Olive and the Embarrassing Gift

K-Gr 2—Olive's friend Joe has made them matching hats that say, "BEST FRIENDS" on them. Unfortunately, they are not particularly flattering. As the two animals wander through town, their friends snicker at the hats while Olive tells Joe why she should remove it (not the right weather, doesn't want to lose it). When Joe stops to smell some flowers, Olive encounters more than just snickers: Matt says she looks silly, and Molly wants to know WHAT is on her head. Poor Olive is overwhelmed by the teasing, and when she hears someone else coming, she panics and tries in quick succession to eat the hat, cram it in her overalls, and, finally, stuff it in a trash can. Sadly, it is Joe, who can clearly see how she feels about his gift. Determined to make up for being such a bad friend, Olive retrieves the hat from the trash and makes a sandwich board sign proclaiming, "OLIVE AND JOE ARE BEST FRIENDS" and, looking very silly, wears them both past all their friends. Joe quickly forgives her with a big hug. As they walk away, readers see the back of the sign, which reads, "And Matt IS Silly!" The whole gang from the previous "Olive" books makes appearances. Lots of white space, vibrant colors, and spot-on facial expressions enhance the story. Good for starting class discussion on teasing and friendship, this is a must-have where the earlier books are popular.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH