April 1, 2024
A Portland, Oregon, girl pushes through doubt for a cause she believes in. Olive Blackwood, a Black seventh grader, looks at the world with a director's eye, just like her deceased dad did. But, unlike Dad, when Olive is center stage, her anxiety takes over. Luckily, her outgoing best friend, Kayla, has star power, making it easy for Olive to quietly blend in. When she's paired with confident Jo (who is vegan and uses they/them pronouns) and subdued David for her film class's competition, Olive will need to learn to trust her instincts if she wants to win and get her teacher's recommendation for a prestigious summer film camp. After Olive films an angry woman who's chasing a beaver--and the beaver is later found dead--she makes a short movie urging viewers to advocate for wildlife protection. Its success and impact motivate Olive to go off-script and start directing her own life. The issues that contribute to Olive's anxiety are woven throughout the book and are portrayed in a realistic way that doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable. The activism themes highlight the different means kids may take to effect change while also using technology responsibly. The supporting characters are wonderfully developed catalysts for Olive's emotional journey; Olive's story arc with Kayla frames the adolescent challenge of growing up with, apart from, and alongside childhood friends. Two thumbs up for this necessary novel about anxiety and self-advocacy. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)
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May 1, 2024
Grades 3-7 Twelve-year-old Olive loathes the spotlight but loves telling stories from behind a camera. She's eager to follow in her deceased director-dad's footsteps, and attending a prestigious summer film camp seems like the best way to pursue her passion. Everything seems to align when her beloved film teacher promises a personal recommendation to the winners of a class project, but her enthusiasm wanes as she struggles to connect with undesirable teammates. They find common ground on a surprising environmental issue, the legal killing of local beavers, but Olive is contending with increasing anxiety, competing friendships, and a distant mother. How can she find a balance while following her dreams? Olive is a wonderfully winning lead, and the diverse cast of supporting characters is equally interesting, including a confident nonbinary classmate. Vivid descriptions of panic attacks will resonate with young readers struggling with the same issue, and it's a thrill to watch Olive learn to speak up for herself and others. A stirring story that will give any film aficionado a boost of confidence and creativity.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
May 1, 2024
Gr 3-5-Twelve-year-old Olive Blackwood is an aspiring fantasy film director who dreams of attending an elite summer filmmaking camp. When her film teacher offers a personal recommendation to the group of students that creates a winning documentary trailer, Olive is thrilled-until she learns the groups and topic have been pre-selected. Around the same time, Olive witnesses a weird confrontation between an old woman with a frying pan and a beaver, then hears a news story about a beaver being killed. Olive is horrified to learn that killing beavers is legal in Oregon, despite the good they do for the environment. Through the course of the novel, Olive must battle anxiety to work with her groupmates on the documentary, build and repair personal relationships, and stand up for a cause she believes in. There's a lot going on in Thomas's second middle grade novel, and it's hard to pin down what the central conflict is. There is also a lack of nuance in the problems and the characters' responses to them. When Olive sees (and films) the old woman chasing the beaver, the old woman asks her to stop filming and call animal control. Instead of exhibiting curiosity about what might cause an elderly woman to chase a beaver, Olive repeatedly refers to the woman as a "crone" who is clearly in the wrong. Olive twice experiences misunderstandings with friends, and both times is given the silent treatment as an immediate response. At times situations are not fully explained, and at other times explanations feel forced and the dialogue rings false. VERDICT An important message about overcoming anxiety is muddled in a busy plot. Purchase for larger collections.-Lindsay Loup
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