Olivia Saves the Circus

Olivia #2

by Ian Falconer

A cloth-bound, slip-cased limited edition of 250 copies of Olivia Saves The Circus, numbered and signed by the artist. She's back...from vacation, that is! After Olivia has eaten a nice breakfast, done her sit-ups, push-ups, and touched her toes, she's ready to head back to school. When it's Olivia's turn to tell the class about her vacation, she describes how she single-handedly saved the circus. With all the performers out sick with ear infections, Olivia leaps into the ring because, after all, the show must go on. Ian Falconer's precious piglet will steal your heart once more in this follow-up to best-selling Olivia. This limited edition of the classic picture book is given the royal treatment, with a lavish cloth binding and slipcase, numbered and signed by Ian Falconer himself.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Humor, School, Storytime

44 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Ian Falconer is the author and illustrator of all the titles in the bestselling Olivia series: Olivia, Olivia Saves the Circus,Olivia...and the Missing Toy, and Olivia Forms a Band. His illustrations have also graced many covers of the New Yorker. In addition, he has designed sets and costumes for the New York City Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, and the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), among others. Mr. Falconer lives in New York City. (Simon & Schuster)

Reviews

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan. I get that it's supposed to be comical ... but lying isn't comical and putting it into story form so that kids can also think lying (or story-telling) is comical is not my cup of tea. Or disobediently jumping on the bed to end the story.

I could rant or explain, and maybe some day I will, about how I think it's kind of messed up and backward how parents will video their child throwing the most awful, screaming tantrums and then comment on how cute and funny it is. Or how hilarious it is for little children to swear. Facebook is full of it ... and maybe it's books like these that got us thinking wrong behavior is something to laugh about and not something to correct.

But like I said, perhaps I'll save this topic for later and take a closer, philosophical look at it in a blog post.

Ages: 4 - 8

**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!

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[booklady · Rating 1 out of 5]

Olivia doesn’t save anything. She makes up a story about being a one-person circus for her ‘what did I do on my vacation’ oral recitation in front of her class at school. Then when the teacher calls her out on it and asks her if it is true—which it obviously isn’t—she sticks by her story. When she gets home and her mother asks what she did at school, Olivia perpetuates the lie, by saying, “Nothing”. So, the entire book is a little girl going around making things up to the primary adults in her life with no reckoning or resolution. Not the type of book I want to read to any child! NOT recommended!

[oliviasbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I treated myself with a used copy of Olivia Saves the Circus, one of the two "real" Olivia books I didn't own yet, via Amazon. The story and the pictures are wonderful. I do love Olivia. In this volume she is supposed to tell her classmates about her holidays and spins a tale which revolves around her single-pawedly substituting all artists and clowns and animal tamers of a huge circus show, because the entire performing staff suffered from an ear inflammation and - certainly - because Olivia already knew how to do these things. I love the half-exasperated, half-speechless look of her teacher and her absolutely-pleased-with-herself stance. ENDEARING! That unafraid piglet should really become my role model.

My infatuation with my new old book made my astonishment even more heartfelt, when I turned the last page and found this - a hand-made card addressed to a previous owner:



It says "Dear Mira-Mouse, I hope that you will enjoy this new picture book. For your brother I have bought a pair of dungarees. I think that you will like the book. I am looking forward to being able to visit you again, when we have moved. Have lots of fun reading the book. Your aunt Sanne and Matze."

Since I've kept almost all my old picture books - and my childhood correspondence, too, I am wondering: Had Mira read the book at all? Did she read it only once and then forgot about the card? Did Mira like the book? Does Mira like her aunt? Does Mira miss the book and the card now? Has Mira's Daddy sold her book with or without consulting her? Strange this string of thoughts a card addressed to an unknown receiver can evoke. Absolutely strange.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 March, 2009

Olivia wallows in awesomeness. Mostly true. To the Best of my recollection.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are officially Olivia fans! Adiravke

[Matthew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Olivia was quite disingenuous in class, and that was very upsetting to me. Two stars.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

That hyperactive porcine wonder, Olivia the pig, returns in this second delightful picture-book devoted to her adventures, this time sharing a highly embroidered and imaginative retelling of her vacation experiences with her classmates. Attending a circus where all the performers are out sick with ear infections, Olivia the ever-ready steps in and performs ALL of the circus roles herself... or so she maintains when sharing the tale at show-and-tell.

Like its predecessor, the Caldecott Honor-winning Olivia , Olivia Saves the Circus features an imaginative and feisty young girl-pig, one who is headstrong but also essentially goodhearted. The artwork, done in charcoal and gouache, is absolutely lovely, capturing the humor of the tale perfectly. My favorite scene was the one in which the lion roars at Olivia, and she roars right back at him, although the exasperated expression on the face of Olivia's teacher is priceless as well. Highly recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed the first Olivia book, or who enjoys stories about imaginative and feisty young girls.

[Katsumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've never met--to my knowledge--but Ian Falconer evidently knew me as a child. I was (and still am) this little girl. Today, children have forgotten the beauty of pretending and playing make-believe. This book introduces children to the limitless possibilities and joys of imagination. TV and X-box cannot compare. This is a story about a creative little girl being a creative little girl.
I hope every child(my son included) continues to live with the spirit that Olivia embodies, creating their own world even as they learn how this world works.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia can always bring a smile to a reader's face. She has the best way of telling a story. And they are usually “pretty true”. This time she is out to save the circus. She flies on the trapeze, tames lions, and even puts on a dog show. I love the illustrations. Olivia books are usually black, red, and white, but this one changes to a salmon pink when she is talking about the circus. I wonder if that is Ian’s way of saying the story is “pretty true” but not fully true?

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone in the reviews ranting about and condemning Olivia’s “lying” must have completely missed the last few pages of the book, which hint at how Olivia uses the passing comments made by her mother to fuel her imagination and conjure up fantastical tales for her classmates. Where’s the harm in being a good storyteller? All of our retold experiences—even as adults—are, in part, fictionalized. Olivia’s just having more fun.

This book encourages children to embrace their imaginations, which is something my preschool students do every day to make sense of their lived experiences. Often, they process especially new or unique experiences by adding onto them or emphasizing certain details. These events are true in the child’s mind, as they saw them. They are not so much lies as they are a child’s aggrandized perspective. A trip to grandma’s becomes “going on the highway far away” without any destination in mind, and going on a plane might be “flying on a helicopter.” And perhaps there’s some merit in recognizing this.

This book is also an excellent and engaging introduction to essential circus acts, which I found extremely helpful starting off this week’s lessons on fairs/the circus.

[Sonsoles · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a nice book, I like it, but it wasn't as amazing as I expected.

Although the story is cute, I wasn't enthusiastic. Maybe because I have been spoken so well about this book that I had too high expectations, maybe because it's for too small kids for an adult to enjoy (which shouldn't be a problem to me, since I like kids books). Perhaps, simply, this story wasn't for me.

As I said, it has a cute ending and it's a nice beautiful story. But the end was too obvious and predictable and the story didn't have any kind of lesson or deeper reading nor meaning - hey, you may say "Come on, it's a children thing!" but you'd be surprised about how many books for children have deep stories that even adults can enjoy (and this doesn't apply only for books).

Of course you can take out futher ideas from the story, but they're not in the book, the story doesn't plant the seed for any futher thought, doesn't push the reader to any thinking. It's just enjoying what you are reading in that moment.

So, I can't say I didn't like it, but I couldn't go beyond the surface, that's why only 4 stars.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even more adorable than the original. Audiobook read by Dame Edna.

[Jennifer B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia tells some pretty tall tales in this one. She's a handful!

[Chance Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia, what a pip!

[Ananya Garg · Rating 5 out of 5]

very cute - love that Olivia is interrogating notions of truth

[Lydia Ware · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun. Not great on the moral lessons.

[Bix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another irresistible adventure featuring Olivia, from the 2001 Caldecott Honor Book of the same name. Olivia reports to her class the 'pretty much all true' story of her circus adventures, including performing as the Queen of the Trampoline."

CIP: At school, Olivia tells about her summer vacation and how, when she went to the circus and all the performers were out sick, she saved the day, becoming Olivia the Tattooed Lady, Olivia the Lion Tamer, the Flying Olivia, and more."

SLJ (Starred review): "Falconer has successfully sustained and built upon his delightfully original portrayal of the feisty Olivia, her vivid imagination, and her strong sense of self."

PW: "Could there be a more ideal place for Olivia than in the center ring under the Big Top?... This star's numerous spectators can only hope that she will have many encores. Ages 3-7."

[J9 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute story about Olivia, and I'm really starting to appreciate the illustrations of these books. An adorable story about our pig, Olivia, which has her telling her class about the day she saved the circus. My 5 yr old liked this more than my preschoolers, however, when the 2-yr-olds saw it later, they immediately recognized it and remembered the whole title. Turns out they were paying attention more than I thought they were.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this book very much. It was all about Olivia spinning a big tale to her class and saying that it was true. Lying is not a good thing to write about, because it makes kids think that it's ok to lie. Also, the part of her big tale included her being a naked "tattooed lady" for the circus. Not much of a fan of that artwork/illustration because it was very vulgar. She had her name tattooed down by her piggy parts...

[Ladiibbug · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun! I've seen the Olivia children's books, but haven't read any. I was delighted to discover that Olivia is a pig *happy dance*. I have a small but growing collection of pig-related things.

I've been an even bigger piggy lover since meeting several small piglet pets at my local feed store. They are darling, and so smart!!

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was better plot-wise than the other two I've read: at least it followed a day in her life, which made it feel less disjointed. The story she makes up about filling in for all the places in the circus when she is supposed to be telling a "true" story about her vacation is pretty cute.

I liked the variety with the colour--using pink in the circus scenes.

[Addison · Rating 4 out of 5]

My lovely sister-in-love Zola brought this one and read it to the local Headstart kids while we were volunteering. These books are adorable and the kids loved them. The black and white with selective coloring art style is also really nice.

[Sarah McRoskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Olivia Saves the Circus," by Ian Falconer is part of a classic series known to many. This book in particular follows Olivia, main character (and a pig), through her morning routine as well as a particular day at school presenting to her class. We get to see the inner workings of her brain and wonderfully creative imagination. Read this book if you're in the mood for a feel good, simple read, that will keep you engaged from cover to cover.

The major themes covered in this book include: individuality and the importance of imagination. We see how Olivia is able to add her own personal style and flair to her "boring" uniform, communicating to kids that it is ok and rather encouraged to express themselves how they please. They also touch on the theme of creativity and imagination and show just how much fun it can be to let your brain run a little wild sometimes!

I gave "Olivia Saves the Circus," by Ian Falconer a 5/5 star rating. This is a classic book that never gets old to its readers and keeps them eager until the end. This is a must read, "just good book" that I highly recommend to all people.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I am familiar with the series but had yet to read this one in particular. I loved the use of imagination and individuality and can absolutely see these topics being useful in the education of young children. I especially love the personal touch at the end that reads, "To my mother, who always, for better or for worse, encouraged me." This is so special because it makes authors, Ian Falconer, seem so relatable to the reader and Olivia.

I highly recommend this book to all children, parents, and educators. This is a feel good book with very useful and important themes highlighted throughout. This book could be very helpful when dealing with kids who are struggling with accepting themselves for who they truly are, especially when that is different from others.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Olivia Saves The Circus by Ian Falconer, the second book in the delightful Olivia series.

In the morning, Olivia wakes up and makes breakfast for her new little brother, William, and her old little brother, Ian. This is a big help to her mother, and she only dirties ALMOST every pot and pan in the kitchen to do it (leaving them piled up in the sink for Mommy, of course). Then Olivia gets dressed for school; she must wear a boring uniform, but she can always accessorize… with every accessory she owns. At school, it’s presentation day, and Olivia is excited – she is at her best with an audience. She tells them the absolutely 100% true story of the time her mommy took her and Ian to the circus, but all the performers were sick, so Olivia performed every single act (perfectly, of course – she’s an expert at practically everything). Her teacher expresses his stern disbelief in the accuracy of Olivia’s story, but Olivia is unperturbed; that’s how it happened, to the best of her recollection anyway.

As with the first Olivia book, this one is just pure fun. Between the dry, deadpan narration and the hilarious dialogue, Falconer perfectly captures the mind of an imaginative and precocious little girl, and with a huge personality and a flair for the dramatic, Olivia jumps off every page. The art is lovely as always, using the Falconer’s signature spare palette of white, black, gray, and red to create grand and sensational environments. The length is perfect for little readers, and JJ always loves an Olivia story. An entertaining jaunt through the imagination of a clever little pig, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all about Olivia's journey to the circus. It starts with Olivia making breakfast for herself and her brothers but not cleaning up her mess. Then it shows Olivia's bright red clothes all over her floor and her holding up her boring uniform she has to wear, but she accessorizes it with her bright red bows, purse, and leggings. Her teacher asks her what she did over her vacation and she tells this story. Olivia tends to make up stories so the teacher has to check a lot to make sure she was telling the truth. The whole book contains the colors of red, black, white, and orange and black stripes for the circus tent. She starts by saying how all the circus people were out sick with ear infections. So she decided to step in and run the circus because she says she knows everything. She was the tattooed lady, the lion tamer, tight rope walker, walked on stilts, juggled, was a clown and rode a unicycle. A whole bunch of animals were shown at the circus. Lions and Elephants. One of the pages is a flip book. You open the page and discover more to the picture. Its a timeline of each thing olivia did. She was flying and it shows her landing on the trampoline and then bouncing up and then back down. It's almost like you are being transported back to the 40's or 50's and you're reading this on a rainy day. This book is cute, adorable, and fun! A lot of the illustrations are surrealism because Pigs don't go and save the circus and pigs do not have human qualities. I really love this book and love how exciting it is and how it really can take you to another place. Its almost like you are traveling through time with this book.

[Ramey Bourlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
Olivia Saves the Circus is a book about a very imaginative little girl pig who has to tell her class about her vacation. She tells a tall tale about how she and her mom and brother went to the circus but that all the circus people were sick, so Olivia had to save the show. She tells the class about every part of the show she participated in. Towards the end of the book, you discover that all of this was in Olivia's imagination the whole time.

Themes:
circus, imagination, fearlessness

Personal Response:
My favorite part of this book is the illustrations. Because they are so simple but use bold colors, I think this accurately describes Olivia's personality. The illustrations really depict her imagination and as a child, and for some reason, I always loved the use of the color red in these books. This entire series is very imaginative.

Recommendation:
Olivia's fearlessness in this book could be used to teach younger girls to also be fearless. I also think that she can teach young girls that anything they can imagine can be possible. Olivia is confident in everything she does and this can inspire girls to do the same.

[Kayla Figler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer is about a pig named Olivia. She goes to the circus and imagines herself in every position from tattooed lady to the dog trainer. Then you realize she is telling the class what she did on vacation. She tells them she was IN the circus. The illustrations are really interesting because it is all black and white except for the red things. This book would be good to use to talk about things from what you do to help at home, or to talk about why they only use the color red. I think that if there is a problem with kids over embellishing it could approach that topic. I think there is a difference between having an imagination and making things sound a little better, and over fabrication of the story. I like the Olivia books and think that the use of color is a big part of that.

[Samantha Ledesma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved these books growing up and returning to this specific title recently was definitely a treat. I love the way Olivia's imagination soars to new heights every time that she fabricates another fantastical story. As per usual, I really like how Falconer contradicts the pictures with his words just to highlight how far Olivia is stretching her imagination. I also love how the art style emphasizes how dramatic the titular character is with its liberal use of shading and vibrant splashes of red.

As a kid, I always liked the end scenes where Olivia was put to bed by her mom, but reading it as an adult, it does feel a little awkwardly tacked on since it's kind of removed from the narrative of Olivia sharing an "all true" story to her class. But considering the success of the book, I'm sure Ian Falconer doesn't need to take any cues from me any time soon.

[Elli Keefer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed after reading this book. I have never read any of the "Olivia" books, but always heard good things about them so when I saw this book at the Education Library I thought it would be a great option. While it was a cute read with cute illustrations, I just did not think the story itself was that great. Olivia goes to the circus and plays the roles of the characters that were out sick. Sh trained dogs, was the queen of trampolines, walked on stilts, and more. She ultimately lies to her classmates about what she did and I don't think that is a good lesson to teach students. The illustrations were also bland and only had 3 colors. The red, black, and white would not keep students engaged in my opinion. Overall, I think middle elementary students would like to read this story quietly, but I would not choose it to read again.

[Laurel Krause · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia Saves the Circus is one of the books in the Olivia Series. Olivia is a young, wild, creative child who loves make up stories. When her class returns from vacation she is first to share her story. She tells everyone how she went to the circus but their were no performers. So she had to be the lion tamer, to rope walker, the elephant rider, and the tattoo lady. None of her classmates believe her. When she goes to bed that night she has a dream just like that.

I give this book a 3/5 stars. It is a creative book that allows kids to pretend like they are Olivia if they are similar to her. The illustrations were very well done which makes the book seem real. I wouldn't use this book in my classroom but I would read it to my child.