The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2024) begins with two hungry kids alone in an apartment, the building super banging on the door, warning that they will be evicted the following day. Right away, the issues are real in this middle grade novel. Sixth grader Hank has been left in charge of his three-year-old sister Boo, and the few crackers and single popsicle are their last food. Six days have passed and now Hank knows that they truly have to do something different.
The first person narration makes Hank’s feelings of responsibility, panic, and innocence real for the reader. Hank ranks his “mistakes” on a scale from 1 to 10, based on how “good” the consequence of a choice is. As the novel progresses, he believes his decisions have gotten progressively worse, until his tenth mistake has, he believes, truly ruined his life.
To the reader, Hank’s decisions seem realistic and practical. We know that he has actually made some good decisions. We are rooting for him and hoping that all will work out. There are heart-breaking consequences, but the ultimate feel of the book is a hopeful one, even as we see Hank struggle to distrust someone he dearly loves.
Hank Hooperman is not a happy or funny story, but it is chocked full of loveable characters, like Hank’s sister Boo, Ray, the new friends in Hank’s school, and Hank himself. Although no one would want his life, the readers can’t help but love the process Hank and his sister go through as friendships are developed and love shared.
I’ve seen Hank Hooperman on the Mock Newbery shortlist. While I certainly liked it more than Not Quite a Ghost, there is little in it, other than a sweet story, that gives it a push towards the award in my mind. The writing doesn’t stand out and the themes seem a bit obvious. It’s a bit sentimental. But it certainly is a great book and I wouldn’t be disappointed for it to receive recognition.