A Portrait of Pia
by Marisabina Russo
Published by Harcourt Books
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Reviewed by Jill Stovall
At thirteen Pia is determined to finally meet the father who abandoned her and moved to Italy before she was even born. Her mom has always been very secretive about him. But Pia has just discovered a box of old papers with her father’s address printed on an empty envelope. She writes and then tears up several letters. How can she express all that she feels? In one letter she decides to call him Papa instead of Mr. Venturini.
_Dear Papa, My mother doesn’t know I’m writing this letter. I’ve been thinking a lot about you even though I can’t really remember you…Maybe now would be a good time for us to meet? Please write back really soon…Mom is okay except when she’s worrying about Mario. He got into trouble at college and had to drop out and now he needs to see a doctor every week. You remember my half brother Mario, don’t you?_
She adores her brother Mario, but he has just been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and figuring out what trouble he will cause next is exhausting. Sometimes Pia is even a little afraid to be around him.
She dreams of meeting a loving and exciting father in a romantic Italian setting. And her dreams come true. A package arrives on her birthday. Inside is a beautiful book about Italy and an invitation for her to come and visit him in Italy before it is too late.
Pia finally convinces her mom to accept the airplane tickets and travel to Italy: Land of Enchantment. She knows that things will be different now. Her life would be normal. She would make special memories with her father.
But Pia is totally unprepared for what she discovers in Italy. Her mother and father have secrets that change everything. She is deeply angry and disappointed with her mother. When Pia’s father begs her to stay with him, she must make a decision.
I loved the way Marisabina Russo allowed me to see into Pia’s thoughts and feelings. This beautiful and talented young teenager does not realize how special she is. Her drawings are insightful and her patience and love in dealing with her brother and her mother are all things that she is so humbly unaware of.
Armchair Interviews says: What a wonderful story written by a talented author that is geared to middle reader to young adult.
Author’s Web site: http://www.MarisabinaRusso.com