Ollie's Odyssey
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Illustrated stolen-toy tale has heart and scary scenes.
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What's the Story?
When Billy was born, the doctors said he had a tiny hole in his heart. His mom coped by making him a fine, one-of-a-kind stuffed toy, whose heart was the bell she'd saved from her own favorite doll, Nina, who fell apart many years ago. Billy's own heart was soon pronounced well enough for him to go home, and the toy, named Ollie, became his inseparable friend. But now it's six years later, and the threat hangs over them that Billy will grow up and forget Ollie, because, as they both admit, they never see grown-ups with toys. There's another threat, too: The villainous Zozo the Clown, a long-abandoned carnival attraction who went to the dark side when he lost the doll he loved, makes it his life work to steal away the favorite toys of kids, and he's set his sights on Billy's. When Zozo's evil mini-robots kidnap Ollie, Billy disobeys his parents and sneaks off in the dead of night to find and rescue his best friend.
Is It Any Good?
Kids will hold their favorite toy a little tighter as they follow William Joyce's tale of two lifelong companions, suddenly torn apart and determined to get back together. OLLIE'S ODYSSEY takes its title character, a handmade stuffed toy, and his boy, 6-year-old Billy, to dark, scary places in the course of their adventures, brought to life by Joyce's clever prose and colorful illustrations that range from cute to creepy. It also offers strong messages about kindness, bravery, teamwork, loyalty, doing the right thing, and never forgetting those you love. While the story's human protagonist is 6 years old, its emotional terrain is complex and sometimes treacherous as Billy grapples with deep issues, such as the difference between real life, pretending, and just plain lying and the wrongness of forgetting what's important:
"The kid was so sad that Billy felt sorry for her. Really sorry. Almost as sorry as he felt for the lost dog he saw one day when he was riding somewhere with his parents. They were in a whole different neighborhood, and the dog wanted to cross the street but was scared and shivering and skinny, and Billy yelled at his dad to stop the car so they could help the dog. But his dad said the dog would be fine. Billy wasn't so sure about that. And he thought that maybe grown-ups pretended, too. But that grown-up pretending seemed more like lying than pretending sometimes. Billy still worried about that dog. Even though he'd only glimpsed it for a few seconds, Billy knew he would never forget it. Not even when he was super old, like fifty. Or maybe even older. He would remember that poor, skinny dog forever."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories about kids and their relationships with their favorite toys. Why is this such a popular theme for stories, and which other examples do you know? How do you think this one compares?
Some people think clowns are funny and kind; others think they're weird and scary. There are plenty of stories from each side. What do you think? Are there any clown stories you really like?
Do you think it's true that grown-ups don't have toys? Or maybe their toys are just different?
Book Details
- Author: William Joyce
- Illustrator: William Joyce
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Adventures , Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Atheneum
- Publication date: April 12, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 7 - 11
- Number of pages: 304
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 4, 2020
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