Olivia and the Missing Toy 奥莉薇的玩具丢了 9780689852916

Olivia,likemanyyoungpigs,experienceslifeveryintensely.Sheisutterlyobsessedwithhavinghermothermakeheraredsoccershirt(eventhoughtheteamcolorisgreen),until,ofcourse,shediscoversthatherfavoritetoy,herverybesttoy,ismissing,atwhichpointshebecomesutterlyobsessedwithfindingit.Shelooksundertherug,thesofa,andthecat.SheshoutsaccusinglyatbothheryoungerbrotherIanandherbabybrotherWilliam,whorespondswithanunsatisfactory"Woosheegaga."Thatnight(adarkandstormyone),shehearsahorriblesoundemanatingfrombehindacloseddoor,and,inadramaticsceneilluminatedbyherflamingcandelabraandshowcasedinafold-outspread,sheseesthefamilydogPerrychewingherfavoritetoytobits.Asdevastatingasthisistoapassionateyoungpig,"evenOliviacouldn'tstaymadforever."Shesewsupherdismemberedtoyandfallsasleepthatverynightcoziedupwithbothitandthetoy-wreckingPerry.TheNewYorkercartoonistandCaldecottHonorartistIanFalconer(Olivia,2001)fillshispageswithdelightfulvisualstunts,suchasthetime-lapsedrawingsofOliviawaitingandwaitingandwaitingforhermomtosewhersoccershirtandtheexaggeratedlyscaryshadowthetoy-eatingdogcastsonthewall.Oliviafanswillrejoicetoseetheirfavoritepigbeingherusualextremeself.(Ages4to8)--KarinSnelsonFromSchoolLibraryJournalKindergarten-Grade3-Oliviaisback,theindomitableindividualistnowcoaxinghermothertomakeheranewsocceruniforminred,notthe"reallyunattractivegreen"oftherestoftheteam.Duringthesewingsession,Olivia'sstuffedanimaldisappearsandthefearlesspigletmustsolvethemystery.Sheeventuallytracksitdown,butitisnowinpieces,courtesyofthedog.Olivia'stearsaresurprisinglyeasilydivertedbyherfather'sglibpromisefrombehindthenewspapertoreplaceitwith"theverybesttoyinthewholeworld,"buttheindependentprotagonistresewsitherselfandevenimprovesontheoriginal.Onceagain,theillustrationsarestylishandwitty,nowextendedbytheadditionofgreentoFalconer'strademarkcharcoal-and-gouacheblack,white,andredpalette.Theinclusionofphotographicreproductions(thesphinxinadreamandMarthaGrahamonthebedroomwall)addsanicecontrast,andtheendpapersshowacomicstripofthelittlepigtryingtogethertoytositup.ThechangesinthesizeofthetypefacetoindicatevolumeofspeechasOliviainterrogatesherlittlebrothers,andasherdistressescalates,arehilarious.Buttheplotmeandersalittle,anditseemsasthoughFalconerislettingstyleovertakestory.Oliviaisindangerofstartingtoappearmorelikeabrattybullythanthecharmingnonconformistweknowandlove.Still,hermanyfanswillenjoythislatestadventureofthepigletturneddetective.