Common Sense Media Review
By Sally Engelfried
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Touching story of resourceful girl solving a family mystery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In HOLD FAST, 11-year-old Early and her family don't have much in the way of physical possessions, but they are rich in love and affection for one another. Early's parents, especially her father, pass on to her a love of books and a strong faith that situations can improve if you work hard enough. This faith and love is tested when Early's father disappears and the family must move into a homeless shelter. Despite mean kids at school, a shifty librarian, and unbelieving police officers, Early never gives up hope that she can get to the bottom of the mystery of her father's disappearance, as she uses the clues her father left behind and the words of Langston Hughes' poetry to guide her.
Is It Any Good?
Balliet, as always, enriches her story by tying in the works of an artist --in this case, poet Langston Hughes -- to the root of the mystery. Although the intricacies of how the mystery relates to numbers and rhythms are a little hard to follow, and some of the adult dialogue seems forced and unrealistic, Early's struggles to come to terms with the drastic changes in her life are entirely believable. Early is a wonderful, sympathetic character and readers will have the same faith in her that she has in herself, as she determinedly collects clues to help her find her father and clear his name. Chapters are broken into short, digestible sections and help make Hold Fast a quick and compelling read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about homelessness. When Early loses her home, one of the things she misses most is her books. What would you miss most if your possesions were taken away from you?
When Early goes to school and is teased for being a "shelter kid," she decides she can get a better education on her own by going to the library and doing research to find her dad. Do you think she made the right decision?
Although Early does use the computer when she goes to the library, she generally does not have much access to technology, yet she still manages to stay busy and even entertain some of the other children at the homeless shelter. How would you stay busy if you were in that situation?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Press
- Publication date : March 1, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate