Olivia

by Ian Falconer

Book Overview

This Caldecott Honor Book and #1 New York Times bestseller is perfect for pig-loving kids everywhere!

It's everyone's favorite pig...it's OLIVIA!

Join Olivia as she...
-dresses up
-sings songs
-builds sand castles
-naps (maybe)
-dances
-paints on walls
-and--whew!--

...finally goes to sleep at last.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689829531
• ISBN13: 9780689829536
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.8" x 11.3"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Good purchase

Fast shipping

Love love!

I have a 2.5 year old little girl who is just like Olivia! The first time we read this book I seriously just laughed out loud and declared Olivia my little girl’s book! The momma at the end of the book says, “Olivia, you always wear me out, but I love you anyway!” That’s how I feel chasing around my girl all day long!! Love that there is a book for the “spirited” little girls in the world!

super cute!

Super cute! A must have for the little ones!

Great condition

This is such a fun story that children will love. It always makes me smile. It said like new and that is exactly how it came. It just has a few smudges on the cover, but im sure it can be cleaned off. great book.

Super recomendable

Diferente, hermoso, con un tono narrativo que no es el típico de los libros para chicos. Cuanto más se lo leo a mi hijo de dos años, más me gusta, más posibilidades de narrarlo descubro desde su economía de palabras y la expresividad de sus dibujos. Con frases cortas y texto breve, es perfecto para los más chicos.

Trying to be objective

It seems that people either love or hate this book, so I thought I'd try to throw out an objective point of view. When my four year old daughter picked Olivia out at the library, I could not figure out why. The illustrations are basically black and white with hightlights of red. I prefer bright, primary colors, especially for young children, so my first thought was that it was boring. I read it to my daughter and found the story to be cute. It draws you into the pictures because the text is incomplete without them. I noticed that some people with boys didn't seem to like the book. I'm not surprised. Olivia is mischievous, but she is definately a girl, and therefore probably appeals to girls much more than boys. Of course, I have three girls and no boys, so I don't know exactly what appeals to boys.No, Olivia is definately not a good role model, but do all of our kids' books have to show perfect role models? After all, what child is really like Emily Elizabeth of Clifford, and what parents are really like Caillou's? (PBS shows if you don't know.) Poor role models offer us the opportunity to discuss with our children what behavior is proper and what behavior is not proper when they are not misbehaving and therefore are much more receptive to hearing it. Not that they should be allowed to read anything and everything, but I believe that it's important to show them real life, too.The important thing to me is not what other people think of the author or the book. Rather, do I approve of the book, and do my children like it. In my case, it is yes and a resounding yes (my daughter asked me to read the book so many times that I was glad it was a library book so I could return it!) Truthfully, if it was up to me I'd give the book only two stars. But since my daughter liked it so much, I had to go with four. But just because we like it doesn't mean you will. I'd recommend (as some others suggested) check it out from your library. Then you'll know if it's worth your money.

I have an Olivia and an Ian

I bought this book because my two youngest children are Olivia and Ian. It is a terrific book and aside from drawing on the wall it is exactly what this family is like. There are seven of us all together and she keeps us very busy. And, her little brother, Ian, likes to follow her around, too. This is a great book and is frequently one of the many books in Olivia's stack of bedtime, or anytime, reading.

Love at First Sight

I love Ian Falconer's New Yorker covers, and now I love Olivia too. I only discovered Olivia just this afternoon while I was browsing at the local bookstore. Olivia reminds one of Elopise, but at the same time, it's nice to see her with parents and siblings. I was enchanted by this book, I laughed out loud, and darn it all... if I had only had a few bucks more, I would have bought it. The prose is simple, but sharp and direct, and the artwork is hysterical (especially when Olivia's brother is shown copying everything she does.)Even more fun is Olivia's appreciation for art and the like. Imagine a little kid wanting a Callas picture book read to them. It's touches like this that make Olivia the clear winner as one of the best picture books to emerge this past year. I am hoping Falconer will write a few more books about this precious piglet. In the meantime, be proud to buy a copy of this book for yourself, even if you don't have any kids. It will definitely be the literary high point of your week.

The best children's picture book of the year!

"This is Olivia," begins Ian Falconer's delightful picture book about a precocious piglet. "She is good at lots of things." In charming and hilarious illustrations, Olivia's busy adventures take her through dress-up, playing with her cat, going to the beach and museum, (reluctantly) taking a nap, and going to bed after just one story...no, three stories. This simply is one of the finest children's picture books of the year, and sure to be named on everyone's Top of 2000 list. Quietly humorous and tongue-in-cheek narration, fluid and expressive black-and-white-and-red artwork, and the charming portrayal of the busy and mischievous Olivia make this an instant classic. Sight gags abound (Olivia's ambitious sandcastle, her pink-pink sunburn, her dreams of being a ballerina, and her songbook "40 Very Loud Songs") and Falconer, a New Yorker cover artist and theatre designer, portrays the never-ending energy of a tiny pig, er, girl, with wit and charm. Don't miss this one: suitable for all ages from the very young to the very old, "Olivia" is the prize of the season. It's the kind of book kids will be begging to have read to them before bed: bargaining for not once, not twice, but three times.