Olivia

Falconer, I., & Falconer, I. (2000). Olivia. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Olivia, a delightful little pig. . She's very good at lots of things, especially wearing people out and herself. When she gets dressed, she tries on everything; at the museum she stares at her favorite painting and sees one that she thinks she can do in five minutes at home so she tries.  Then spends time thinking about what she did.  At night she's ready to go to sleep, but only after four stories and I love yous.  And the next day begins again.

Visual Element:  Color

Color is used to convey emotion and symbolism.  In the case of Olivia, the combination of bright red against the blacks and greys of the illustrations serve to highlight her personality. In a world that may seem boring and predictably monochrome, Olivia is a flash of brightness and vibrancy that simply cannot be ignored.

Evaluation Criteria: Characters

Olivia is an absolutely memorable and delightful character.  Olivia, is insistent, humorous and honest. Her experiences are true to those of a small child. Her unique worldview and personality shine through the pages and are revealed in her dialogue, the way others interact with her and even through the illustrations themselves.

Book Resources:

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=5097&a=1