She's Here. No She's There. Where Is She?

When a being we love, real or fictional, returns we greet them with a joyful heart.  We wonder if those things we most enjoy about them are still part of their personality.  Speculation abounds as to whether those traits, if still present, are stronger than ever or if they have been overshadowed by new and different charming quirks.  Time spent with them will answer all our questions.

By sheer force of nature she burst forth in the children's literature scene in 2000 earning the attention of a multitude of readers and winning Caldecott Honor recognition in 2001.  It's been five years since the seventh book featuring her go-big-go-bold outlook was published.  We are never happier than when reading Olivia and the Fairy Princesses (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, August 28, 2012).  To the delight of her many fans the porcine wonder has a new title, Olivia the Spy (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, April 4, 2017) written and illustrated by her creator Ian Falconer.  This time Olivia's audacious attitude leads her into uncharted territory.

One afternoon Olivia was walking down the hall when she heard her mother talking to her aunt.

Olivia's mother was expressing her distress at Olivia's actions.  She had just finished cleaning the kitchen when Olivia made a blueberry smoothie.  Despite her instructions the kitchen and Olivia ended up as a new blue hue.

Olivia also recently helped to launder her father's white shirts.  Regardless of her mother's guidelines, at the last minute Olivia decided to throw in her socks.  You do remember her favorite color, right?  Red.  Voila!  Pink shirts!

Her mother was so upset she remarked she wanted to send Olivia somewhere, anywhere, until she started to think before acting.  When Olivia heard this, she knew it was time to act.  Oliva the spy was born; cunning and cleverness were necessary.

Olivia used every trick in the book to become invisible but still able to listen and learn.  She did not like what she overheard.  Words like military school and institution had her worried especially when her teacher said prison was an institution.

Prison?!

The next day when Olivia's mother told her to be ready to leave the house at six in the evening, dressed for somewhere out of the ordinary, she knew she was doomed.  The ride in the taxi was one of the saddest she could remember.  When they arrived at the institution this pig, hardly ever surprised at anything, was shocked.  Needless to say, she was not the only one stunned by events which followed.  Lesson learned.  Maybe.


When Ian Falconer writes about Olivia we can't help but feel connected to her.  Her actions are outrageous and fairly normal at the same time.  Her courage to carve her own path in life is inspiring and downright hilarious.  When she makes a mistake, she is usually able to see the silver lining.

In this title Falconer gives readers a mix of narrative and conversations.  We are privy to Olivia and her mother talking and to Olivia listening to her mother and aunt and mother and father chatting.  We know more than Olivia because eavesdropping does have drawbacks.  As Olivia discovers, you don't always get the complete picture.  Here is a sample passage.

"I told her,
'Don't fill it up to the top,
Don't put all the blueberries in.
And not too much milk,
or then it will splatter!' "

"Mommy, I KNOW how to use the blender."

"Guess who had to clean that up? ...


For those who have read all the Olivia books, seeing her on the matching dust jacket and book case sneaking around the corner is sure to bring on the laughter.  Everyone, whether you've read any of her books or not, will wonder what this little porker is doing.  The color choices, layout and design are outstanding on the front and on the back.  To the left the canvas changes to a darker mint green.  A larger keyhole is located in the center.  Peeking through the opening is a large pig snout and one eye.  (I can hardly contain my laughter writing this.)

Using his signature liberal use of white space Ian Falconer has Olivia looking around a corner on the far right of the opening endpapers.  On the closing endpapers she is properly attired and reliving her institution experience.  On the title page the back of the jacket and case is replicated.

Rendered in charcoal and gouache on paper the illustrations are as lively as the main character.  Falconer, to supply pacing, alternates between full page pictures, groups of smaller images on a single page or for maximum impact two-page spreads.  He continues to use real photographs as backgrounds to amazing effect.  His use of black, white and fine lines with splashes of color is masterful.

Every page turn has me smiling but one of my many favorite pictures is of the blender incident.  It is a single page image.  Olivia has finished making her blueberry smoothie.  She is walking away from the counter carrying her drink, wearing her red socks.  In the glass is a red and white striped straw.  Olivia is covered in blueberry splatter, smiling with delight.  Most of the counter, except where the carton of milk blocked the spray is covered in blueberry splatter.  On the white wall where Olivia was standing on the stool is a white outline of her body surrounded in blueberry goo.  Oh, Olivia!

Anyone who loves to laugh is going to read and reread Olivia the Spy written and illustrated by Ian Falconer.  Olivia is as courageous as ever but this time she discovers it's much better to get the whole story.  Listening to mothers when you are supposed to can have benefits.  I highly recommend you find a place for this title on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Ian Falconer and his other work please visit the website he shares with Olivia by following the link attached to his name.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  They also include six activity sheets which you can download and print.

Princess? I Think Not!

It's hard to believe twelve years have come and gone since the world was first introduced to one of the spunkiest pigs to hit the picture book scene.  Olivia (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, October 2000), written and illustrated by Ian Falconer, named after his niece, garnered a 2001 Caldecott Honor award.   Five picture books, several board books, an inspirational quotes book and even a paper theater later, her popularity continues to grow.

What draws readers to this one-of-a-kind porcine personality is her indomitable spirit, her deep desire to be her own unique self and her attitude to not just do something, but to do it bigger and better than anyone else; not because it's a competition but because that's who she is.  Never have these qualities been more manifest than they are in the newest title, Olivia and the Fairy Princesses (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, August 28, 2012).  Olivia has a problem and readers follow along as she reaches a solution that is the essence of Olivia.


Olivia was depressed.

Proclaiming to her family that she is having an identity crisis, not knowing what she should be, her father reminds her she will always be his little princess.  But from Olivia's viewpoint this is the problem, a capital B I G problem. It seems being a princess is on all girls' minds.

At the last birthday gathering she was surrounded by a sea of pink tutus, miniature crowns and star-topped wands.  As readers know Olivia is not a pink kind of person much preferring her splashes of red or sporting an outfit better suited to her sense of fashion for the moment.  At the school recital everyone wants to be the fairy princess ballerina but not Olivia.

Having outgrown her own desire to be a ballerina, she would rather mirror the movements of modern dance.  As bath and bedtime approach Olivia continues to lament her circumstances to her ever tolerant mother reminding her of her Halloween costume as a warthog rather than conforming to the pink princess crowd.  Olivia cannot understand why everyone wants to be the same.

Bedtime fairy tales add fuel to the flame until her mother, losing patience at this point, tells her the story of The Little Match Girl.  An active imagination keeps our favorite pig from falling asleep in her mother's desired five minute time frame.  What can I be? Maybe this? Or that? Or how about?  And then the solution pops into her mind in all its brilliance.  As usual Olivia aims high, all the way to the top.


Ian Falconer's storytelling is driven by his characters' attributes, their dialogue and thoughts.  He injects humor throughout in Olivia's questions and in her responses to situations and events.  At times a single sentence can pack a powerful punch.  His introduction of words outside the realm of a normal picture book reader's vocabulary is a plus.  This statement of her clothing worn to the party is Olivia in a nutshell.

"I choose a simple French sailor shirt, matador pants,
 black flats, a strand of pearls, sunglasses, a red bag,
 and my gardening hat."


Enhancing the focus of the storyline Ian Falconer chooses to have not even the slightest hint of red on his jacket and matching cover for this title.  The endpapers are done in a pale pink with a darker shade of pink stars scattered over the pages.  The title page is a reverse repeat of the cover, Olivia clearly not happy with what she sees in the mirror.

Portraying the depth of Olivia's dilemma, Falconer opens with her lying on her back, arms outstretched dressed in her signature red and white striped, one piece pajamas with Harry, the family dog, and Edwin, the family cat, watching on the sidelines.  Rendering all the illustrations in charcoal and gouache with liberal use of white space Falconer places them across two pages, a single page, double or multiple insets on a page, and oval vignettes in black and white with added bright colors for accent. For Halloween, night and the fairy tale page he uses darker shading as a background to create atmosphere.  As in other titles a photographic image is used.


Without a doubt Ian Falconer's pigs and their expressions are priceless but none more so than Olivia.  Olivia and the Fairy Princesses is a fresh breath of independence in word and pictures.  Follow the link attached to Ian Falconer to access the official Olivia website.  This is a link to Ian Falconer: By The Book, The New York Times, Sunday Book Review.  Publishers Weekly did a Q & A with Ian Falconer.  Both interviews were done this past August.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  For those true blue fans check out these pages of Olivia fabric creations here and here.  Who knew she had her own fabric line?

She's Back!

Irresistible, unpredictable, hilarious Olivia has returned.  What's not to love about her newest antics in Olivia Goes To Venice (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, September 28, 2010) Using bright splashes of red, Olivia's favorite color (and mine), to draw the readers' eye into the illustrations journey with Olivia and her family through the streets and canals of Venice as they are superimposed amid actual photographs.  Beginning with packing for the trip, Olivia, you won't be needing your snorkel, said her mother, or your flippers.  Mother, apparently the city is often under and water and--------- Or your water skis, readers will smile at each conversational exchange, facial expression and typical tourist experience.

As crossings over bridges are made, a stop at the Grand Canal with palazzos lining its edges, walking through the Piazza of San Marco or a hair-raising episode with pigeons, a generous helping of gelanto seems to be the outcome.
 When a gondola ride is secured, this overindulgence causes the boat to sink lower than usual.  This results in the gondolier suffering considerable stress and the reader extra smileage.  It is Olivia's quest for the perfect souvenir that brings forth the final laugh and a quick exit by the family back to the airport.  Venice will definitely remember Olivia as will we all. 

At Olivia's web site information about Ian Falconer and all things Olivia can be accessed.  There is a special link for teachers and librarians.  Check it out.

At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  There are several activity kits you can download also.  Not to be missed is this YouTube video highlighting this new offering as well as Ian Falconer's basis for Olivia books.