Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tale about patience is perfect for beginning readers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Ollie's an egg who isn't quite ready to hatch, but Gossie and Gertie are impatient. They have been waiting for weeks for Ollie to arrive, but instead he rolls around, hides, and refuses to come out. Can Gertie and Gossie help Ollie come out faster? Will poking and listening to Ollie help?
Is It Any Good?
Whether waiting for a new sibling to be born, a pet kitten, or a drink of juice, kids will relate to OLLIE, a delightful book about waiting, patience, and the fact that life can't be rushed along. The key here in the Olivier Dunrea series about Gossie and Gertie and friends is the calm, gentle attitude these characters often express toward the many frustrations of being their age, which is synonymous with the frustrations of toddlerhood.
With simple, spare ink-and-watercolor illustrations and repetitive text, the story is an easy beginning reader that kids will find amusing and relatable, while parents can enjoy its Zen-like approach to everyday frustrations.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about waiting. Do you like to wait? What do you do to pass the time when you have to wait?
Can you explain what made Ollie's egg hatch? What do you think makes an egg ready to open up?
What else could Gossie and Gertie do while waiting for Ollie to hatch?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Olivier Dunrea
- Genre : Board
- Topics : Friendship , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HMH Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : August 25, 2003
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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