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Olivia Forms A Band (Hardcover)
by Ian Falconer
| Category:
Picture books, Music & imagination, Story, Ages 4-8, Children's books |
| Market price: ¥ 198.00
MSL price:
¥ 178.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
The interesting story about a clever, independent and busy piglet trying to form a band, with Mr. Falconer's vagarious drawings. |
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Author: Ian Falconer
Publisher: Atheneum
Pub. in: June, 2006
ISBN: 141692454X
Pages: 50
Measurements: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BC00206
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- MSL Picks -
The latest escapades of a precocious piglet and the mother who attempts to both nurture and civilize her opens on the morning of a fireworks display. The charcoal-and-gouache scenes with their signature red highlights on uncluttered white backgrounds depict Olivia's family, but readers are soon treated to a series of surprises that include the introduction of a new color (turquoise), collage elements, a fold-out, and full bleeds. When the protagonist declares that a band is essential for the evening's entertainment and that, lacking one, she'll fill in, her mother's thought bubble fills with a photograph of a leaping rock band; Olivia's depicts the marching variety. The fold-out starts with the heroine as the sole majorette and reveals a full-size band of Olivia's, with the score of a Sousa-like march printed boldly above. Falconer builds to a crescendo of two and a half pages that portray a picnic at sunset followed by a dazzling display of feathery fireworks. These compositions are predominantly charcoal; the family members, backs to readers, are outlined in the reflected yellow glow of an ascending rocket. The palette returns to the original color scheme in the denouement, a bedtime moment to which all ages will relate. With perfectly nuanced dialogue and a mixture of comical and artful scenes, Falconer explores the logic, invention, and humor emanating from a talented youngster, serious about the mission of the moment.
Target readers:
Kids aged 4-8
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Ian Falconer's original intention for Olivia was as a little Christmas present for his niece of the same name. The real Olivia is an extremely headstrong, imaginative child who, even at the age of three, could argue through any "inconvenience" to achieve her goal. At any rate, the drawings and the character became better and better. A couple of years later, Simon and Schuster caught onto Falconer's work and Olivia captured their hearts too.
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Everyone's favorite Caldecott Honor-winning porcine diva is back and with fanfare! There are going to be fireworks tonight, and Olivia can hardly wait to hear the band. But when she finds out that there isn't going to be a band, she can't understand why not. How can there be fireworks without a band?! And so Olivia sets to put a band together all by herself. Using pots, pans, her brother's toys, and even her father's suspenders, Olivia forms a band spectacular enough to startle any audience. Lavishly brought to life in Ian Falconer's signature style, and introducing an eye-catching shade of blue, here is Olivia doing what Olivia does best - making noise.
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| View all 5 comments |
Marc (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-26 00:00>
Ian Falconer's Olivia series just keeps getting better. It's so refreshing to see a kid's lit franchise where the work deepens over time. With the Olivia series, you don't get the sense the author is trying to cash in on a successful book with a series of uncreative knock-offs. Olivia decides to start a band. She has the idea that her whole family should participate, but their silent reaction- an illustration in which her parent's backs have slightly turned towards Olivia, the pets and infant fleeing- is momentarily crushing. But the charm in the Olivia series is the obstinate irrepressibility of her spirit. She's been told her commotion is like a room full of people, so she figures out that she can be a one person band. We get the classic Falconer spreads with inserted pictures, generous thought bubbles, Olivia picturing a marching band and her mother picturing something a little more hardcore. I guess if I had to come up with constructive criticism, I might point out the closer, which is a bit of an anticlimax, as Olivia lies in bed picturing herself as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. It's sort of clever, with a picture of Olivia amid photos of the real life justices in all their sinister splendor, sitting proper with the Dick Cheney/Doctor Evil hand-wringing thing going on. But it's clearly a joke just for the parents. The best part of the series is that it is artful and sophisticated enough to entertain parents while being a really fun kid's book as well. I just thought it was a touch of a let down, closing on a pure wink to the parents. The only other problem I had with it was a purely personal one; I can't really hold Mr. Falconer accountable. But there is a picture of Olivia's mother diapering the baby piglet. The baby piglet is lying supine, arms splayed, legs akimbo, and it caused a sudden flashback to the fetal pig I dissected in high school Biology. Kind of overwhelmed me for a moment, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't an intentional reference to my dear lifeless Wilbur... or was it? Overall, great book. The series continues to improve, there is something magical and yet so spot on real about Olivia and her family. All those details and complementary descriptions of the illustrations from the other reviews, I'll second those as well. I'll continue buying these books as quickly as they are published. |
Paul Barringer (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-26 00:00>
Fantastic colors and Olivia marches to a new beat. I love the introduction of the new colors and the use of collage in Mr. Falconer's drawings. The lipstick scene is hysterical. Clearly Olivia sees herself as a super model, but when she is yanked out of the bathroom we see that really the lipstick is smeared all over her face. Very funny. I also love the way Olivia just walks away from the band when its time to go to the beach. Kids are like that- they just switch to the new plan. Olivia is original, clever, independent and busy as ever! Can't wait for the Christmas book. |
S. Meehan (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-26 00:00>
As a preschool teacher and mom of a toddler, I am a huge fan of all the Olivia books. I think this one is by far the funniest. I cackled out loud as I read it in the bookstore. Anyone who has been around young children can relate to Mommy Pig's frustration that Olivia's obsession with the band consumes the house... up until the crucial moment. Then she's 'done' with it and leaves a mess on the floor. I love the little visual gags when she's borrowing Daddy's suspenders, and bribing baby brother with cookies and milk. Not to get too preachy, but I love that I can show my daughter that in all the books Olivia dreams of being something other than a Disney princess or movie star. Her final dream in this book is priceless. Look out, John Roberts! |
A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-26 00:00>
My now 2 year old daughter has been obsessed with Olivia for about six months now. We've read all of the books dozens of times so when Olivia Forms a Band was released, we made a special trip to the bookstore just to get this book - and it was worth it. She is even reading Olivia's and Ian's names and a few other short words in the stories now. In this book, she is particularly fond of the pages when Olivia is making all that noise with her band. Ian Falconer's little piglet never fails to present loads of teaching opportunities for toddlers. This book carries on that grand tradition. Olivia wants her family to be in a band with her for the fireworks, but no one wants to join her. She does not let that deter her, but decides to make her own one-pig band. She borrows and collects all sorts of noise makers and is very creative in choosing her instruments and putting the band together by herself. She also is clever in how she collects the instruments she needs. Instead of just grabbing the toys from her brothers, she trades them other things they want and remembers to say, "thank you." We have had a lot of talks about sharing, trading and "please" and "thank you" that this book helps to reinforce. Since I have to read these books every night, I appreciate the humor that is aimed at adults, and this book is no exception to Mr. Falconer's wry humor. I particularly enjoy Olivia's search for a matching red sock among the sea of red socks already on her bedroom floor. I also love Mr. Falconer's ability to understand and portray the mind of a small child. For example, Olivia, having made her band and played with it for a bit, is completely done with the band by the time the family is leaving for the fireworks - even though that was the reason she wanted the band in the first place. The pictures are spectacular, particularly the sunset at the beach and the fireworks, and my daughter and I both can enjoy these stories. This new Olivia story does not disappoint in the least and is a pure blessing for a mom that has been reading about Olivia every night for months on end. |
View all 5 comments |
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