READ THIS: Olivia Series by Ian Falconer
Oh, how we love Olivia in my classroom! In this story, Olivia is going to see fireworks and proclaims that between her and her family, they should be the band. When that doesn't work, she decides to be the band herself. I love how this Olivia story incorporates music. I have fond memories of being in the band and this story was a perfect fit for me to read to my students. I want to pass the love of music on to my students. With some schools having to cut music programs, I'm glad that there are stories that students can relate to that show that music can be fun. After reading this story, my students wanted to create a classroom band. I could see the excitement in their faces when I told them we could spend a little bit of time every day to create a band. They have so much fun bringing in materials from home and making homemade instruments at school. Now that they have finished making instruments, they are using recess time to compose their own songs. It's creative stories like Olivia Starts A Band that make my job so much fun!
Ian Falconer’s OLIVIA Forms a Band is another great story in the Olivia series. In this particular story, we find Olivia the pig in an interesting situation. She’s going for to watch fireworks with her family and can’t believe there could be fireworks without a band. When her suggestion that she and her family form a band to perform is simply ignored by the rest of the clan, Olivia decides that she will “be the band.” And since Olivia is nothing if not determined when she makes up her mind, she goes about collecting all she needs from the house to assemble her very own one person band. And it works! My favorite pieces are the pot covers she wears on her feet. I’m just sure that every step she takes is like music to her ears! Of course, she drops the idea like a hot potato once her plan comes to fruition, and she never actually performs at the fireworks display. We haven’t heard the last of Olivia’s “music” though, as her mother unexpectedly learns while kissing her goodnight. As with other Olivia stories, I couldn’t help but find this stubborn and sometimes defiant little pig to be an endearing character who left me looking forward to her next adventure.
Olivia is a household name in our family. My Daughter, husband, Grandmummy and Nanny all love Olivia, the most precocious and particular little six year old girl pig. She has style, she has grace, she’s a piggy! Ian Falconer scored big with this true evergreen brand. By the way, how amazing is it that he both writes and does the illustrations. A double threat! The new book “Olivia Forms a Band” hit a perfect chord with me and my 2 year old daughter. Always the life of the party, Olivia decides to be a one woman band when she find out the fireworks show in her town will be lacking one. Her imagination takes her to new levels of outrageousness and creativity. As always she wears her family out and herself in the only the way Olivia can. You and your children will fall instantly in love with Olivia! Olivia for President…
***
The OLIVIA books by Ian Falconer
OLIVIA (2000)
A New York Times Bestseller for 107 consecutive weeks
A 2001 Caldecott Honor
A 2001 Book Sense Book of the Year
A USA Today Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An ALA Notable Book for Children
A Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of 2000
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2000
A Booklist Editors’ Choice
A Bulletin Blue Ribbon 2000
(Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)
An Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner
An ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice 2000
A Gold Award Winner, Parents’ Choice 2000 Awards Committee
A Child magazine Best Book of 2000
OLIVIA SAVES THE CIRCUS (2001)
A 2001 New York Times Best Illustrated Book
A 2001 New York Times Notable Book
A Los Angeles Times Best Children’s Book of 2001
An ALA Notable Book for Children
A Publishers Weekly #1 Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Book Sense ‘76 Selection
A Child magazine Best Book of 2001
A Nick Jr. magazine Best Book of 2001
A Working Mother Best Book of 2001
A 2001 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Seal Award Winner
A 2001 National Parenting Publications Gold Award Winner
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2001
OLIVIA . . . AND THE MISSING TOY (2003)
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) 2003 Gold Award
Nick Junior Family Magazine Best Books of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2003
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner
A 2003 Book Sense Book of the Year Nominee
Also available:
OLIVIA COUNTS (2002)
OLIVIA’S OPPOSITES (2002)
TEATRO OLIVIA (2004)
***
IAN FALCONER
Bestselling author, noted illustrator, and set designer Ian Falconer has had a varied career spanning the worlds of publishing, opera, ballet, and fine arts. Born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Mr. Falconer studied art history at New York University and painting at Parsons School of Design and Otis Art Institute. Under the direction of artist David Hockney, he collaborated on the costume designs for the Los Angeles Opera production of Tristan and Isolde (1987); served as co-designer (sets and costumes) with Mr. Hockney on the Lyric Opera’s production of Turandot (1992); and designed the costumes for the Royal Opera’s production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten at Covent Garden. In 1996 Mr. Falconer designed the sets for The Atlantic Theater’s production of The Santaland Diaries, written by David Sedaris.
For New York City Ballet, Mr. Falconer has designed scenery and costumes for Scènes de Ballet, for students from the School of American Ballet (1999), and Variations Sérieuses (2001), both choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. He also designed scenery and costumes for Boston Ballet’s production of Firebird (1999), also choreographed by Mr. Wheeldon. Falconer’s most recent theatrical project is Stravinsky’s Jeu de Cartes, choreographed by Peter Martins, which still appears at regional theaters throughout the country.
In addition to his stage work, Mr. Falconer has created more than twenty covers for the New Yorker magazine and has designed floats for the new Main Street Parade at Disneyland. He is the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling children’s books Olivia, a 2001 Caldecott Honor book; Olivia Saves the Circus, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2001; Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy, an American Booksellers Association Book Sense Book of the Year nominee; and the concept books Olivia’s Opposites and Olivia Counts. His most recent book is Olivia Forms a Band (June 2006).
