Olivia is a young pig who is full of energy and curiosity. The reader is allowed to take a glance into the life of Olivia, which is filled with activities that many young people and parents partake in. Her precocious personality adds humor to the story. Olivia tries on all of her clothes, moves her cat, wards off her younger brother Ian, goes to the beach, the museum, and gets into a bit of trouble. The end of the day brings bedtime, which also brings deal-making time with mom as to how many books will be read before bedtime. The book ends with Olivia's mother telling her that she wears her out, but that she loves her "anyway", which many teachers, parents, and children will relate to.
This book is a Caldecott Honor winner, which is apparent throughout, with the illustrations telling most of the story. Falconer, the author and illustrator, writes about how Olivia wears people out, then includes many little pictures of Olivia doing all sorts of things that kids do: singing loud songs, jump roping, kicking a ball, and playing with a yo-yo are a few. Olivia's trip to the museum is enhanced through illustration, as she imagines herself as one of the ballerinas in the Degas painting she is looking at. The reader is allowed to see what she is seeing as Falconer actually draws her into the painting.
Olivia could be used in the classroom to open up a conversation about what children enjoy doing with their free time, besides watching television and playing video games. The trip to the museum could spark a conversation about art and an introduction to the artists Degas and Pollock. The students could be encouraged to use their imaginations to make their own art, just as Olivia does.
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