Olivia Bean Trivia Queen
By Terreece Clarke,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun story of tween girl getting her shot on Jeopardy!
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What's the Story?
Olivia Bean never misses an episode of Jeopardy!. She used to watch it all the time with her dad, but since the divorce and his move across the country, Olivia prefers to watch it alone. Her dream is to land a spot during Kids' Week and impress her dad by winning. She gets her shot, but worries she won't have what it takes. Her family, icky neighbor, and even her mom's hairy boyfriend band together to help Olivia look inside herself to find the confidence she will need to take on Jeopardy!, her dad, and geography!
Is It Any Good?
Author Donna Gephart has created a rich, fun, believable story with a heroine readers can identify with easily. Everyone has had embarrassing moments in school they think they'll never live down, and everyone worries that when their big shot comes they may fall flat. Olivia tackles it all -- including family issues -- with courage, typical tween grumbling, and a few tears.
This is the kind of heartwarming story kids will love because it has great characters, a believable dialogue and fun and sometimes gross trivia facts. Parents should be prepared to talk about different kinds of families and maybe infidelity, as it becomes a key plot point in the book.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about divorce and what makes up a family. Do you have friends with nontraditional families?
Families can also talk about hobbies. Olivia loves trivia and longs to compete on Jeopardy! Do you have a hobby? What's the coolest thing you could do with your hobby?
Do you think getting on a TV show is good goal to have in life?
Book Details
- Author: Donna Gephart
- Genre: Family Life
- Topics: Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Delacorte Press
- Publication date: March 13, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 17
- Number of pages: 288
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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