Olivia Forms a Band
By Ian Falconer
Atheneum, $17.95
50 pages, ISBN 141692454X

Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews

Pigs. They're a staple of children's literature, from the three little pigs to Charlotte's Web's Wilbur. But this little piggy truly marches to the beat of her own drum. In her fourth picture book, after having introduced herself (Olivia), saved the circus (Olivia Saves the Circus), and found her missing toy (Olivia… and the Missing Toy), Ian Falconer's inimitable Olivia forms a band.

My mother always said we kids should learn to make our own good time, and boy does Olivia have that lesson down pat.

The family's preparing to go see the fireworks and Olivia asks her mother about the band. Her mother replies that she doesn't think there will be one. Some discussion ensues, and finally:

"Fine," said Olivia. "I'll be the band."

When her mother remarks to Olivia that bands are usually made up of many people, she's ready for that, too:

"This morning you said I sounded like five people!"

Clever and resourceful, Olivia does indeed form her own band, collecting improvised instruments via many an assorted scheme.

Changing her mind about bringing her one-piglet band to the fireworks at the last minute, Olivia picnics together with her family and then enjoys the fireworks, dramatically illustrated on fully dark pages that illuminate the silhouettes of Olivia and her family.

Back at home, the tired children are put to bed, Olivia with a reminder to put her band away. Which, of course, she doesn't -- leading to her long-suffering mother's comedic participation in Olivia's band.

Precocious enough to amuse the grownups and well-versed enough in children's ways to relate to young readers, Olivia's charming determination and humorous missteps will make kids and parents smile.

With his trademark limited color scheme, Ian Falconer illustrates an Olivia that jumps off the page. A dynamic series of single and sequential illustrations per page and several instances of collage-style photo usage make for effective storytelling using visual humor to add to the textual humor, although I'm not sure very young kids will get every "joke". For example, when Olivia's mother pictures her daughter's band, she envisions a sort of rock band (illustrated by a photo) while Olivia sees herself in a marching band (illustrated by another photo). It's funny to adults, but I think it would depend on the age and experience of the child for a young reader to see that same humor in it.

Falconer carries over several themes from previous books, familiarity that will immediately engage young readers. The color scheme and style is consistent with Falconer's other books, as is Olivia's mother's warning that it's too late for book reading before bed tonight. (Readers of Olivia will surely remember her aggressive bedtime story negotiating with her mother :

"How about four?"

"Two."

"Three."

"Oh, all right, three. But that's it."

Olivia's extremely popular in my house, but I do wish she'd stayed with the band a little longer -- after all the storytelling about forming her band, to have her abandon it at home at the last minute felt awkward, although this is not to suggest that the story suffers from it in any way. Falconer's book does continue with Olivia and her family at the fireworks, and brings it full circle back to the band (albeit briefly) at the end.