Olivia

by Ian Falconer, Ian Falconer (Illustrator)

Overview

Have fun with Olivia:

• dressing up
• singing songs
• building sand castles
• napping (maybe)
• dancing
• painting on walls
• and -- whew! -- going to sleep at last.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689829536
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	10/01/2000
Series:	Olivia the Pig Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	9,590
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 11.27(h) x 0.32(d)
Lexile:	AD470L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Ian Falconer is a painter and illustrator whose illustrations have graced many covers of The New Yorker magazine. In addition, he has designed sets and costumes for the New York City Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, among others. Olivia is his first children's book. Mr. Falconer lives in New York City.

Hometown:

New York, New York

Date of Birth:

August 25, 1959

Place of Birth:

Ridgefield, Connecticut

Education:

Studied art history at New York University and painting at Parsons School of Design and Otis Art Institute

Table of Contents

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Dame Joan Sutherland Every granny will recognize and love Olivia and her theatrical desires!

Hilary Knight Eloise has met her match! We love Olivia!

Mikhail Baryshnikov Many dream of dancing on the stage, but Olivia has the legs for it.

David Hockney Olivia's grasp of abstract composition is extraordinary for a six-year-old.

Gloria Steinem At last, a pig with self-esteem!

Interviews

Ian Falconer Talks About Olivia

Q. We know that the Olivia books are about your niece, but are there any autobiographical parts as well? If so, what?

A. Of course. One always draws on one's own experiences as well. I was always a very busy child -- making things.

Q. How did you decide to portray Olivia as a pig?

A. Pigs are very intelligent creatures. They seem to have a more human quality than, say, chickens -- like dogs.

Q. Were you surprised by Olivia's enormous success?

A. Yes. I was completely overwhelmed.

Q. You have worked in a wide variety of artistic media, including set design, costume design, magazine illustration, and book illustration. What do you like best about creating children's books?

A. I've always felt that children's books are for the most part condescending toward children and miss how smart children are. Their little hands and mouths may not be able to articulate what is going on in their sharp little brains. Writing children's books is an opportunity to express this, and it seems to be appreciated by both children and adults.

Q. Olivia's family plays a supporting role in both books. Are any of the characters in Olivia's family based on your own family?

A. All of the characters are my sister's family: my niece Olivia's parents, her two little brothers, and their cat and dog. But they are all just peripheral. It's really all about Olivia -- at least in her mind!

Q. Why did you choose to illustrate Olivia in only black, red, and white, rather than in full color? And what is the significance of the salmon color in Olivia Saves the Circus?

A. By eliminating most colors, it helps you focus on facial expressions and graphic situations without a lot of color and details obscuring the basic emotional architecture of the story. Salmon comes from Olivia's dream-world palette. More theatrical.

Q. The work of Jackson Pollock has become instantly recognizable to young children since your inclusion of one of his paintings in Olivia. How did you come to select that painting in particular?

A. Because most kids would look at it and say, "I could do that in about five minutes."

Q. Many people have remarked upon the unusual portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt on the wall of Olivia's bedroom in Olivia Saves the Circus. Why did you select Mrs. Roosevelt to be featured in the book and why this particular portrait of her?

A. I chose Eleanor Roosevelt because she is a great role model and because it's totally absurd. This particular picture is animated and funny.

Q. What were some of your favorite books as a child?

A. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. Higglety Pigglety Pop! And Eloise, of course.

Q. What artists do you consider to be your greatest influences?

A. Picasso and Matisse (although you wouldn't know it from the books).

Q. Did you have a favorite pet as a child? Do you have any pets now?

A. Yes. A dachshund named Runzel and a seagull named Henry.

Q. You had a seagull?

A. I found it after it had been abandoned, so it was semi-wild. Eventually he was released into the wild.

Q. Did you particularly like the circus as a child? Did/do you have a favorite circus attraction?

A. Yes, I enjoyed the circus. There was an old clown named Lou Jacobs in the Ringling Brothers circus who did an act as a hunter with a dachshund dressed as a bunny rabbit.

Q. Did you ever tell an outlandish "show and tell" story of your own?

A. No, not that I remember. Although I had a very active imagination, I was very shy in front of other people. (But I dressed up a lot.)

Q. Where is your next Olivia book going to take your heroine?

A. Only Olivia knows!

Editorial Reviews

Dame Joan Sutherland Every granny will recognize and love Olivia and her theatrical desires!

Hilary Knight Eloise has met her match! We love Olivia!

Mikhail Baryshnikov Many dream of dancing on the stage, but Olivia has the legs for it.

David Hockney Olivia's grasp of abstract composition is extraordinary for a six-year-old.

Gloria Steinem At last, a pig with self-esteem!

From the Publisher

"Eloise has met her match! We love Olivia!" --Hilary Knight

A new and unexpected heroine emerges with the irresistible Olivia. Olivia is a spunky little pig with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. Her daily activities of singing the loudest of songs, creating art on walls, and building skyscrapers do not tire her in the least. Rather, when it is time for bed, she asks for a plethora of books to be read! Olivia's mom, on the other hand, is drained. Parents and kids alike will marvel at Olivia's abounding energy and her mom's abounding patience and love.

barnesandnoble.com

"Eloise has met her match! We love Olivia!" --Hilary Knight

A new and unexpected heroine emerges with the irresistible Olivia. Olivia is a spunky little pig with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. Her daily activities -- singing the loudest of songs, creating art on walls, and building skyscrapers -- do not tire her in the least. Rather, when it is time for bed, she asks for a plethora of books to be read! Olivia's mom, on the other hand, is drained. Parents and kids alike will marvel at Olivia's abounding energy -- and her mom's abounding patience and love.

Readers will be equally enchanted with the book's illustrations. Using simple black and white with splashes of red may sound a bit harsh for a child's eyes, but simplicity, detail, and humor go a long way. Olivia appears at the beginning of the book standing and listening to headphones that are bright red. She then dresses herself in a very smart sailor dress that is, yes, red. Throughout the story, Olivia is shown engaging in her many activities, of which the only colored highlight is a shade of red. Perhaps this serves to counter the active and supercharged (but lovable!) antics of Miss Olivia. In any case, it just works -- wonderfully. Favorite images include Olivia visiting the museum with her mom and brother. Standing in front of a Jackson Pollack painting she declares, "I could do that in about five minutes." And when she she gets home, she gives it a go with some crayons and her bedroom wall. Olivia, you're one heck of a pig.

bn.com Review

Equal parts endearing and impetuous, Ian Falconer's acclaimed star, Olivia, appears in an unabridged board book version of the Caldecott Honor title. In our Best Books citation, PW wrote, "With a masterful use of black line, a minimum of details, a judicious use of the color red and a few choice words, Falconer invents an unforgettable porcine heroine." Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Olivia is a masterpiece of simplicity that portrays the complex, imaginative psyche of children. Olivia's boundless energy tests her mother's patience and her little brother's endurance, while wrapping herself into the reader's heart. Deciding what to wear takes a full page of choices, all executed in charcoal and gouache with highlights of red. With humor and honest emotions, Olivia is "every child" who accepts Degas, Jackson Pollock and Maria Callas as equals. Her bedroom walls reflect her Pollock phase, which causes Mom to say, "Time out!" When Olivia negotiates with her mother over the number of books to be read at bedtime, every parent smiles. Olivia is a Caldecott Honor Book that proves the maxim that "less is more." 2000, Antheneum, $16.00. Ages 4 up. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman

Children's Literature

This modern classic is available as a book plus CD. The work of Ian Falconer comes together with the haughty voice of Dame Edna and interludes of classical music that give movement to the illustrations. For instance, the spread of Olivia trying on all of her clothes is accompanied by a dizzying flurry of music. Also, while in the museum, Olivia dreams of being a ballerina while Tchaikovsky plays on. Dame Edna's signature voice sounds just right for a little pig that is all at once exhausting and adorable. The only downside to this recording is that it does not include cues for the page turns, sometimes leaving the reader behind in the action. Overall this is a very enjoyable pairing that will delight many new and old Olivia fans. Reviewer: Tiffany Torbeck

Children's Literature - Tiffany Torbeck

PreS-Gr 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 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.-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

School Library Journal

Not only is this one terrific picture book, but it's Falconer's first...Illustrations are stunning, done in stark black and white with splashes of true red. Together, the words and pictures evoke smiles, giggles, and a rare but thrilling sense that this book may be absolutely perfect.
— The Christian Science Monitor

Karen Carden

Falsoner, whose work has appeared on New Yorker covers, has given her [Olivia} so much porcine panache that she would win over even the strictest parent. Most of the time.
— Time

Richard Corliss

High energy piglet Olivia excels at all kinds of things, especially wearing people out. A charming tale sure to strike a chord with the grade school set.

People Magazine

Even before her story begins, readers are following Olivia as she leaves a trail of clothes that she has eschewed in favor of the outfit du jour for her auspicious entrance on the title page. Rarely have readers seen a pig with such joie de vivre and panache. The brief, declarative text is an unadorned introduction to a character who will gain instant recognition and quickly be taken to heart. The story very simply follows the irrepressible Olivia (along with her somewhat forbearing family) through a typical day from morning to night, with excursions to the beach and the art museum. A delicious irony is established between the spare, deadpan text and the ever-ebullient and excessive Olivia. "Olivia gets dressed. She has to try on everything," says the text. Thus begins a parade of 17 outfits and 17 poses on a double-page spread. While young readers will love picking their favorite among the 17, by far the funniest is Olivia in her pantyhose. Much of Olivia's personality is conveyed through her generous, expressive, and slightly quizzical mouth, as she ponders a Degas at the museum or suffers the indignity of a "time out" after re-creating a Jackson Pollock on her bedroom wall. Characterizations are deftly accomplished with minimal line. Illustrations are rendered in charcoal and gouache in black, white, velvety gray with lipstick-red accents. Flawless decisions in composition and page design, generous white space, and a few exaggerated perspectives add much to the book's distinction. Although the most visual weight is given to Olivia, just waiting on the sidelines is Olivia's little brother Ian. New fans of Falconer can only hope Ian will soon star in his own book.

Kirkus Reviews