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The Plan
As a father and daughter cope with a loss, they rediscover an important piece of family history and begin building a new life. Alison Paul and Barbara Lehman's innovative picture book collaboration proves the only difference between reality and a dream . . . is a plan.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2015
1 person is currently reading
58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
February 2, 2016
Soar up, up and away with The Plan!
The Plan has 20 words. Twenty “P” words. One, two, maybe three words to a page. Pictures and imagination fill in the blanks between the words creating a story on the page and in your heart. A girl, her dog, and her Pa set out to turn a plan into reality with dreams and healing hitching a ride.
This story is not one to plow through. I had to remind myself to slow down and take a closer look and really absorb the words and pictures. As the story plays out on the page, the deeper and deeper the emotions and plan seems to get.
Reader participation and perception are a must with The Plan. See how many extra “P” words you can find in the pictures as you go along. Imagine and observe!
A fun, creative way to tell a tale.
December 2, 2015
Told in words that shift by one letter from page to page, this picture book is a lesson in imagination from its structure to its subject matter. A little girl makes a plan to take a plane up into space to Saturn. She lives on a farm with her dog who accompanies her everywhere. As they work on the farm, she discovers a key that unlocks her father’s photo album. There she discovers that he and her mother were pilots on The Mighty Comet. So the girl shares her plan with her father. They all work together to restore the airplane, allowing themselves time to grieve for the loss of her mother, and then all take off into the air together.
Paul demonstrates incredible restraint and control in the text of this book. Changing just one letter from page to page could result in a book that is stagnant, but instead this book explores and the story develops in a natural way. The simple text allows readers to fill in the story, to discover the key and what it unlocks, and to participate in the shared adventure. The component of the mother’s death is deftly handled, subtle and quiet.
With such simple text, the illustrations by Lehman really tell the full story. Done in watercolor, gouache and ink, they too share the quiet wonder of the text. They are done in deep colors that shimmer on the page, inviting the reader to look closely and explore.
A brilliant picture book filled with word play that is easy to read and a story with beauty and depth. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Paul demonstrates incredible restraint and control in the text of this book. Changing just one letter from page to page could result in a book that is stagnant, but instead this book explores and the story develops in a natural way. The simple text allows readers to fill in the story, to discover the key and what it unlocks, and to participate in the shared adventure. The component of the mother’s death is deftly handled, subtle and quiet.
With such simple text, the illustrations by Lehman really tell the full story. Done in watercolor, gouache and ink, they too share the quiet wonder of the text. They are done in deep colors that shimmer on the page, inviting the reader to look closely and explore.
A brilliant picture book filled with word play that is easy to read and a story with beauty and depth. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
June 11, 2017
I like that the words change by each letter on each page, so it's fun to help a kid read. I also like the story that's told in the illustration.
December 3, 2015
New readers and pre-readers are so often frustrated that their imaginations take flight far ahead of their reading skills. They want complex, interesting stories -- and they'll be delighted with The Plan. With just one or two words on each page, Alison Paul & Barbara Lehman tell a story full of imagination through the interplay between pictures, characters and words.
A young child dreams of flying to Saturn, and so it all begins with a plan. A plane, a map of the solar system, her trusty dog. Soaring up to the planets. By the third page in (maybe I'm slower than your typical kid?), I realized that each word just changes by one letter: plan becomes plane, then plane becomes planet.
You can't read the story without spending time investigating the pictures. What is happening? What is the girl thinking about? Whose plane is outside? Why is a plane sitting outside at a farm? But the words help move the story along, too. The word game adds intrigue and humor, as readers try to figure out the rules of the game.
What's magical is how the story has depth and feeling far beyond the words. As the young girl discovers a key to a photo album, we realize that her mother used to fly the plane but that she is no longer here. As the story unfolds, the father and daughter together plan to launch the plane--honoring the girl's mother.
I've been wondering about the age range for this book. While I think it sings particularly well for new readers in kindergarten or 1st grade, I think the story will resonate with older and younger children. Pre-readers will love being able to read the story developing through the pictures. And the story will resonate with older children who will understand the emotional depth, as well as have fun with the very clever word play. In my ideal world, I'd love to have 2nd and 3rd graders create new stories that change word by word, one letter at a time--and see where it takes them!
A young child dreams of flying to Saturn, and so it all begins with a plan. A plane, a map of the solar system, her trusty dog. Soaring up to the planets. By the third page in (maybe I'm slower than your typical kid?), I realized that each word just changes by one letter: plan becomes plane, then plane becomes planet.
You can't read the story without spending time investigating the pictures. What is happening? What is the girl thinking about? Whose plane is outside? Why is a plane sitting outside at a farm? But the words help move the story along, too. The word game adds intrigue and humor, as readers try to figure out the rules of the game.
What's magical is how the story has depth and feeling far beyond the words. As the young girl discovers a key to a photo album, we realize that her mother used to fly the plane but that she is no longer here. As the story unfolds, the father and daughter together plan to launch the plane--honoring the girl's mother.
I've been wondering about the age range for this book. While I think it sings particularly well for new readers in kindergarten or 1st grade, I think the story will resonate with older and younger children. Pre-readers will love being able to read the story developing through the pictures. And the story will resonate with older children who will understand the emotional depth, as well as have fun with the very clever word play. In my ideal world, I'd love to have 2nd and 3rd graders create new stories that change word by word, one letter at a time--and see where it takes them!
November 22, 2015
This is a brilliant book, using only twenty words. With Barbara Lehman’s simple, but detailed illustrations, Alison Paul tells a story, changing one letter at a time. It’s a story of a young girl, her dog, and her father, some secrets, some sadness, an adventure and lots of joy. I loved it!
October 13, 2017
Simple, Colorful illustrations. Few Words but great for P word letter recongition! A Wonderful Family Story told through pictures and few words!
December 25, 2019
A fun word chain book! Changed one letter of a word at a time to tell the story!
January 5, 2022
Good golly! I commend Barbara Lehman and Alison Paul for this sparse, pointed work that somehow conveys a plot and emotions.
March 30, 2022
Cute illustrations and simple text use wordplay to tell a story about a father, a daughter, an old airplane, and a hobby rekindled.
June 16, 2019
maybe a book to read to a preschool or kindergarten class
June 15, 2016
Very simple book that uses few words to tell a story. The illustrations reminded me of books from my childhood with muted colors and simple line drawing. I love words and this book begins with one word: plan and uses illustrations to let you know what the plan is. Each succeeding page adds or subtracts letters to tell this story of a girl who lives on a farm but want to travel to the planet Saturn. We see her day in the form of the chores she does and then the discovery of an old album belonging to her dad. Her dreams of flying match her parents and the story goes on to come to an ending with her not flying to Saturn but flying with her dad. I truly enjoyed her dream as it was similar to mine as a child-that is flying and I did grow up in the country as she did. Dreams of childhood shape who we are and it was a true pleasure to see a children's book that balances dreams and reality in such a unique way with the word choices.
December 9, 2015
This was a terrific book - the words are very simple, and easy for very beginning readers to sound out. ("Pint" might be the only tricky one, depending on their familiarity with long/short vowels.)
But the illustrations - the actual story is all in the pictures. And what a great opportunity for a Small Person with a vivid imagination to be able to see what's really going on, and explain it in their own words. In that aspect, it's practically a wordless book, since you don't *need* the words to complete the story.
But the words are there, and the way Paul changes just one letter at a time makes it a fun challenge for the reader to see what's different and how adding or subtracting or altering just one letter can change the entire meaning.
But the illustrations - the actual story is all in the pictures. And what a great opportunity for a Small Person with a vivid imagination to be able to see what's really going on, and explain it in their own words. In that aspect, it's practically a wordless book, since you don't *need* the words to complete the story.
But the words are there, and the way Paul changes just one letter at a time makes it a fun challenge for the reader to see what's different and how adding or subtracting or altering just one letter can change the entire meaning.
November 19, 2015
Interesting concept of changing/adding/deleting a letter to change the word and convey a different feeling or idea. Lehman's art shares much of the story. The family dog adds some humor as he walks around on two legs and gets his own pilot outfit. The story does include the death of the mother, unclear as to when or how. A family album shows mom was a barnstorming pilot and her daughter now draws inspiration from this fact and the plane sitting idle in the chicken yard. The story ends up in the sky, open ended as to where they are going and for how long, which would lead to some fun speculation by young readers.
March 19, 2016
Such an original picture book. A single word evolves through the book, with supporting pictures, to tell the story of a young girl with a dream. Plan becomes plane which becomes planet which moves to plant, pant and pants. Every word change directs the story in the right way to continue the girl's plan. Her dog companion and Pa help the girl realize her dream which has a connection to her past.
This actually might make for an interesting writing challenge for students.
This actually might make for an interesting writing challenge for students.
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June 9, 2016This is a book for very young readers. The young girl makes a plan to fly a plane to outer space. The whole book is written in very simple words that all begin with the letter P. The majority of the story is told through the illustrations.
Illustrations are watercolor, gouache, and ink
I think this book is interesting for younger readers to practice reading in. The story is simple and cute but good enough to keep a reader interested. I could see this being used in a kindergarten classroom.
Illustrations are watercolor, gouache, and ink
I think this book is interesting for younger readers to practice reading in. The story is simple and cute but good enough to keep a reader interested. I could see this being used in a kindergarten classroom.
November 11, 2015
A young girl creates a plan to fly to Saturn using an old plane her family happens to have on the property. She finds a key which opens a locked photo album that shows photos and memorabilia of when her mother used to fly the special plane. She shares her plan with her father, and the two work together to fix up the plane...and also mourn her mother who apparently died (in the plane?). They pack up and leave by plane...to saturn?
Text is just random words that all start with "P".
Text is just random words that all start with "P".
December 11, 2015
A nearly wordless story in which a young girl makes a seemingly impossible plan to fly to Saturn. Watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations are narrated with single words that change one letter every page to progress the story.
I like the historical setting (think primitive airplane set in the agricultural Midwest), the dog sidekick, and the past life and present support of Dad.
Highly recommended for PreK-2.
I like the historical setting (think primitive airplane set in the agricultural Midwest), the dog sidekick, and the past life and present support of Dad.
Highly recommended for PreK-2.
February 19, 2016
This book was very cool. I love the illustrations. The whole book is one word changed by one letter to make a new word which are then all put together to show the story. Kind of like a wordless picture book but with one word to guide you. Loved it. And it may be a great book for our Framingham Reads Together group since we're talking about the Wright Brothers. This is not about the Wright Brothers but it's about flight.. loosely.
December 4, 2015
This book tells the story of a young girl and her father. There are very few words in the book and each of them changes from the former one letter at a time.
The girl has a dream and a plan. The story unfolds as she learns how she can make her dream and her plan a reality.
This book is fabulous.
The girl has a dream and a plan. The story unfolds as she learns how she can make her dream and her plan a reality.
This book is fabulous.
December 7, 2015
I really liked this book, especially it's premise of having one word - plan - change slightly over every page while the pictures tell a narrative of a young girl discovering a piece of her deceased mother's past. There's a lot going on here - dreams, family, action - in this carefully illustrated book. Well done.
December 12, 2015
A concept book using the 'p' words to and images to tell a story about a lost history for a family. I found the concept interesting and the illustrations are very descriptive and would help in asking children in building narrative skills. This is definitely not a book for storytime, but a great book for parents at home.
December 22, 2015
gr1-3 (up to 4, 5 to talk about pictures and words)
wow! this is an amazing book. It makes one letter change between words to make this up. Here is the evolution of the words:
the plan
plane
planet
plant
pant
pants!
pans
pals
Pa's
past
post
pot
pit
pin!
pint
point
paint
paint
pain
plain
plan!
wow! this is an amazing book. It makes one letter change between words to make this up. Here is the evolution of the words:
the plan
plane
planet
plant
pant
pants!
pans
pals
Pa's
past
post
pot
pit
pin!
pint
point
paint
paint
pain
plain
plan!
January 2, 2016
Read for Librarian Book Group
Bad title, I had to look this one up to remember what it was about. But I liked it! I liked how clever one change of letter made a new word that moved the story forward. I really loved the illustrations and how one could "read" the entire story by looking at the pictures.
Bad title, I had to look this one up to remember what it was about. But I liked it! I liked how clever one change of letter made a new word that moved the story forward. I really loved the illustrations and how one could "read" the entire story by looking at the pictures.
April 17, 2016
With one word per page, that changes each time by just one letter, and some wordless pages, this story is really about the illustrations and heart of the family. I could see it feeling very realistic, except for the dog that stands on two legs and is like a human character. This is deceptively simple looking, and there is much older kids could do with really looking at the story.
December 28, 2015
I wouldn't use this in storytime...and I'm not sure I'd ever read it to a child. That being said, it is an interesting concept and I like the idea of changing one letter per page. For children that are learning to read, this would be a great book for them to work on parts of speech and reading.
December 13, 2015
A story told in single words, each word built upon the previous word by adding one letter at a time. As the story winds down, each word has one less letter.
Simple illustrations in watercolor & gouache help tell the story, each page holds one frame or several.
Simple illustrations in watercolor & gouache help tell the story, each page holds one frame or several.
December 23, 2015
I loved this book for the clever concept of changing one letter in each word to form a new word, but the story -- and there is a story -- the story was heartbreakingly beautiful. I double-love this book for the story and the deceptively simple illustrations.
January 1, 2016
Love the concept of this book as there is only one word on each page and each word changes by only one letter. Also like the idea of the child creating and planning. The book looks deceivingly easy.
February 29, 2016
Lovely, simple picture book for babies/toddlers & early readers learning about the planning process, and the letter P. An ingenious way to tell an entire story, explore a concept (connecting dreams to reality by PLANNING), and teach letters. I will be using for 0-3 Storytimes!
January 26, 2016
Twenty words change letter by letter to unveil a family adventure. The illustrations provide helpful clues as the book moves along, and beginning readers will feel quite proud of themselves for being able to read most if not all of the short, simple words on the pages.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews