Olive's Ocean

Rating:
Summary: A Treat for Fans of Kevin Henkes
Review: "Olive's Ocean" is a story of self -discovery and personal changes wrought by tragedy. The main character, twelve-year-old Martha Boyle, begins her journey when her classmate Olive dies suddenly as the result of a bicycle accident. Until Olive's mother shows up at Martha's doorstep with Olive's journal page, Martha doesn't realize what an impact she had on her classmate's short, lonely life. This realization makes Martha think about her past, present, and most importantly, her future. During summer vacation at her Grandmother's ocean-side home, Martha learns a lot about life, death, love, and family.

This book is beautifully written in a very conversational style that makes the reader feel like he or she is seeing the world through the eyes of a twelve-year old girl. The pages are full of vivid images that will stay with you long after reading the book. As the story unfolds there are times of great joy, sadness, and confusion. This book will definitely cause self-reflection. My only caution about sharing this book with the recommended age level of 9-12 year olds is that it contains some curse words and a few crude remarks that I felt were inappropriate for elementary readers. However, overall "Olive's Ocean" is well worth reading and would be nice for parents to share with their preteen children.

Rating:
Summary: Another Side of Kevin Henkes
Review: As a fan of Kevin Henkes' picture books, I was eager to read this novel. It didn't disappoint. The sensitivity that peeks out from behind the whimsy in Henkes' picture books is given a chance to shine in Olive's Ocean.

Just before leaving on her family's annual summer trip to Cape Cod, 12-year-old Martha receives a strange gift -- a page from the journal of a dead classmate she hardly knew. Upon reading the dead girl's words, Martha becomes haunted by the knowledge that she and this girl were so much alike, they could have been friends. She's determined to do right by Olive, who was friendless in life, and she's determined to find herself in the process as well.

Martha achieves both goals, not without a few stumbles and setbacks along the way. Martha has a lot to think about -- boys, her aging grandmother, her father's obvious unhappiness with his chosen occupation (writing) and her excitement and uncertainty over her own chosen occupation (writing!).

There is a certain epiphany about three-quarters of the way through the book that I feel comes too fast and too easily, but it's forgiveable because the rest of the book rings so true.

This book reminded me of a sort of "beginner" version of one of my favorite books in the world -- "A Ring of Endless Light" by Madeleine L'Engel. "Olive's Ocean" is great for 10-year-olds and maybe even some eight-year-olds, whereas I'd give "A Ring of Endless Light" to kids ages 12 and up, and maybe a few astute 10-year-olds.

It's wonderful to see another side of Kevin Henkes. There was already no doubt that he and his colorful books are here to stay, but this piece in a more muted palette is beautiful as well.

Rating:
Summary: Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
Review: Author - Daniel Handler. Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.

Publisher - HarperCollins, 2002

Short Summary - A page-turner of a detective story, the book attempts to solve multiple mysteries, not the least of which could be, "Who is the author of this book, and can the author be trusted?" The reader becomes the spy, who follows clues found in various narrative threads. The result is a scrapbook-like top-secret file of artifacts for examination. As a fusion of genre, perplexing evidence crouches in familiar formats recognizable as pieces of letters, sheet music, theatrical scripts, photo-journalism, newspapers, secret codes, treasure maps, booklists, obituaries and revised diary manuscripts. In the end, the reader is left with unanswered questions, such as: "Is there anything a concerned citizen can do if he or she wants to help the Beaudelaires?" Both the hope of resolution and the burden of proof pass to the reader, upon joining this peculiar spy ring brotherhood. Initiates inherit a set of crucial tools of discovery and the passwords, "The world is quiet here." Join at your own risk. 212 pages

Brief Evaluation - "What can be hidden in a book?" Here's a book intended to stretch every reader's ability to find out. Junior High School-aged readers will be challenged, as a willingness to venture beyond oneself produces a much deeper sense of satisfaction in this reading experience. The results of any call for "thumbs-up" or "thumbs-down" on this book remains thoroughly dependent on the reader's level of literature appreciation. Recommendations using VOYA evaluation codes: 5 for Quality/ 2 for popularity. A superior book for younger readers with an interest in knowing more about literature and literary pursuits. An enjoyable, helpful book for readers learning to improve critical literacy skills.

Read Aloud Pages - ix - xvi, and discuss the reversible cover
Literary Principle - allusion

Rating:
Summary: Olive's Ocean Is A Bit Shallow
Review: I just finished "Olive's Ocean" a few days ago. It's a sad book about a girl named Martha who spends her summer with her family at her grandmother's after finding out that a girl in her class died. She never really knew the girl, because she was shy and new in her class. Her rather odd mother brought her a page of Olive's journal because on it her daughter wrote that she hoped to get to know Martha that summer because she seemed like one of the nicest people she'd ever met. Olive haunts Martha as she discovers that her grandmother isn't immortal, boys can bring you joy and heartbreak, and that people you don't even notice may care for you most. This is a journey of discovery as Olive deals with the problems within her family, while battling with her decision to become a writer. The writing stlye is VERY simplistic though. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I was a bit younger. It was a REALLY quick read. I would have liked it if the chapter's were a bit longer too. Check this one out from the library. It's good, but not good enough to buy...

Rating:
Summary: one of the best
Review: Olive's Ocean is a great book about a girl named named Martha who has a complicated life. After Olive, a girl in Martha's class, dies in an accident, Martha feels somewhat guilty. In Olive's last journal entry she hoped for three things: she wanted to become a writer, she hoped that one day she could go to an ocean, and she wanted to become friends with Martha. Now Martha is trying to fulfill Olive's dreams for herself, and Olive.
This book has won the Newbery Honor and captures the hearts and minds of girls ten-fifteen who also cherished the book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.
Kevin Henkes is a great fiction author who writes books for all ages. His writing is award winning from Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse to Olive's Ocean.

Rating:
Summary: enjoyable quick read!
Review: Olive's Ocean is about Martha and her eventful summer at her grandmother's place. The story starts off with the death of a girl named Olive. Martha realizes only after Olive's death that they both were very similar and could have been friends. Martha keeps getting "haunted" by Olive's death and later in the book she does an interesting deed for her based on Olive's diary entry which is what the title of this book is named after. The rest of the book is mostly about Martha's summer with her grandmother and how she changes as a person after Olive's death and after that summer.

Olive's Ocean is easy to understand and is written quite well. The characters are described very well and the style of writing is impressive. The length of the book is also just right so the story doesn't drag on and get boring. The story is also quite entertaining. All in all, Olive's Ocean is an enjoyable and light hearted quick read.

Rating:
Summary: A Bittersweet Slice of Life
Review: When Martha hears the tragic news about the death of Olive, a shy girl in her class, she is astonished to discover Olive's unspoken wish to be her best friend. As Martha is haunted by the friendship she never had, her family plans their annual summer vacation to visit Martha's strong and intelligent grandmother, Godbee.
This is one book for kids where the adult characters are just as complex and interesting as the children are. Godbee and Martha's mother and father have conflicts and issues that play out in the margins of Martha's narration. This perspective makes the family very realistically drawn.
Martha and her brother hang out with the neighbor boys, and Martha develops her first crush. While the plot seems to lose direction after he betrays her by videotaping their poignant first kiss (the Olive thing really never goes anywhere), Henkes still keeps readers compelled with his detailed evocation of Martha's inner emotional life, the family's love for each other, and her relationship with Godbee.
Don't read this book for the plot, read it for the memories and feelings it will evoke of summer vacation, first crushes (and first heartbreak) and the bittersweet first awareness of how short life is.