Olivia

by Ian Falconer

Hardcover, 2000

Status

Available

Local notes

E Fal

Barcode

2198

Publication

Atheneum Books for Young Readers (2000), Edition: 1, 40 pages, $16.00, (May 2018)

Description

Whether at home getting ready for the day, enjoying the beach, or at bedtime, Olivia is a feisty pig who has too much energy for her own good.

Awards

Caldecott Medal (Honor Book — 2001)
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Nominee — 2003)
Triple Crown Awards (Classic (Runner-Up/Honor Book) — 2003)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades K-2 — 2003)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2000

Physical description

40 p.; 8.5 inches

User reviews

LibraryThing member Junep
PreSchool-Grade 3-From the articles of clothing strewn across the front endpapers of this droll account of Olivia's escapades, readers may surmise that this porcine heroine is no ordinary youngster. Olivia is constantly on the move, dreaming big dreams and meeting every challenge head-on. She
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doesn't just get dressed, she tries on every outfit in the closet. She doesn't just dance, she envisions herself as a prima ballerina bowing before an adoring audience. When her mother teaches her to build sand castles, Olivia creates a towering structure that closely resembles the Chrysler Building in New York City. When she views a Jackson Pollack painting in the museum, she immediately concludes that she can do better and proceeds to try her hand at painting a wall at home. Her efforts earn her time out and a bath. The text is brief, funny, and sometimes ironic in relation to the highly amusing illustrations. The only touches of color in the pictures, executed in charcoal and gouache, are the bright reds of the clothing or objects used by Olivia. There are often many renderings of the young pig on each large white background, effectively demonstrating her boundless energy. Even at day's end, she is still going strong, negotiating the number of books to be read at bedtime. For a lively storyhour featuring feisty females, pair this with Kevin Henkes's stories about Lilly
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LibraryThing member StephBecker
This book is told with all the illustrations in black, white, and red. It is powerful simplicity that stands out to me about this book. I understand why it was chosen to be a Caldecott winner! All children will enjoy reading about the little pig named Olivia and her personality!
LibraryThing member dMegan
One of my favorites so far, but I've heard it rumored that this book appeals more to adults than children.
LibraryThing member Leshauck
Great for grades 3-5. Olivia is a trouble-maker and uses her imagination for everything. This book was great with illustrations and teaching life lessons.
LibraryThing member hartn
Olivia, by Ian Falconer. Simon and Schuster, 2000.

While the colors in this book are very exciting and the work is tantalizing in the way it moves the reader to turn the page, the story suffers from a lack of unity, especially in the middle. There are strange and vague illusions to high brow culture
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– Degas painting, Jackson-Pollack painting, Maria Callas opera – that take away from the universality of the story of a very energetic child who is very good at wearing people out. The middle jumps around in time, offering moments in Olivia’s life that do not happen all in one day, but are structured to follow the course of Olivia’s day – waking up, getting ready in the morning, doing things outside, having a nap, doing something in the afternoon, and eventually being read to and going to bed. Olivia is great as a character, and her fights with her mother are well placed, both around getting Olivia to calm down or rest. The exuberance of Olivia and the text offer some dialogue, and the text and the mother complement each other in their responses to Olivia’s exuberance. The book requires a few readings before it is appreciated, and the other works included in the illustrations do not seem to keep the book contained or unified, seeming out of place. The work feels very New York cosmopolitan, with modern art and opera and an Empire State Building, and may not find readers in many parts of the continent.
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LibraryThing member es109031
Olivia is about a litte girl piglet who is very busy. She enjoys going to the beach, dressing up, and playing games. However olivia does not like to take naps even when she is tired. She wears everyone out.
I can relate to book personally, i have a 11 month old son who is very busy and does not like
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to take naps.
For classroom extension ideas i could have the kids take a black a and white picture and color one item red like the illustrations in this story. Another idea is i could read this story to the class during the week we cover the letter 'p' and have them write a story about a pig.
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LibraryThing member jh127876
"Olivia" is a wonderful little story about a little pig whose name happens to be Olivia. The story focuses and illustrates the typical day, adventures and misadventures in Olivia’s life. "Olivia" does not tell the story in so many words but instead threw gorgeous illustrations.

"Olivia" is
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personally my favorite children’s book, the simple way the illustrations bring out the little pigs personality is simply magnificent. The author, Falconer, Ian uses color contrast in a very effective way to bring life to this book. Red is the only color presented in this book and it is my belief that "Olivia" would be spoiled if any other colors were present. The story itself uses very few words, and the sentences are not even constructed very well. One can easily see that "Olivia" is intended to be a very easy read for young readers.

As a future teacher I have a few extension ideas for this book. One is that it be used in an animal week by having the teacher read different books about animals including this one. I think this book could also be used to show children how effective color can be at taking your attention. Maybe the teacher could wear all red during the day see reads this book, or have a game where all the children tries to wear only one color of clothing during the day the book is to be read.
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LibraryThing member JCH
Love Olivia, and the illustrations (black & white w/splashes of red).
LibraryThing member conuly
The book is simple and short enough that a little one can sit through it, and the humor is subtle enough to catch an adult or older child. What's not to like?

In addition, in the board book form, we've got a very sturdily constructed book here. I can picture it lasting through a war. It's heavy as
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heck, but it's sturdily built, easily capable of withstanding a teething kidlet.
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LibraryThing member melissafourroux
Olivia is a young girl pig who likes to assert her independence in every way. She is spunky, opinionated and most of all has a very vivid imagination. Olivia finds herself in many precarious situations that are truly laugh-out-loud moments!

I absolutely fell in love with this book! It is by far one
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of my favorite bedtime stories to read to my six-year old son. The illustrations are wonderful and shows you the personality of little Olivia. I really like Olivia's personality and the confidence that she exudes. I also really love that the book touches on Olivia's interest in the arts and gives the reader just enough that children will want to know more about those pictures and words that she uses. This is one of our favorite bedtime reads and it is definitely one that makes us laugh!

An extension idea would be to discuss some of the works of art that Olivia sees and thinks about in the book. I would like to offer the students the opportunity to create their own work of art like the Autumn Rhythm #30 by Jackson Pollock. This is a great opportunity to introduce museums and their importance in our world.
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LibraryThing member Charlee526
Story about a little girl pig, and all that she does and likes to do!
LibraryThing member kimbrady
This is the first in Ian Falconer's series of "Olivia" books. It details a typical day in Olivia the pig's life, and shows some of her interests. Falconer shows that little people can have big ideas and dreams, and that they have personality and character of their own. For example, Olivia likes to
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sing and dance, enjoys the sun and the art museum, and dreams of being on stage. The illustrations are simple and fantastic, capturing the humor of a child with a million conflicting interests and ideas.
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LibraryThing member tshrum06
This is fantasy. It is a pretty good example. The author gives the main character, Olivia, a pig, human characteristics, so even though she's not a person, she's relateable and that makes the story pretty believable. Kids can identify with not wanting to take baths or liking the beach and parents
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can identify with the child being exhausting sometimes, but a joy nonetheless.
Olivia is a round, static character. The author reveals Olivia's character through the narration. He outright tells us, "This is what Olivia is like...This is what Olivia does...," etc. but she really doesn't change throughout the story. You just learn more facets of her character- you see her exhausting energy and then you see her calmer bedtime side after a few stories, but she really doesn't change.
Age Appropriateness: Primary
Media: Watercolor and ink
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LibraryThing member emgriff
Olivia is a handful. In a typical day she creates huge messes messes, makes unrealistic demands and generally wears everyone out. The smudgy charcoal illustrations with sparing use of bright red accents capture Olivia's personality wonderfully and are a nice compliment to the text. Details from
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famous paintings stand out against some simple illustration and offer a great entry point to expose young children to great works of art. Well intentioned but overactive preschoolers (and their parents!) will likely recognize themselves in this witty and attractive book. Highly recommended for children ages 3 - 6.
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LibraryThing member justineaylward
Some people don't care for Olivia, but I love her. She is so unique, stubborn and independent like almost every 4-5 year old I know! I love that she loves opera!
LibraryThing member justine.marxer
Genre: fantasy
age app: primary
Review: this is a good example of fantasy because pigs cannot talk, however the reader is not bothered by this in the least. Olivia is a feisty pig with too much energy that students could relate to.
Setting: there is not set setting throughout the book. We move from
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the beach to the house, to an art gallery, etc. This is interesting for the reade
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LibraryThing member artlibby
Meet Olivia, your All-American pig. She is rambunctious, curious and just plain cute! Youngsters will relate to Olivia's desire to stay awake as well as some of her daily routines. We see Olivia at home, on the beach and in a museum. Simple black and white pictures accompany the text, with splashes
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of red that highlight little Miss Olivia. The museum scene offers parents and teachers a great way to introduce a first time museum experience. The book ends with a read aloud bedtime story, and therefore lends itself wonderfully to the real world task of settling your little one in for the night, This book is sure to become many children's favorite, and is therefore recommended for all kids under the age of 7.
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LibraryThing member matinicuselementary
Olivia written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. I like this book because it is very funny. It is about a
little pig named Olivia who is very funny. She does a lot of things that wear people out and some times she even wears herself out. She has a little brother named Ian. He is always copying her
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and she has to be firm sometimes. She lives with her mom, dad, her brother, her dog Perry and her cat Edwin. She has a morning routine. When she gets dressed she has to try on everything. When her, her mom and Ian go to the beach Olivia wants to build a sand castles. Last summer her mom taught her how to make sand castles. Olivia got very good. It seems like Olivia is never tired. So at bed time she asks her mother if they can read a book. But Olivia wants to read five. She is so funny. This is one of my favorite books .

Reviewed by Emma.
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LibraryThing member kdemott
Illustrations are fun, I particularly appreciated the black/white/red color scheme. Highly recommended to 4-6 year-old girls. Olivia is a lovable character.
LibraryThing member raizel
Typical day of an active child who happens to be pig.
LibraryThing member johnskam
ALA Notable Books for Children 2001, Book Sense Book of the Year Award 2001, and Caldecott Honor 2001. AR 2.0, 0.5 points.
LibraryThing member rachellwin
Olivia is about a young girl pig who loves to do many things. The book is easy to read aloud, and the simple language will make it easy for young readers to relate to. In addition, Olivia's hobbies, from playing dress up, to looking at art, to building sandcastles is sure to capture the imagination
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and create relationships with readers who have similar hobbies or aspirations. Her successes and missteps are also universal experiences for children (trying to emulate Jackson Pollock on the bedroom walls, for example). The illustrations, which won the book a Caldecott Honor, are in black and white, with small touches or great splashes or red to carry your eyes through the book. The book could do with a little more narrative. I would highly recommend this book for the children's section of a public library.
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LibraryThing member lhkitchens
A lot of children can relate to this book because Olivia acts like any normal child particularly girls . Olivia doesn't like her brother copying her, she enjoys building sand castles at the beach, and she loves being read to at night before bed. This book is good for PreK - 3rd grade. It is good
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for small group reading and individual reading.
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LibraryThing member jjohlend
Olivia the pig has fun dressing up, going to the beach, visiting an art museum, and all sorts of other things. The art of this book is stunningly rendered in charcoal with hints of red among lots of white space. Text and pictures meander around the pages, giving life to the real and imagined
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activities of this lively pig. A few famous paintings make an appearance when her family visits the art museum, where Olivia's reaction to a piece of abstract art (“I could do that in about five minutes”) will bring a smile to the faces of all, and the next page will bring an even bigger laugh. A bold style, an active heroine, and a wonderful treatment of imagination will make readers glad that Olivia's exploits continue in other books.
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LibraryThing member MaeBHollie
Olivia

Olivia is the story of a little girl piggy, who lives the life of just about any 3-6 year old child. "She is very good at wearing people out." and also consequently wearing herself out. Olivia has a little brother and cat, she plays with them and annoys them. Olivia also does normal things
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like get herself around in the morning, take naps, and get dressed. She has gone to the beach and learned to make sand castles, she even goes to look at art at the museum. Eventually Olivia gets herself into a bit of trouble, but all is well, mom still reads her a story at bedtime.

This book is a neat little modern fantasy that affirms the realities of everyday life for a VERY busy and active child. Its chock full of humor and the pictures are given the Caldecott honor; they are bright and fun to look at. The reading is easy and very light, something nice for the interest level of around 3-6 years of age.

Some of the problems with the book are that it is very "Girls oriented", the book is also as a television cartoon, which may be noted as a distraction from the story for some readers, in this particular case I think the fact is neutral.

Extension activities for the classroom can include talking about what we do sequentially each day and how we make our schedules/ agendas for the day. Each child could write out a schedule for what they really do on a Saturday and one for what they would LIKE to do on Saturday. As children get older the schedules become more complex.
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Pages

40

Rating

(756 ratings; 4.2)
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