Olivia

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



Olivia is an animated little pig. She is full of energy and loves to challenge her curiosity. No matter where she is she always finds new things to explore. After all the fun she has at the beach, museum, and at home her mom tells her it's time to take a bath and take a nap. At the end of the day she's ready to recharge and begin her new adventures again the next day.

Visual Elements: Color
The author uses the color red to emphasize what is important to Olivia.  Her red ball, yoyo, hammer and jump rope at the beginning show her favorite hobbies. Then we see that the red bow, lipstick, and shoes are something she should not be playing with. Her many red outfits are also meaningful to Olivia. Her red bathing suit, beach ball, and earplugs are important to take to the beach. Her pink skin obviously shows us she’s had too much sun! Her red painting of her and brother shows how much she loves her brother. The colors used in the art paintings at the museum were to show the beauty and creativity of the artist I think.  Of course the red paint on her wall shows how Olivia can be creative too! The red books show how much she enjoys her mom reading to her. This book expressed importance using the tool of a specific color.


Evaluative Criteria: Characters
Olivia the pig is about the same age as the children reading her story.  She does things normal kids her age would do, but what’s funny is she is a pig. Her with her red dress and her adventures as she tries to express herself through art, games, and family outings. Olivia is all about the character, her character tells the story.