Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Hollis Woods, 11, has been an orphan since the day she was born. Her true love is drawing and she does it well. Hollis has been in and out of foster homes, running away from each after being there only a short while. She even ran away from the foster home she loved the most and from the family who loved her, too. They loved her so much they wanted her to stay.
The story alternates from the present to the past. Hollis is now under the care of an old artist who is starting to show the signs of aging with her forgetfulness. The past is described through pictures that Hollis has drawn, wonderful pictures that are like snapshots of her time with the Old Man, Steve and Izzy, the family that she always wanted. Through these pictures the reader learns what happened at that house and why Hollis made the difficult decision to leave.
Giff has written a charming story of friendship and family. This title is appropriate for middle readers, probably 4-6 grade.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Summer Book To Read
Review: I kind of enjoyed this book, although there were parts that were slow, it still kept my attention. This book is about a young girl named Hollis Woods. Her mother left her as a child, and she has lived in foster homes ever since. She stayed at many foster homes throughout her life, but there was one that stuck in her mind, the Regan's house. She left that house and ended up with Josie. Josie was an older lady who was very caring and really loved art. Hollis also really had a passion for drawing. When Hollis would look at something that was important to her, she would remember that picture in her mind, and then she would draw that picture on paper. As the days went on Josie and Hollis became closer although Josie was loosing her mind slowly. The foster home acengy was aware that Josie was loosing her mind, so they were looking for another home for Hollis. Will Hollis continue to live with Josie or will she find another home?
Rating:
Summary: good read
Review: I loved this book. It has a really good ending. It has interesting things to find out about the old foster home. If you like this book, you'll also love Camp of the Angel and The Great Gilly Hopkins.
Rating:
Summary: Word Pictures
Review: In Pictures of Hollis Woods, Giff creates a wonderful photograph of the perfect family. Not a family without problems, but perfect for Hollis Woods, an orphan who can't seem to fit into one home. The story is told in retrospect, and the pictures that Hollis has drawn (she happens to be a wonderful artist who can draw, but can't relate to people nearly as well) are like a photo album of her perfect family. Hollis thumbs, figuratively, through the photo album as she is trying to live with yet another foster parent. As an artist herself, a new foster parent loves Hollis for who she is - an artist. Unfortunately, her new foster parent has problems too. She is old and forgets too many things. Will Hollis be placed with yet another family and never finish her perfect family photo album?
Rating:
Summary: BESTBOOKINTHEWORLD!!
Review: O my gosh. When I first read this I thought-just another BORING LAME book to read. BUT WAS I WRONG. I HATE reading, then when I had to read this book for a report~I feel in luv wit it!! All of my friends are reading it and the school ordered 3 more because so many people want it!! Man, I am such a trend setter!! Thanks for making such a good book- I recommend u read it!!
Rating:
Summary: Pictures of hollis woods
Review: Pictures of Hollis woods is and awesome book! THe book Hollis Woods is about a girl named Hollis!! She has lived in many foster homes! SHe is known not to stay for very long she runs!! She has finally found the one were she belongs until a tragedy happens. Her dream was always to have a family now Hollis thinks that it will never come true!! Read the book to find out what is the conclusion!! I gurantey you that you will enjoy this book!!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story of a Wonderful Character
Review: Pictures of Hollis Woods is the very moving story of an abandoned girl who has difficulty fitting into foster homes and is constantly getting in trouble for running away. What we get in this novel are two narratives: one in the present as Hollis tries to fit in with Josie, an older woman slowing succumbing to dementia; and one in the form of flashbacks told through description of pictures Hollis has drawn which tells the story of the previous summer when Hollis thought she had finally found a home. Slowly, these two stories are drawn together as Hollis tries to protect herself and Josie as well as come to terms with the events of the previous summer. All in all, Ms. Giff has written a wonderful novel. The switching between the two plots in handled well and Hollis is a beautifully drawn character. She is difficult and introverted, but she is an artist and is ultimately able to overcome her defensiveness and become part of a family--even an extended family. I would highly recommend this novel to young and old alike.
Rating:
Summary: A Family She Never Had
Review: Pictures of Hollis Woods was an excellent book about a troublesome foster child named Hollis. In the beginning Hollis talked about her old life, and throughout the book she refers back to it, and this was sometimes confusing to the reader. Hollis has traveled from home to home but never finds one that suits her best. Finally, she finds her soulmate, Josie, who is currently her guardian. They go through good times, but have trouble because Josie is getting old and tends to forget things. But soon Hollis begins a new life and is very happy to have a real family. We liked this book because it had realistic characters that you could relate to. We recommend it for everyone who likes a good adventure.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: Pictures of Hollis Woods was written by Patricia Reilly Giff. This novel is about a young girl trying to find a foster home that she likes. So far all the families she has been with she's ran away from because she says that she doesn't fit in. Then one day, her social worker brought her to a lady named Josie. At first Hollis was nervous like she always is, but Josie made her feel right at home. Hollis felt comfortable with Josie because they shared something in common with each other...they both are artists. Hollis loves to draw and Josie is a sculptor. Eventually Hollis realizes something that could take her away from Josie. To keep this secret to herself, throughout the story she is trying to keep Josie away from her social worker. One of the reasons that I didn't like this book was because it moved at a very slow pace. I couldn't really get into it because it's nothing that I can relate to. It also didn't have a lot of interesting chapters. They were mainly all about Josie and Hollis and what they do and where they go which, in my opinion, isn't that great of a book. Another reason that I didn't like this novel was that it had very good details, but too many. One of the only things I did like about the book was the ending. In the end something great happens and it makes you feel excited and happy for Hollis and Josie. But leading up to that moment in the story isn't that good or as exciting.
Rating:
Summary: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Review: Reading this book about an orphan who longed for a home and a family to love her was a treat. Hollis Woods was brought up in unloving foster homes that didn't understand her and were always tearing her down, always thinking the worst of her. Out of her deeply rooted hurts, she pushed people away until the Regan family took her for a summer. By their looking for the good in her, they found it. But because of misunderstanding and a tragic accident, Hollis runs away from the only family she ever felt loved by, a family she wanted to belong to. Moving in with Josie, an old artist with signs of Alzheimer's, Hollis feels accepted and needed, but their relationship is doomed, too. Every other chapter features Hollis's flashbacks to explain the accident with the Regans in the unique form of pictures Hollis had drawn. Hollis is a believable and lovable character the reader can fully empathize with. She can help us see others who might have a reputation for being 'trouble' as merely hurting.
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