Ollie's Odyssey
Common Sense says
- William Joyce
- Fantasy
- 2016
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Ollie's Odyssey, from popular author-illustrator William Joyce, is an appealing, heartfelt story full of nuanced positive messages. It's sure to resonate with many kids -- and be too much for others. In lively, literate, funny text and illustrations, Joyce takes his heroes -- a 6-year-old boy and his stuffed-toy companion Ollie, his BFF from birth -- to dark, scary places made all the more frightening because the inhabitants have one thing in common: forgetting, and often being forgotten by, those they loved. In real life, Billy and Ollie are threatened with separation, as the expectation looms that Billy will grow up and forget his beloved toy, and it's that fear that drives them to heroic deeds in their quest to find and save each other. There are strong messages of kindness, courage, the redeeming power of love, and standing by your friends, even when they do things you don't understand. Sensitive kids and those who are scared of clowns might want to skip this one, as the villain is a clown and some of the images, while humorous, might be scary. There's one occurrence of "damn," as the characters quote Admiral Farragut's "Damn the torpedoes! Full steam ahead." The language and illustrations are a natural for reading aloud to kids who aren't quite ready to read this themselves.
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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
Themes & Topics
For kids who love stories of adventure and friendship
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.