Review Detail

Rica Baptista: A Week of Shenanigans

Kids Fiction 270

Plans Often Change

June 03, 2024

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

As adults, we know how to pivot when plans change, but this is an important skill for young readers to learn. Seeing Rica be grateful (in her prayer journal entries) for situations beyond her control is good modeling of this behavior, and the story points out that even though some activities might not seem fun, they are when you are with the people you love. I appreciated that Grampy let the girls have a candy day, but that they all thought better of it!

There are just enough illustrations to add interest to this story, which is a good length for early elementary school students. There are lots of subtle messages in how the events unfold. Rica's mother is always giving good advice that Rica doesn't always want to follow; I even learned why you have to preheat pans! When Rica is grumpy, she is able to talk about her feelings with Laini, and even slightly grumpy neighbor Fermino offers good advice about not letting Aubrey's rolling of her eyes control how Rica feels about her day.

There are so many good early chapter books with a wide range of culturally connected characters. Rica and her family are Cape Verdean, and Laini's family is Irish. The girls would strike up a nice game of hopscotch at the playground with Manushkins' Katie Woo, English's Nikki and Deja, Barnes' Ruby, Medina's Juana and Lucas, or Lee's Mindy Kim. It would be fun to see some of their grandparents hanging out on the park benches as well!

Good Points

Rica is always so excited when her Grampy spends his one week of vacation with her and her family, because they have aweome Adventure Weeks. They go to the beach, museums, parks, and do all kinds of activities. When Grampy shows up on crutches and his ankle bandaged, he tells her a story about a tornado hitting his house. This was quite the case; Grampy twisted his ankle while helping clean up in another town. He can't drive, and Rica and her best friend Laini have to rethink their expectations. They don't want Grampy to feel any worse than he is already feeling, so they come up with new ideas. The first is for a Cartoons, Cards, and Candy day, but because Rica's mother is a nutritionist, there's not candy in the house. The girls ask Serenity, Rica's older cousin, to drive them to the store, and have to resort to serious subterfuge that requires a hat, coat, and giant tote bag for Laini to wear. She goes into the store with Grampy's money and stocks up on candy while Rica distracts Serenity's attention by asking about nail polish. The day goes off well, but the three all feel ill enough to be grateful for quinoa and kale! They also plan a talent show and invite Rica's younger twin cousins, and even her nemesis, Aubrey. They tell knock knock jokes, and even plan a playground escape, although this is cut short when her father objects to Grampy being wheeled outside in a desk chair. In the end, Rica, Laini, and Grampy are able to enjoy being together, even if their initial plans were scuttled.