Olivia the Spy
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4.5 • 39 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Everyone’s favorite pig is about to have a birthday…but will her penchant for eavesdropping lead to more than presents?
Olivia’s birthday is days away. Plans must be made. Who makes plans? Moms! Who simply must know the plans? Olivia, who is NOT above eavesdropping. But when she not-so-accidentally-but-kinda overhears her mom talking about her not-so-squeaky-clean-and-possibly-very-bad-behavior, Olivia’s imagination runs wild…because it sounds like not only will there be no birthday, but Mom might just be sending her to military school instead. What a BAD birthday that would be!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Olivia is back after a five-year absence, and at first glance she seems as fierce as ever ("Mommy, I know how to use the blender," she says, before wreaking blueberry smoothie havoc on the kitchen). But Olivia soon senses that in her mother's eyes, a kind of behavioral Rubicon has been crossed; desperate to learn more about her fate, she resorts to domestic espionage. Falconer's elegant charcoal and gouache drawings are a sight for sore eyes, and he comes up with wonderful camouflages for his heroine, including one involving a Rothko-like painting. Olivia overhears the word "institution," deduces that it refers to prison, and for a few important pages thinks that she has been beat. Seeing Olivia cowed, submissive, and sadly packing her suitcase for what she believes is a trip to the Big House may surprise her diehard fans, but it's soon revealed that the institution in question is the ballet, where she, of course, steals the show. Falconer leaves no doubt that Olivia emerges from her dark moment of the soul ready to tackle whatever seizes her attention next. Ages 4 8.
Customer Reviews
Written by my daughters
This book is very nice & funny. It taught me a lesson that I should not eavesdrop or spy.
She’s back in all her porcine glory!
Olivia is back in all her porcine glory! I’m a big fan of Olivia and was thrilled to see her in a new caper. This time she feels the need to eavesdrop on her mom’s conversations and it leads her to fear the worst. She learns that partial truths and misinformation can lead to insecurity and suspicion. Ian Falconer’s illustrations masterfully set the tone for his text and Olivia once again steals the (ballet) show.