Things Hoped For (Things Not Seen) Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Seventeen-year-old Gwen is preparing to audition for New York City’s top music schools when her grandfather mysteriously disappears, leaving Gwen only a phone message telling her not to worry. But there’s nothing more stressful than practicing for her auditions, not knowing where her grandfather is, and being forced to lie about his whereabouts when her insistent great-uncle demands an audience with him. Then Gwen meets Robert, also in town for music auditions, and the two pair up to brave the city without supervision. As auditions approach and her great-uncle becomes more aggressive, Gwen and Robert make a startling discovery. Suddenly Gwen’s hopes are turned upside down, and she and Robert are united in ways neither of them could have foretold. . . .
Series: Things Not Seen
Paperback: 167 pages
Publisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition (April 17, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 014241073X
ISBN-13: 978-0142410738
Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.4 x 7.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #105,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #33 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Performing Arts > Music #39 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Social & Family Issues > Family > Multigenerational
"Things Hoped For" is a follow-up to Andrew Clements's amazing novel, "Things Not Seen." I won't say exactly how, or why, I'll let it be a surprise as to just how --- as it was for me.If you haven't read "Things Not Seen," I recommend finding it and reading it before reading this book. It's a bit longer, but just as enjoyable, and you'll soon be done and ready to go onto this. This book can definitely be enjoyed without reading "Things Not Seen," but I highly recommend reading it."Things Hoped For" is about a girl who's approaching her final auditions for music school. She already has a lot to deal with in her life when her Grandpa drops a bombshell --- he's left the house that he's letting her stay in and he's left her a message asking her to watch over it without letting anyone know that he's gone. It's a lot to ask and the pressure starts to build, but then she discovers someone special and unique. He not only helps her out, but he also becomes a friend --- something that she hasn't made time for in her life recently.For those who read "Things Not Seen," "Things Hoped For" is the sequel you've been hoping for. For those that haven't, now is the time to discover this series.
This is the follow up to the amazing novel, Things Not Seen. This book is not nearly as good as the first one, but is still definitely worth the read. It is about 17 year old Gwen Page, who is an aspiring classical violinist, living with her Grandfather in New York City. One day, her grandfather disappears, leaving behind only a very mysterious phone message. Gwen then meets Robert (Bobby) the protagonist from Things Not Seen, and together they unravel this mystery. This book has a good set up, but the way it ends is disappointing. The main character is also not very interesting. I liked the way it connects to Things Not Seen, and if you haven't read that, you definitely should. Andrew Clements writing style is flawless, and though the plot is a little disappointing, it's still definitely worth reading.
"Things Hoped For" by Andrew Clements (#039924350x)is an exciting 'upper-level' novel by an author with those same qualities. Readers can thoroughly enjoy this book without first encountering "Things Not Seen" which preceded it. The author shares an unusual perspective on the intense performance jitters of music students, involving readers who hope for their success.The tensions parallel more ordinary aspects faced by all high-schoolers, ones they wrestle with each day. With students at music prep schools, there are time restraints & practice goals to contend with as they try to make space for more normal elements of adolescence. Gwen Page comes from West Virginia to study violin and assess her skills against future opportunities. She teams up with Robert, a Chicago student who is also in NYC on track for auditions. Music permeates the background of a story in which ideas about study, concentration & motivation can be applied to the lives of many.The characters are strong but even they find shocking some of what happens to them. They try to make sense of a situation created by the grandfather with whom Gwen lives. The way in which he fights for his old & valuable brownstone will make an indelible impression on readers. "Things Hoped For" has a storyline that may cause skepticism, yet can help young people learn to focus on their own more believable problems. Clements has a deft hand that draws readers in swiftly and carries them along until many pages later they are somewhat breathless. The possibilities in friendship, the 'sweats' of going through the maze of growing up and the sweetness of a trumpet honoring a slain musician, "Hey Jude" - - all contribute to a fantastical novel that reviewer mcHAIKU recommends highly.
Gwen is a shy and introspective 17-year-old girl, who inhabits a world of classical music. Born and bred in West Virginia, Gwen, a gifted violinist, is currently living in New York with her grandfather so as to further her musical studies. Times look to be particularly intense for the upcoming week as Gwen prepares for her college auditions, in which she'll be playing classical pieces. One day, she comes home and finds that her grandfather had mysteriously vanished, leaving no trail except for a disconcerting message on the phone. In the message, her grandfather asks Gwen to handle things on her own temporarily as he has to go away for a while and, also, to not tell anyone that he's gone away.This proves to be problematic as her very pushy Uncle Hank has been coming over a lot, of late, as he'd been trying to bully Gwen's grandfather into selling the building which they co-own (Uncle Hank is broke, you see, and could use the money). One silver lining for the stressed-out Gwen is that she meets Robert, a fellow teenaged musician and a kindred spirit (Gwen sheepishly rues the fact that Robert has a girlfriend, and a blind one, at that). Robert and his surprising talents come in handy in Gwen's dealings with the persistent Uncle Hank, who just keeps on comin'. But the threat of Uncle Hank pales in comparison to the disquieting shadowman half-glimpsed by Gwen and Robert while in a shoe store...THINGS HOPED FOR is Andrew Clements's loose sequel to the exceptional Things Not Seen. It's a loose sequel because while the main character of THINGS NOT SEEN, Bobby Phillips, appears here as a supporting character and the theme of invisibility is re-introduced, the center of THINGS HOPED FOR is most definitely Gwen. With the story unfolding thru her eyes, Gwen, shy but very gifted musically, proves to be an appealing and vulnerable protagonist. Clements immerses you into Gwen's universe, into her fears and insecurities. You can't help but root for her as she gamely strives to balance her acute nervousness regarding her imminent auditions (and, by extension, her future career) with her worries about her missing, gravely ill grandfather.New York City reverberates to its own rhythms. There's a kind of magic which surfaces when the Big Apple is used as a backdrop, either on the screen or in a book. It's fun reading about Gwen and Robert traipsing down the lively streets of New York, whether it's walking past Carnegie Hall or visiting where John Lennon died. And it's fun watching Gwen being drawn out of her shell and enjoying Robert's company and being out and about. And Gwen's passion for music and poetry, it becomes almost a secondary character, so integral is it to her makeup and so influential to the tone of the book.THINGS HOPED FOR is an absorbing, sensitive coming-of-age fable. You'll find that it reads like a breeze, and that it'll be over before you know it. It's fairly short (only 167 pages), which prompted me to finish it in one go. Andrew Clements can write; his prose is simple yet lyrical. No surprise then that, in reading these evocative passages, a sense of warmth and intimacy permeates.There's a shocking moment somewhere in the book's second half which floored me - it surprised me and then surprised me again when I learned of the self-sacrifice which went into that one act. And, ultimately, THINGS HOPED FOR ends on a hopeful and uplifting note. Known for his children's books (Frindle is absolutely charming), Clements has now shown a flair for writing engrossing Young Adult books. I'm quite curious to see how he'll handle an adult novel.Lastly, it's nice to catch up with Bobby Phillips, who two years ago suffered thru his own horrible experiences. The Bobby of now is more self-assured and gregarious, yet he's still as resourceful as ever, which is good, because a bit of his past comes back to haunt him. This time, we get to see his musical side, his love for jazz music. In THINGS NOT SEEN, there's a mention of his playing the trumpet, but it was perfunctory, at best. Call it mawkish, but I loved what he did at the John Lennon spot. The best thing of all is that he's still with Alicia, his blind girlfriend. As with Bobby's friendship with Alicia in THINGS NOT SEEN, his friendship with Gwen here provides one of the highlights of this book. Alicia, sadly, is relegated to one appearance, and that via a phone call (but an important phone call). I can't wait for Things That Are, the third book in the series, to come out, as the featured protagonist promises to be Alicia, who just may be my most favorite character in this series.
Things Hoped For (Things Not Seen) Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II "Do Not Worry, Do Not Be Anxious, Do Not Be Afraid": A Self-Help Manual for People Who Worry a Lot and Suffer Anxiety and Fear Unjournaling: Daily Writing Exercises That Are Not Personal, Not Introspective, Not Boring! LIFE Unseen: Johnny Cash: An Illustrated Biography With Rare and Never-Before-Seen Photographs National Geographic Rarely Seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary Japanese Destroyer Captain: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway - The Great Naval Battles as Seen Through Japanese Eyes The Far Side "Rarely Seen" 2002 Desk Calendar Loom Magic!: 25 Awesome, Never-Before-Seen Designs for an Amazing Rainbow of Projects Loom Magic Xtreme!: 25 Spectacular, Never-Before-Seen Designs for Rainbows of Fun Epic Rubber Band Crafts: Totally Cool Gadget Gear, Never Before Seen Bracelets, Awesome Action Figures, and More! Have You Seen My Duckling? Have You Seen My Dinosaur? (Beginner Books(R)) Have You Seen My Cat?: A Slide-and-Peek Board Book (The World of Eric Carle) City Seen from A to Z Have You Seen the Crocodile?: Read and Share (Reading and Math Together) George vs. George: The American Revolution As Seen from Both Sides I've Seen the Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Life of Mary As Seen By the Mystics Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism
