Pia’s Plans

Ever since her parents got divorced, Pia has worked hard to make sure everything in her life is Perfect, with a capital P. But everything keeps going wrong. She and her sister get into a fight. Pia falls down the stairs and hurts her ankle. She spills chocolate milk all over her lucky outfit. She accidentally studied for the wrong test. And her best friend still isn’t speaking to her since she got mad at him for throwing her a surprise birthday party. Now Pia has a big race this afternoon and she’s pretending her ankle is fine. But she has to win the race. She has to!

REVIEWS

“Pia strives to be the perfect student, sister, daughter, friend, and track star, but when Pia’s plans come crashing down, she is forced to learn a tough lesson in humility.

Pia carries the world on her shoulders, trying to hold everything together for her family while being a high achiever in school and extracurriculars. Ambition combined with strong perfectionist and control streaks have also left Pia incredibly anxious. It all comes to a head one fateful day. Seemingly everything that can go wrong does, starting with a tumble down the stairs and a probably sprained ankle. It is all downhill from there, as a longtime friendship teeters, an embarrassing accident leads to detention, and her aching ankle threatens to rob her of a win in her signature race, the 400 meters. Amid it all Pia grasps for control and anxiety soars, but a strong support system and sage advice help her to find balance. Simple vocabulary, short chapters, and quick pacing make this slice-of-life story a great high-interest, low–reading level option for struggling readers. The frank discussion of mental health and how the need for perfection and control can contribute to anxiety ring true while the advice of adults within the text is encouraging without being too preachy. Pia is depicted on the cover with pale skin, straight brown hair, and brown eyes.

A fast-paced, hi-lo tale sure to ring true for many.”

– Kirkus Reviews, May 17th, 2020

“Part of the ‘Orca Currents’ series of high-interest low-reading-level books with contemporary themes, Alice Kuipers novel Pia’s Plans examines timely and relevant issues of adolescent anxiety and perfectionism through the story of a girl trying to cope with her parents’ divorce by controlling everything she can.

Ever since her parents got divorced, Pia has worked hard to make sure everything in her life is absolutely perfect. Each morning, she pulls out her list of goals for the day to help ensure everything runs smoothly and according to plan, including an equal number of exercises each morning and eating exactly five fruits and veggies. And, of course, win gold in the 400-meter race at the upcoming Aces track meet.

Although a somewhat predictable plot maneuver, everything keeps going very, very wrong for Pia. She and her sister get into a fight. She falls down the stairs and hurts her ankle. She spills chocolate milk all over her lucky outfit. And her best friend still isn’t speaking to her since she got mad at him for throwing her a surprise birthday party. Surprises are not a good thing for someone who always needs to be in the know and in control like Pia. And the big red cherry on top of this total awful day: pretending her ankle is just fine as she prepares for the track meet. She has to win the race. She just has to!

Offering a relatable and realistic story, Pia’s Plan is a solid example of a high-interest low-reading-level book done well. This novel has heart, and readers are sure to root for Pia as she traverses what may be one of the rockiest days ever. Despite the book’s short chapters and simplified sentence structures, Alice Kuiper’s writing flows smoothly. New enhanced print features, such as a dyslexia-friendly font, increased spacing between words and lines, and cream-coloured paper to minimize contrast, are all effective in improving reading accessibility for striving readers.”

Recommended

Reviewer: Amy Westbury teaches Grade 6 and Grade 7 at Abbey Lane Public School in Oakville, Ontario. Canadian Review of Materials

“Gr 5-8 –Teens grapple with real-life ­issues including anxiety, gender roles, and bullying in these latest releases…. In Pia’s Plans, Pia confronts her perfectionism and anxiety while fighting with her best friend and sustaining an injury before a big track meet. VERDICT Written at a second to third grade reading level, these quality, relatable novels are ideal for students at the middle school level who benefit from ultra-readable formats.”