Olivia Helps with Christmas

Olivia #5

by Ian Falconer

Olivia Helps with Christmas by Falconer, Ian. Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers,2007, Binding: Hardcover

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Childrens, Holiday, Fiction, Humor, Animals

58 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 2007

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

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten all about this charismatic pig called Olivia, my daughter loved these books when she was little. Olivia is a little piglet who lives with her mum, dad and little brother, she is busy, helpful, talkative and excited about Christmas! These are nice observations of family life and the frenetic preparations for Christmas. Some funny scenes, and good illustrations. A pity the pig family eat a turkey for Christmas but other than that, nice animal friendly fun.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hyperactive porcine heroine Olivia returns in this fifth picture-book devoted to her continuing adventures, this time "helping" her family prepare for Christmas, as she eagerly awaits the arrival of Santa Claus. Whether it's detangling the Christmas tree lights, or setting the table for dinner, Olivia has her own way of doings things - a way that often leads to hilarity. In the end, despite some missteps, Christmas in Olivia's family is full of love and warmth...

Author/illustrator Ian Falconer continues to demonstrate an almost flawless grasp of picture-book creation in Olivia Helps with Christmas, which pairs beautiful and humorous artwork with an engaging, entertaining tale. Anyone who recalls the eager anticipation they felt, in the days leading up to Christmas, will recognize a bit of themselves in Olivia, as she continually keeps a look-out for Santa Claus. I found myself giggling at many of the scenes here, whether it was of Olivia helplessly tangled up in the lights - I've struggled to deal with Christmas tree lights myself! - or of the family dog Perry eating the treats left out for Santa. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other stories about Olivia, as well as to anyone looking for fun Christmas tales that capture the childhood magic of the holiday.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is so very helpful. I miss the brio, though. This Olivia is more conventional than the original. I want to see the cookies the one who built that sandcastle would decorate.

Library copy

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I liked this one even better than Oliva's debut. Such grand humor! (I love the part when the dad wants to build a fire in the fireplace on Christmas eve, Haha! And Olivia's mini tree was especially amusing since I'd just read "Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree") Any fan of Olivia needs to spend Christmas with her! If you haven't met her yet, what better time to start?

[Ty Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my last children’s book don’t worry. And it’s also very good. It’s like laugh out loud funny okay. For me. Maybe I’m just juvenile.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

How have I not reviewed this before? This is one of our all time favorite Christmas books! Olivia is at the height of her awesomeness at Christmas, and my daughter reads this book happily all year long!

[Zoë Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia is so iconic for getting her parents a giant portrait of herself & suggesting they hang it above the fireplace

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia puts a smile on my face. I wonder if I would have liked these books as a child. I like the art. The use of color. And the limited number of words on each page ... yet there are enough of them to tell the story. And I like snouts and trotters.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

My five-year-old can read this over and over and still laugh deep belly laughs at the same two pages.

I think this one is bound to become a classic.

[Kati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious.

[Kokelector · Rating 4 out of 5]

De eso libros e historias que se disfrutan a cualquier edad.
Es maravilloso poder leer algo ligero y divertido para poder preparar la energía para esta última etapa del año.

Aquí lo encuentres.

[Sara Lyakhov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

[amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das herrlichste Bilderbuch, das ich je gelesen habe! Man muss einfach laut losgrölen, weil Olivia so wunderbar unverschämt und genial ist.

[gabbieeeee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. i am olivia.

[booklady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, cute in parts, but do you want your child sawing off the top of the tree for a table decoration? Adult humor.

[Adriana Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text to teach connection:

While I wouldn’t use this book for educational purposes, it is such a fun read. I think children in a classroom would throughly enjoy this book during the holidays. We could talk about each of their holiday traditions, they could share what they look forward to about the holidays, and we could all get a glimpse into everyone’s home during the holidays. This would allow the students to get a little more personal with their classmates and create an overall feeling of safeness and excitement in the classroom.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get such a kick out of the Olivia books!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious. Though my enjoyment was somewhat marred by the behavior of my (momentarily) horrible children who absolutely could not (or would not) control themselves. Laughing is great, but really, they took it to an entire other level...

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a break during this busy holiday season, take a moment to read to a child. Olivia is feisty and imaginative and will give you a chuckle no matter how many times you read this one. She reminds you of the anticipation you used to feel as the days to Christmas are being counted down.

[Callie Risse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just as cute as the original Olivia book. My favorite part is when she cuts the top off of the Christmas tree to make a small, tabletop tree. Children will love listening to this story in December.

[CalamityMane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia really is a character. She "helps" at Christmas and, as ever, she makes her mark. Full of humour and funny little (what must be ) inside jokes. Wonderful illustrations throughout.

I would definitely make this an annual read.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia is a funny, little pig and this book is fun for children and adults! My boys (ages 4 & 8) both love this book.

[Nathan Meier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty fun! There’s lots of funny twists and turns. GLORIA!!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

one might argue best olivia book 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
up there with fairy princess

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

Hello, friends! We’re continuing our weeklong Holiday Countdown tonight with Olivia Helps With Christmas by Ian Falconer, a very merry Christmas story starring that precocious little pig, Olivia.

It’s Christmas Eve, and though Santa’s visit is hours away, there is still lots and lots to do. Olivia’s family must trim their tree, set the table, feed baby William, sing carols, and keep a sharp watch out for Santa, of course. Olivia does her best to help – in her own uniquely “Olivia” ways – with mixed results. No matter: when Christmas morning comes, there are presents to unwrap, snow to play in, and food to e- oh, wait, nevermind. Olivia and her brothers have already torn through their presents first. After a Christmas Day of play and festivities, Olivia settles in for a well-earned winter’s night, filled with dreams of dancing the Nutcracker Suite.

I’m kind of torn on this one. To be honest, I feel like we’ve grown a bit spoiled on how hilariously fun the Olivia books are, because while this one had some wonderfully whimsical moments, many of the jokes fell a bit flat. The illustrations were not my favorites of the Olivia series either – many of them are very dark, and it was difficult to tell Olivia and her brother apart from each other at times. Olivia and her fanciful nature are always delightful, and still one of the most accurate representations of how little ones move, talk and think in kidlit, but even her charming silliness couldn’t save this one from its duller aspects. The length was okay, but JJ seemed less than interested – very unusual for her with an Olivia book. As much as we love the clever little piglet, we weren’t wild about this one, but maybe your bookworm will feel different.

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

[Holly Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia takes on a new adventure in "helping out" the family with Christmas. The tailless piglet is again portrayed through slightly minimalist black, white, and grey renderings with pops of red, but this time with a Christmas green added in as well. Olivia tries to help out the family with household activities by entangling herself in lights, cutting off the top of the family Christmas tree, and feeding her baby brother a blueberry pie that he quickly spits-up all over the kitchen floor. Olivia also is seen keeping a close lookout for Santa's arrival by looking out their window into realistic snapshots of the outside environment, manning the fireplace, and checking outside her bedroom window for suspicious activity. The book carries the same illustrative and similar literacy stylings as the original Olivia; however, this Christmas version utilizes more color, words, and pages than it's first. The reader can take note of the reliance the words have towards the pictures as Falconer is short and purposefully vague in writing and loudly telling with considerable illustrations. The book overall has an illustrative and subtle comical appeal for readers to appreciate and possibly take a second look back at the book. The now five-member pig family is also seen smiling a bit more than the first tale, perhaps due to the Christmas holiday. Overall the book is a frolicsome and artistic tale of Olivia the ballet-loving and possibly unknowingly-mischievous piglet enjoying a family Christmas and "helping out" her loved ones in a not so helpful, but appreciated way.

[Sandy Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Olivia Helps With Christmas by Ian Falconer falls into the genre of picture books and is intended for two to six year olds. This book is about a young pig named Olivia who is eagerly waiting for Christmas morning and helps her family prepare for festivities to pass the time.

I gave this book 5/5 stars because it accurately depicts the excitement of children on Christmas Eve and how impatient they are for Christmas morning to arrive. The characters include Olivia, Olivia's mom, dad, and little brother. The language throughout the book is descriptive and the font used throughout the pages vary depending on the situation. All of the characters are black and white and the only objects that include color are the Christmas tree, ornaments, Christmas gifts, stockings, sweaters, and other objects that have to do with Christmas. The illustrations throughout the book vary, some are drawn and some appear to be real life pictures. I believe this book would be appealing to young readers because the children who celebrate Christmas might relate to Olivia since she cannot wait for Christmas morning and is doing everything she can to pass the time. I will definitely use this book in my future classroom because it can help educate kids who do not celebrate Christmas about the traditions that those who do celebrate the holiday partake in.

[Kendall Huizinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to fill time before Santa comes Olivia is eager to prepare for all the Christmas festivities. Olivia helped her family in any way she could, not always doing each task in the normal way. After a long day and night, it is Christmas morning and Olivia and her family enjoy a morning full of food and presents. Little does she realize the energy and effort she has put into the past two days, and by the end of the day, Olivia was ready for bed.

The major theme of this book is being helpful with anything that needs to be done.

I thought this book was a little hearted and good read. It was a great book to read during Christmas time to get families into the holiday spirit. When I was younger my sister and I would always want to help with everything just like Olivia. It is a fun way for children to see ways they can be helpful.

I recommend this book to an elementary audience. This book would serve as a good way to introduce family traditions during the holiday season or as a way to teach students about being helpful. This book does not have a main educational purpose but is a good book for children to be exposed to during the holiday season.

[Rachel Boruff · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Olivia Helps with Christmas” is a cute book about a young pig named Olivia. In this book, she helps her family prepare for the beloved holiday. The setting of the book takes place on Christmas Eve. One aspect that I enjoyed about this book is her desire to help her family with decorations and chores. This is something that I would love to show my classroom. Being respectful and helpful are both important qualities. I would like to read this book to my students and then have them write down what they enjoy about winter break and the holidays. One of the Common Core standards is to “use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons” CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.c. This is a good standard to use for this activity because it requires the students to give more detail. They might love the snow because they can go skiing. The word because allowed for more information to be added to the sentence.