I feel that readers are known for being a little lonely. We escape into fantasy worlds to be entertained, particularly when we have no one to share moments with. This is even true in childhood when we turn to books to keep us entertained when we have trouble making friends or our friends aren’t always around.
A Friend for Hope by Amie White explores that theme of loneliness and gives young readers a happy ending to aspire towards in their own lives. And for animal lovers, it gives them another book about the unique relationship between a human and a dog that draws in those who have or at least crave that kind of bond.
Below is my review of A Friend for Hope. Be sure to pick up a copy for an introverted or dog-loving young reader at the link below!
A Friend for Hope plot summary
Zoe Meadows is a nine-year-old girl who is homeschooled by her tutor. She’s quiet and lonely and daydreams about playing outside with the other kids.
Upon noticing her loneliness, Zoe’s parents take her to the animal shelter to pick out a dog. After much deliberation, she settles on the oldest and quietest one, like her. She names the dog Hope.
When she brings Hope home, Zoe finds that Hope doesn’t want to play or explore the home. She just sits in one corner and doesn’t move. So, Zoe spends her days reading to Hope. Eventually, Hope warms up to her, and the two become inseparable.
The story
A Friend for Hope is a gentle and colorful 46-page picture book about two quiet creatures who find kindred spirits in one another. The book is told from Zoe’s point of view. So, it’s interesting that it’s titled A Friend for Hope.
In reality, both really are looking for a friend. They are both cooped up in their own little cages. Zoe escapes into her own head, following the sounds through the open window and imagining herself out there riding her bike across a field.
Meanwhile, Hope is a graying, old dog who has been sitting quietly in her cage for years. Chances are, she too is daydreaming that she’s somewhere else, but when she is finally adopted by Zoe, she’s uncertain in her new surroundings. Zoe’s parents too are worried that their plan to give Zoe a friend may have backfired as Hope may be too set in her ways to get used to being around them.
At first, they’re proven right. Hope finds herself a corner and settles there as if she’s still surrounded by the bars of her cage. For days, she merely watches the family move around the house from her corner, but Zoe understands her uncertainty. So she literally steps into Hope’s territory and spends time with her on her turf.
It’s adorable when Hope selects a book to read, one about friendship. It’s only then that she leaves her corner, and she and Zoe venture out into the world together. In that way, she brings Hope’s daydreams to life.
The characters
The story mainly focuses on Zoe and her arc from sheltered homeschooled kid to adventurous dog owner. The only other human characters in the book are the adults that Zoe interacts with, including her parents, her tutor, and the shelter worker who assists Zoe in adopting Hope.
Though she daydreams about riding her bike and catching fireflies, Zoe is really a quiet and calm girl. She likes to read, hates loud noises, and she never ventures outside to introduce herself to the kids playing under a nearby tree. Hope appears to be her answer to her loneliness in a way that fits her personality.
Zoe’s parents are attentive and concerned. Not once, though, do they encourage their daughter to go outside or to play with the other kids. They immediately turn to a dog as a solution.
I like how the story is primarily told through dialogue, though there’s just enough narration to lay out the conflict and resolution and set each scene. It makes the story feel more like it’s being played out rather than just told, and it helps the reader to get to know the characters better.
The illustrations
The illustrations by Olena Oprich are very bright and colorful. The characters, including Hope, have large, round eyes and very dramatic expressions. They also have very pink features, giving them almost elvish looks.
I love the movement of the backgrounds, from the glowing, swirling fireflies to the floating numbers that weave through the background of Zoe’s tutoring session. There are also sounds, such as knocking and whistling featured throughout which give it an interactive touch.
A lot of pinks and purples are used to give it a very feminine look, very fitting for a book featuring a young female protagonist. The characters fill most of the page, though there are enough of the backgrounds shown to keep each page interesting and full of depth and detail.
The message
The message of this story is about the importance of friendship. The conflict is resolved with Zoe and Hope forming a gradual yet eventually strong bond with each other as two quiet creatures that are unsure of how to navigate through the world.
I found the story itself to be a little muddled in that the solution to Zoe’s lack of focus with her schoolwork was a dog and how the story is only told through her point of view, not the title character’s. I also would have liked to have seen how Hope helps Zoe make friends with other kids by serving as an icebreaker in order to get the other kids to talk to her when she may be too shy to speak first. Instead, Zoe seems to be content to have Hope as her only friend, and they play outside together in ways that Zoe could have easily done herself.
I do like Zoe’s efforts to gradually make Hope feel at home. She’s very patient and seems to know the most gentle way of getting Hope to warm up to her. I just didn’t understand how letting Hope choose their next read was what led them to forming their friendship.
My recommendation
I recommend A Friend for Hope to young readers, particularly young girls, who love books about dogs and would love to have a bond with a dog as strong as Zoe’s. It’s a great picture book for those who have mastered basic reading skills and are looking to build up their vocabulary and the length of the books they’re reading.
My rating
Buy it!
Pin it to Pinterest!
