Olivia Kidney

I decided to read Olivia Kidney, Ellen Potter's first book in the popular series partly because I wanted to see what all the hype was about and partly because I am currently also reading and greatly enjoying Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook, co-authored by Ellen Potter. While the front cover of Olivia Kidney proclaimed, "breathtakingly original debut", I was not prepared for just how original the book would truly be. 

In this realistic fiction novel, Olivia Kidney, a twelve-year-old girl who moves frequently, finds herself locked out of her new apartment. Not knowing her neighbors yet and with her dad, the apartment's superintendent, off fixing something who-knows-where, Olivia thinks she is destined for an afternoon of boredom sitting in the hallway. Little does she know the adventures that await her. From an apartment made of all glass to a princepessa to a goat to an evil pirate to an apartment-turned-rainforest, her afternoon is far from boring. Not only does she meet many of her neighbors, she also discovers their strange pasts and the bizarre connections that they have with one another. And, in the process, Olivia discovers more about who she is as a growing young person.

To say the book was full of unexpected twists would be an understatement. When I neared the end of the book, I found myself frequently flipping backwards to see where these surprising revelations had come from because I was just so caught off guard by them. Much to my amazement, however, there were clues all along that pointed to these very things. So, dear readers, keep a sharp eye when reading this book! You just never know what might happen or what seemingly insignificant details may hold the key to a secret!

In the end, I really liked the book, but I have to admit that as I was reading it, I was frustrated by its apparent lack of reality. I think that I expected it to be much more like real life than it was. However, once I finished it, I realized that it was incredibly relatable, regardless of the fact that it was sometimes a bit unrealistic. I will say, though, that I was not a fan of the illustrations. I thought that they were too cartoonish at times, detracting from the story rather than adding to it. Other than that, though, I would highly recommend this book for older elementary and middle school students, especially those who are undergoing many changes in their lives. Olivia Kidney provides just enough realism to be able to help these students relate but also just enough fantasy to allow them to escape from their challenging circumstances.