine, Called Birdy
Karen Cushman · 1994
A fiercely funny, flea-bitten diary of a medieval teenager fighting tooth and nail for the right to choose her own destiny.
Shares:
- wry
02
Ellen Foster
Kaye Gibbons · 1987
A poignant journey from the shadows of childhood misfortune into the warmth of a loving, chosen home.
Shares:
- tender
- found family
03
The Whipping Boy
Sid Fleischman
A rollicking, rags-to-riches-to-rags adventure where a spoiled royal and a street-smart orphan learn to survive each other.
Shares:
- wry
04
Lyddie
Katherine Paterson · 1996
A gritty, resilient journey through the clattering heart of the Industrial Revolution, fueled by a fierce desire for independence.
Shares:
- found family
05
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Mildred D. Taylor · 1991
A deeply rooted, emotionally resonant journey of a young girl's awakening to the harsh realities of prejudice and the fierce, protective power of family.
Feels:
- rooted
- tense
- warm
06
Dicey's Song
Cynthia Voigt
A quiet, deeply moving exploration of what happens after survival mode ends and the hard work of healing begins.
Shares:
- tender
07
Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson · 2004
A tender, heartbreaking exploration of childhood imagination and the profound, lasting impact of a single friendship.
Shares:
- tender
- poignant
08
Behind the Attic Wall
Sylvia Cassedy
A haunting, bittersweet exploration of a prickly orphan finding love in the most unexpected and eerie of places.
Shares:
- poignant
09
Daddy-Long-Legs
Jean Webster
An effervescent, epistolary coming-of-age classic that feels like reading the private diary of your most charming, witty friend.
Shares:
- wry
10
Eight cousins
Louisa May Alcott · 2005
A warm, bustling embrace of a story that feels like stepping into a sunlit, noisy house full of loving relatives.
Feels:
- cozy
- bustling
- wholesome
11
One for the Murphys
Lynda Mullaly Hunt
A tender, emotionally resonant journey of a guarded heart slowly learning to trust in the warmth of a new family.
Shares:
- tender
- poignant
12
Anne of Green Gables
Lucy Maud Montgomery · 1993
A sun-drenched, episodic journey of a fiercely imaginative spirit finding a place to belong.
Shares:
- found family

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