Best Laid Plans

by Christine Hart

Overview

Robyn's family has always struggled to make enough money to survive. Robyn's grandmother leaves them an apple orchard in B.C., Robyn thinks things will be different, but Robyn's father still can't pay the bills. He asks Robyn for her own hard-earned money, and encourages her to drop out of school to work in the orchard. Robyn desperately wants to go to university, but to make a better life for herself, she'll have to leave her family behind.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781552774465
Publisher:	Lorimer, James & Company, Limited
Publication date:	03/01/2010
Series:	Lorimer SideStreets Series
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	4.30(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	820L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Christine Hart writes young adult fiction and short stories. She is also the author of Watching July, winner of a 2008 Moonbeam Gold Medal. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

"The portrayal of Robyn's family life is realistic and dynamic. Hart's representation of poverty as it intersects with alcoholism is perfectly pitched...Best Laid Plans is a well-written story about a tenacious 18-year-old girl who strives for a better life. Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Robyn's fears and ambitions are relatable."

The Horn Book Guide

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is a popular and fun saying that may ring true for many people, but not for Robyn Earle. In fact Robyn is getting to the point that she feels like a rotting apple, just wasting away. Her parents inherited Hillside Orchard (an apple orchard) from her grandmother, and the entire family has to work in the orchard. Robyn's family thought the apple business would be a way to solve their income issue, but that is not the case and her parents still have a very hard time making enough money to live on. Robyn loves her parents and her younger sister Janeen, but has dreams of her own. She fears her family's lack of finances will stop her from reaching her goals. She is hurt that she receives a low grade for a class project because she did not have the money to purchase all the required materials, and she is too ashamed to tell her teacher. Robyn is determined to go to college and continues to work hard in school and finds a part time job to earn the money for school. This novel is one of struggle, growth, and determination. Robyn has to make some very serious decisions and readers will learn strong lessons from her choices. Reviewer: Laura J. Brown

Children's Literature - Laura J. Brown