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Olivia Sharp, Agent for Secrets #2
The Princess of the Fillmore Street School
Perfect Desiree seeks the help of wealthy problem solver, Olivia Sharp, in becoming princess of the school.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1989
7 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
253 books117 followersMarjorie Weinman Sharmat was an American children's writer. She wrote more than 130 books for children and teens and her books have been translated into several languages. They have won awards including Book of the Year by the Library of Congress or have become selections by the Literary Guild.
Perhaps Sharmat's most popular work features the child detective Nate the Great. He was inspired by and named after her father, who lived to see the first Nate book published. One story, Nate the Great Goes Undercover, was adapted as a made-for-TV movie that won the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival Award. Sharmat's husband Mitchell Sharmat expanded Nate's storyline by creating Olivia Sharp, his cousin and fellow detective. Husband and wife wrote four Olivia Sharp books published 1989 to 1991. During the 1990s, their son Craig Sharmat (then in his thirties) wrote three Nate books with his mother. In the late 2010s, their other son Andrew Sharmat co-wrote the last two Nate books written while Marjorie Weinman Sharmat was alive. With Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's passing in 2019 Andrew has continued writing the series with Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot (2021).
In the mid-1980s Sharmat wrote three books published in 1984 and 1985 under the pseudonym Wendy Andrews.
Sharmat also wrote the Sorority Sisters series, eight short novels published in 1986 and 1987. They are romantic fiction with a sense of humor. They are set in a California public high school (day school for ages 14 to 18, approximately).
Perhaps Sharmat's most popular work features the child detective Nate the Great. He was inspired by and named after her father, who lived to see the first Nate book published. One story, Nate the Great Goes Undercover, was adapted as a made-for-TV movie that won the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival Award. Sharmat's husband Mitchell Sharmat expanded Nate's storyline by creating Olivia Sharp, his cousin and fellow detective. Husband and wife wrote four Olivia Sharp books published 1989 to 1991. During the 1990s, their son Craig Sharmat (then in his thirties) wrote three Nate books with his mother. In the late 2010s, their other son Andrew Sharmat co-wrote the last two Nate books written while Marjorie Weinman Sharmat was alive. With Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's passing in 2019 Andrew has continued writing the series with Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot (2021).
In the mid-1980s Sharmat wrote three books published in 1984 and 1985 under the pseudonym Wendy Andrews.
Sharmat also wrote the Sorority Sisters series, eight short novels published in 1986 and 1987. They are romantic fiction with a sense of humor. They are set in a California public high school (day school for ages 14 to 18, approximately).
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 21, 2022
Olivia Sharp is an Agent for Secrets (whatever that means) and takes on a client, Desiree, who wants to be the Princess of Fillmore Street School. And do, Olivia does what she can to help Desiree while also trying to please her other friends.
This was a cute book for young readers. Olivia is ridiculously rich but generous and not too spoiled, making her a rather likable character.
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Part of a personal challenge to read all of my boyfriend's and his sister's childhood books before we donate and give them away.
This was a cute book for young readers. Olivia is ridiculously rich but generous and not too spoiled, making her a rather likable character.
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Part of a personal challenge to read all of my boyfriend's and his sister's childhood books before we donate and give them away.
May 28, 2021
kinda gay which is good. i feel like the note in cursive was a bad choice for this book as i struggled with it at 20; i don’t know if very young kids would be able to read it.
i dont like the rich agenda or “if you have money you’ll be able to buy a solution to all your problems” moral, though.
i dont like the rich agenda or “if you have money you’ll be able to buy a solution to all your problems” moral, though.
December 19, 2016
Olivia Sharp, the cousin of detective Nate the Great, lives in San Francisco, where she is an Agent of Secrets. This means she helps other kids solve their secret problems. In this, her second case, she encounters Desiree, whose secret problem is that she desperately wants to be princess of her school. Olivia is skeptical that a school actually needs a princess, and she decides to help Desiree with her real problem, her desire to be a princess in the first place.
This tongue-in-cheek chapter book shares much in common with the original Nate the Great series, including the sophisticated and somewhat condescending tone of the main character’s voice, the types of “cases” solved, and the slow, logical unveiling of clues and information that lead the reader to the story’s conclusion. This book is also heavily illustrated, like those in the Nate the Great series, though, alas, not by Marc Simont.
What struck me most about this book is that it provides a refreshing alternative to the typical princess stories marketed to little girls. So many books celebrate fanciness, party dresses, glitter, and the color pink, but not every little girl is interested in reading about those things. Olivia Sharp is much more levelheaded than her princess-obsessed client, and I think her reaction to Desiree’s princess behavior is in complete agreement with what real kids would do in her situation. Olivia, who lives in penthouse with mostly absent parents, might not have much in common with her readers in terms of lifestyle, but in terms of her attitude toward princess-hood, I suspect she will find many sympathizers.
Another great thing about this book is the writing itself. I love the details the authors use to develop their characters. I love how much we can understand about Desiree when we learn that she needs to have her money ironed before she can spend it. I love the notes Olivia writes to herself, especially this one on page 10 which made me laugh aloud: “Desiree has a problem, but it isn’t what she thinks it is.” I also love Olivia’s ultimate conclusion that “when a school has a principal, it doesn’t need a princess, too.” The plot in this book is a little thin, but the telling of the story more than makes up for it.
I am a little bit puzzled as to why Olivia can’t just be a detective like her cousin, since it doesn’t seem like an agent of secrets does very much in comparison to a junior detective who solves mysteries in his neighborhood. Still, despite the oddness of her title, Olivia is a character with a great personality whose intelligence and wry observations about the people around her cause her to stand out as a unique voice in early chapter books. Readers who like mysteries will probably also like Olivia’s cases, as they are similarly structured to mystery stories for this age group. Fans of Mercy Watson, A to Z Mysteries, the new Amelia Bedelia chapter books, and the Something Queer books (remember those?) will love Olivia, as will their parents.
This tongue-in-cheek chapter book shares much in common with the original Nate the Great series, including the sophisticated and somewhat condescending tone of the main character’s voice, the types of “cases” solved, and the slow, logical unveiling of clues and information that lead the reader to the story’s conclusion. This book is also heavily illustrated, like those in the Nate the Great series, though, alas, not by Marc Simont.
What struck me most about this book is that it provides a refreshing alternative to the typical princess stories marketed to little girls. So many books celebrate fanciness, party dresses, glitter, and the color pink, but not every little girl is interested in reading about those things. Olivia Sharp is much more levelheaded than her princess-obsessed client, and I think her reaction to Desiree’s princess behavior is in complete agreement with what real kids would do in her situation. Olivia, who lives in penthouse with mostly absent parents, might not have much in common with her readers in terms of lifestyle, but in terms of her attitude toward princess-hood, I suspect she will find many sympathizers.
Another great thing about this book is the writing itself. I love the details the authors use to develop their characters. I love how much we can understand about Desiree when we learn that she needs to have her money ironed before she can spend it. I love the notes Olivia writes to herself, especially this one on page 10 which made me laugh aloud: “Desiree has a problem, but it isn’t what she thinks it is.” I also love Olivia’s ultimate conclusion that “when a school has a principal, it doesn’t need a princess, too.” The plot in this book is a little thin, but the telling of the story more than makes up for it.
I am a little bit puzzled as to why Olivia can’t just be a detective like her cousin, since it doesn’t seem like an agent of secrets does very much in comparison to a junior detective who solves mysteries in his neighborhood. Still, despite the oddness of her title, Olivia is a character with a great personality whose intelligence and wry observations about the people around her cause her to stand out as a unique voice in early chapter books. Readers who like mysteries will probably also like Olivia’s cases, as they are similarly structured to mystery stories for this age group. Fans of Mercy Watson, A to Z Mysteries, the new Amelia Bedelia chapter books, and the Something Queer books (remember those?) will love Olivia, as will their parents.
February 18, 2011
***REVIEW RATED NC-17***
This book is fucking retarded. It's about a snotty brat who lives in a mansion and just so happens to be a "detective" who "solves" cases for the other snotty brats who go to her school. In this particular case, a blonde Miss Perfect is getting on everybody's nerves because she wants to be Princess of the school and has started redecorating and kids are tripping over flowerpots and shit. Detective Whatshername is tasked to put an end to the madness. She does. But only after giving Miss Perfect a hundred bucks and driving her around in her limo a couple times.
So, the moral of the story is... Hell, I have no idea.
This book is fucking retarded. It's about a snotty brat who lives in a mansion and just so happens to be a "detective" who "solves" cases for the other snotty brats who go to her school. In this particular case, a blonde Miss Perfect is getting on everybody's nerves because she wants to be Princess of the school and has started redecorating and kids are tripping over flowerpots and shit. Detective Whatshername is tasked to put an end to the madness. She does. But only after giving Miss Perfect a hundred bucks and driving her around in her limo a couple times.
So, the moral of the story is... Hell, I have no idea.
January 7, 2023
Desiree has a problem, but it's not what she thinks it is.... Can Olivia, with the help of her loyal cook Mrs. Fridgeflake and chauffeur Willie, help the wannabe princess and save principal Baybreath's school?
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Reread:
Clever and creative, and funny. "Sometimes being rich helps. Sometimes it doesn't." I like that there's a distinction made between being a detective, an agent for secrets, and a spy. I like that nothing is ever as easy as it seems at first, but Olivia persists.
Best if read in order, but not necessary. I wish there were more.
(same review for each)
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Reread:
Clever and creative, and funny. "Sometimes being rich helps. Sometimes it doesn't." I like that there's a distinction made between being a detective, an agent for secrets, and a spy. I like that nothing is ever as easy as it seems at first, but Olivia persists.
Best if read in order, but not necessary. I wish there were more.
(same review for each)
December 4, 2013
This was ridiculously easy to read, which could be motivating for a new or struggling reader. Overall, it shares a couple basic yet important lessons to be learned (described here with the help of some text-text references): 1) Mo $, mo problems, and 2) We'll never be royals...it don't run in our blood. A youngster could also just read this for sheer entertainment and would likely give it a thumbs up.
August 9, 2013
Haven't seen this series for early readers. Olivia Sharp is Nate the Great's cousin and boy, are they different! Instead of solving mysteries, Olivia is the agent of secrets, has a housekeeper and chauffeur at her beck and call, drives around in a limo, and wears a boa. Cute series that I think my 2nd graders would enjoy and handle on their own.
August 11, 2012
Olivia is back and this time has been hired to help a girl become princess of her school. The problem is, the school doesn't really need a princess and so it's up to Olivia to save the day. A cute and funny story about the cousin of Nate the Great.
April 2, 2008
Olivia's lesson...sometimes money buys trouble.
December 9, 2017
I did not like this book because I would NOT like to be a princess. I also did not like this book because I did not like the part when Desiree became a princess.
July 9, 2022
Cute
March 19, 2024
Kids loved reading about Olivia Sharp after reading the Nate the Great books.
November 17, 2011
Our girls (especially our youngest) love the Nate the Great books by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. And we enjoyed the somewhat bizarre tales when he interacts with his cousin, Olivia, like Nate the Great Talks Turkey and Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective, and Nate the Great on the Owl Express. So we thought we'd check out this series, too.
Overall, I wasn't all that impressed with this story. But our girls liked it, and as we're almost to the end of the Nate the Great books, I was glad there was another series with a connection to Nate. The story was a bit pointless, with a little girl deciding to become Princess of a school and Olivia who is as rich as Eloise, but older and with more cash at her disposal. There was no mystery to solve; instead Olivia acted as more of a personal image consultant. I'm sure we'll read more of these books, but I'm glad there are only four in the series.
Overall, I wasn't all that impressed with this story. But our girls liked it, and as we're almost to the end of the Nate the Great books, I was glad there was another series with a connection to Nate. The story was a bit pointless, with a little girl deciding to become Princess of a school and Olivia who is as rich as Eloise, but older and with more cash at her disposal. There was no mystery to solve; instead Olivia acted as more of a personal image consultant. I'm sure we'll read more of these books, but I'm glad there are only four in the series.
February 9, 2013
Ok read, sentences extremely short. Lacks a lot of fluidity throughout
May 18, 2016
Nate the Great has a cousin Olivia!
November 3, 2016
I liked this book because I like mysteries. I also liked this book because I like books about problems.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews