Olive, the Other Reindeer

 Review

Common Sense Media says

New holiday classic starring a spunky, imaginative dog.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents should know that kids who love wordplay will especially love this very original book, which has a pop-up version and is also now a movie.


What's the story?

When Olive overhears people singing along with the Christmas song, "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer," she mishears the words. Instead of "all of the other reindeer," she hears "Olive, the other reindeer." From then on, she is convinced that the song is about her. Coupled with her own big imagination, that is enough to set off a long chain of events that include joining Santa's team, almost causing his sleigh to crash, collecting flutes in the snow, and ultimately saving Christmas and leading Santa safely back to the North Pole.


Is it any good?

 

From the lovable main character and her very original story to the uniquely crafted illustrations, this book is fun, fun, fun. Every kid will relate to Olive, even though she is a silly little dog. She is cute and friendly, a canine with a huge heart and an imagination to match. And, while those are the characteristics that lead her on her unlikely adventure, her other abilities, those common to dogs, are the ones that make her a hero in the end. She sniffs out the falling gumdrops and saves everyone, fetches flutes in the snow and, following the scent of baking cookies, leads the sleigh back home through the fog.

Though Olive's story is rather silly and very far-fetched, it's playfully humorous. And the illustrations, which Seibold draws on the computer, complement it perfectly. Light-hearted and expressive, his contemporary style adds color and originality to the whole Christmas scene.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

Families can talk about Olive's confusion. Why did she suddenly think she was a reindeer? Is this anything like the original Rudolph story? How? How is it different? Families will want to sing the old favorite "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer" -- with changes of course.


This review of Olive, the Other Reindeer was written by
Parent of 8 year old
September 18, 2009
 
holiday classic
Olive is a sweet dog. She embodies the holiday spirit. This is the rare book that has a positive message for the kids and will absolutely entertain the adult reader too.
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Kid, 11 years old
May 17, 2009
 
Oliver
I think this book is a cute book for young kids it sends the message that you should always be your self.

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Parent of 3 and 8 year old
November 29, 2009
 
Looove it!
AMAZING book for the ages! i know my children will carry on the tradition of reading this fun uplifting, beautifully drawn book. I would buy one for everyone i know.
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Parent of 9 year old
May 11, 2010
 
Too cute!
My daughter and I love this book! I bought it for her the Christmas she turned four, and she still loves it. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and she loves the way Olive does his best to help out Santa. He stands out and uses his talents to the best of his abilities. I honestly admire Olive a bit, as I probably wouldn't have had the courage to try something as daring as that. Addison admires Olive as well, too, and thinks he's adorable. She still asks me to read this to her every Christmas, and it's gotten to be a sort of tradition in our house. Overall, it's beautifully drawn and very nicely written. A great children's book.
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Teen, 13 years old
December 21, 2010
 
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for tweensfavorite book
Boys love this book. It is good to see a dog think she can fly. The book is funny.
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Adult
December 15, 2010
 
Surprisingly fun story even if you're not a kid
Although I'm a little surprised there isn't a review for the 45-minute film adaptation. That was also a lot of fun. (And surprising that Matt Groening made it) Honestly, I highly recommend both this and the movie. Both are absolutely brilliant in their own right and can appeal to both kids and adults in their own right.
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This review of Olive, the Other Reindeer was written by
Authors:J. Otto Seibold, Vivian Walsh
Illustrator:J. Otto Seibold
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Holiday
Publisher:Chronicle Books
Publication date:October 1, 1997
Number of pages:40
Publisher's recommended age(s):5 - 7
Read aloud:5 - 5
Read alone:7 - 7

This review of Olive, the Other Reindeer was written by
 

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