Ollie's Odyssey

Product Information

Dinosaur Bob fans should rejoice: in his latest work, Joyce pulls out all the stops and introduces the weirdest family since his Lazardo clan. The doctors did many tests on Billy, mostly to see how large this hole was and if, as one doctor said, “It was something to be really worried about. While undoubtedly inspired by many classics of the genre (like The Velveteen Rabbit or The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, or the comic The Stuff of Legend, Omnibus One amongst others), this book manages to both revere that comparison, while at the same time breaking free to tell it's own story. How did he go from being a favorite game at the carnival to the toy seeking revenge on favorite toys?

Under the right circumstances a toy can become so very much more than something to be played with or amused by. It wore a blue-striped hoodie and a red scarf around its neck and had a simple, hopeful face that gave the impression of friendliness. Joyce (the Guardians of Childhood series) delivers a deliciousremix of classic movie and storybook themes: imprisoned toys, talking junkyardfriends, and a doll lost a generation ago. The themes of love, loyalty, bravery, and remembering were inspiring, especially because of the age of the characters.It looks a little young for 9-12 year olds to pick up, because of the pictures and the length, although I think kids this age would really enjoy it. As Billy’s mother stitched the last stitch in Ollie, her mind was filled with a thousand memories of Nina.

I can picture parents having as much fun reading this to kids as kids would have reading it themselves. Discuss the change in dynamics between Billy being the protector of Ollie to Ollie being the protector of Billy. Readers know that he has been abducted by miniature mechanical henchmen and taken to the lair of Zozo, an eerie clown ruined by his own bitterness. When Zozo'sarmy of Creeps ("stunted, scroungy creatures" made from bits oftrash) "toynap" Ollie, Billy sets out with his lightsaber and somesnacks to rescue him. They do everything together, go everywhere together (so long as their mom says so), and to Billy, Ollie is so much more than a simple toy.I'm just about a third of the way though this but am enjoying it thoroughly and looking forward to hand-selling this.