THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS is a contemporary fiction novel written in 1978 that is still relevant and important 25 years later. In fact, the reader may not even realize the book's age when reading it, especially if they are reading a book with the newer cover. Gilly Hopkins is a very spunky young girl caught in the foster care system. She has let herself be hurt too many times, so she has built up a tough-as-nails exterior. When Gilly is taken to live with Trotter and the young William Ernest, she tries her hardest to let them know that she is in charge. When they love her anyway, Gilly begins to soften to the idea of love and family.

This book has been fairly controversial since its publication because of Gilly's foul mouth and her treatment of the black characters in the book. However, these issues are presented in the context of the story and are not just added in for shock value. A girl with Gilly's upbringing and hard attitude just would not have the same manners as if she had been brought up by, say, Mary Poppins. Also, Gilly's character grows throughout the course of the book and she begins to see some things in a new light.

The family theme does not overpower the book in any way and the reader might actually find themselves in the position of disliking Gilly at first. The reader must peel away her layers, just as the other characters in the story have to do. In the end, she has let herself experience love and being loved. Although Gilly doesn't get the perfect ending she wanted in the book, the reader is confident that her life will have one.