Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Imaginative boy goes down the drain on fantastic adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Oliver is full of questions. How do planes stay in the sky? Could a penguin live in the refrigerator? When he hears a gurgling tub drain, he wonders if there's a hungry monster in the pipes. Mom won't let him try feeding it a banana, so he makes a cardboard submarine and dives down the drain … and discovers a lively group of vacationing penguins. It's been a fun trip, but Oliver knows his mom will miss him. Could the penguins help him find his way home?
Is It Any Good?
OLIVER is a delightful book to read together: Kids and parents will see a bit of themselves in both Oliver and his mom. He's a whirlwind of happy energy, drawing up plans and taping things together and jumping off walls. His loving mom is busy, too, hanging the laundry, cleaning up from lunch, and hoping to get in a nap.
Judith Rossell's whimsical artwork -- a blend of watercolor, pencil, and collage -- brings the story to life. Preschoolers will enjoy pointing out recurring elements: Broccoli for lunch reappears as trees, the challenge to get airborne leads to a spread involving jet packs, and Oliver's cardboard submarine has an early cameo as refrigerator art.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about finding the answers to questions. If you're curious about something, how can you learn more?
Oliver found out "everything he could" about wings before trying to build his own pair. Why can't Oliver -- or penguins -- fly?
Preschoolers might want to go on their own adventure, like Oliver. Parents can supply a large box, scissors, tape, and markers, and then step back and let their child's imagination take over. Another good project: Grab pen and paper, and make up a down-the-drain adventure together.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Judith Rossell
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date : May 8, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 7
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Hardback
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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