Common Sense Media Review
By Victoria Quistgaard
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lovely coming-of-age tale of family, friends, and breakfast.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In CHANGE OF PLANS, Finley has never had a close relationship with her mother, Catherine, so a post-graduation summer trip with her isn't at the top of Finley's fun list. She'd rather be on a cruise with her long-term boyfriend Colin. Unfortunately, Cathrine, not known for her spontaneity, springs a family obligation trip on Finley instead. Now, Finley finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a family she hardly knows with Colin having relationship doubts. In order to deal, Finley throws herself into working at the Egg, her aunt's restaurant, and making friends with the locals. But the sudden trip to the Woods isn't the only surprise waiting for Finley.
Is It Any Good?
Sarah Dessen tells a sincere and compelling coming-of-age story with beautiful imagery and strong themes. Change of Plans will keep readers entertained and it's thoughtful depiction of an unexpected summer makes it a layered read, too. Dessen portrays the complexities of a challenging family dynamic that shows how family adversity can bring people together instead of driving them apart. And the same can be said for friendships and romantic relationships. Dessen's writing flows with poeticism that paints a warm summer setting for the relationships between characters to develop. This engaging, layered novel will appeal to a wide variety of teen readers, especially fans of character-driven plots, family drama, friendship stories, and romance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how honesty shows up throughout the novel. How does Ben always telling the truth help Finley? How does Catherine keeping secrets affect her life and relationships? How does Finley's relationship with her mother change once Finley starts being honest? What's the relationship between honesty and good communication?
Another important theme in the novel is friendship. How does Lana show up for Finley as her closest friend? Why does this matter for Finley? What ways do the other characters show up for Finley?
Family is also a huge theme in Change of Plans. Finley doesn't really know her blood relatives when she first arrives at the Woods, working at the Egg helps. How does the Egg help Finley settle in? What other impacts does the Egg have on Finley's life?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Family Stories ( Moms ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Integrity
- Book type : Fiction
- Publication date : May 5, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : May 5, 2026
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