Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    Hold Fast by Blue Balliett | Book Review

    Elizabeth VaradanBy Elizabeth Varadan3 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Ages 9-12 Books with Girl Characters Chapter Books Mysteries Social Emotional
    Hold Fast Book
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Elizabeth Varadan | The Children’s Book Review | September 11, 2013

    Hold Fast BookHold Fast

    By Blue Balliett

    Age Range: 8 and up

    Hardcover: 288 pages

    Publisher: Scholastic Press; First Edition edition (March 1, 2013)

    What to Expect: Homelessness, mystery, reversals, clues hidden in language.

    The title for this complex, poignant tale comes from a Langston Hughes poem: “Hold Fast to Dreams.” Eleven-year-old Early Pearl’s father, Dash, quotes poetry to his family. The Hughes poem has special resonance: The Pearls live in a one room apartment in Chicago, holding fast to a dream of having their own house with rooms for everyone.

    Dash bicycles to his job as a library page at the downtown public library. Lately he has taken on an additional job cataloging books at home for a mysterious client. One day, Dash disappears, a disappearance first treated negligently, then suspiciously by the police.

    Early, her mother, Sum, and her little brother, Jubie, find mysterious money in the apartment. They also have Dash’s copy of Langston Hughes’ The First Book of Rhythms and a notebook filled with a cryptic record of number patterns. Early decides these are clues. While the Pearls are trying to sort out how to find Dash, three masked men and a masked woman break down their door and ransack the apartment, searching for something. After they leave, taking every book they can find, a neighbor advises the family to flee to to a shelter.

    Life is hard at the shelter. But Early’s father, in a dream, advises her, “Research rhythms.” Following this advice, Early turns sleuth and unravels a dangerous plot, even as she creates a project that offers hope for other homeless families.

    The author paints a sensitive portrait of what it means to be suddenly homeless and in danger. Early is a heartwarming protagonist, resilient and smart. The author’s love of language shines on every page, enhancing the story’s movement. Each chapter is defined by one word with multiple meanings, underscoring the complexity of this satisfying plot.

    “Peering out the window, Early thought about how lucky the other people in their cars must be: people who knew where their fathers were, people with homes to go to, people who talked and laughed as they drove, people who weren’t scared for their lives.”

    This book will appeal to readers in 5th through 7th grades who like a good mystery, poetry, and stories about hardship and changes in fortune.

    Add this book to your collection: Hold Fast

    Hold Fast was reviewed by Elizabeth Varadan.

     

    What to Read Next:

    1. Piper Reed, Forever Friend by Kimberly Willis Holt | Review
    2. Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag, by Carole P. Roman | Dedicated Review
    3. Dessert First: Hallie Durand
    4. Interview with Jacqueline Harvey the Mastermind behind Alice-Miranda

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Family Homelessness & Poverty Parents
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleAuthor Kim T. Griswell Discusses the Inspiration for “Rufus Goes to School”
    Next Article Dragon Daily News: Stories of Imagination for Children of All Ages
    Elizabeth Varadan
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)

    Elizabeth Varadan writes for children and adults. Her middle-grade mystery, Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls (published June 15, 2015), is set in Victorian London and she is currently working on Book Two. Varadan loves to read and write about the Victorian Era and blogs about the many things she uncovers in her research. Visit: elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com and victorianscribbles.blogspot.com

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • Charli’s Turtle Triumph: A Marine Biology Adventure | Dedicated Review
    • An Interview with Jill Rosen and Stephanie Rohr, Creators of the ‘Ode to a Pug’ Series
    • An Interview with Liz Kessler, Author of the ‘Emily Windsnap’ Series
    • Simone LaFray and the Bishop of Mumbai | Dedicated Review
    • Inspirational Soccer Book for Kids Compilation: 2 Books In 1: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Alex Morgan biographies for kids – Plus 101 Affirmations and Mental Training For Young Players | Dedicated Review
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.