What do you think?
Rate this book
Oliver
"How do planes fly?" "How does our fridge work?" "Can I breathe underwater like a fish?" Oliver is a curious explorer, so he asks a lot of questions. Then, one day in the bathtub, he hears a strange gurgle. "What lives down the drain?" he wonders. Soon Oliver is headed down the drain in his homemade submarine on a spectacular mission. But will this clever inventor be able to discover a way back? In this imaginative and funny adventure story, Judith Rossell introduces a lovable little hero whose curiosity leads him to extraordinary places.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2012
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 1, 2012
Going through the new picture books, I pulled this to read because I immediately thought of my friend Jen's son, Oliver. I haven't seen him since he was a few weeks old, but I imagine he is in the fun toddler stage of into everything. And with the intelligent, knowledgeable older brothers he has, I can imagine him in a year or two start wondering, imagining, exploring, and more. Of course, it isn't just her Oliver. It's all the little kids--especially boys!--that I know, or know of. Each one has a curiosity of the world around them and their personaility really shows in the way they go about satisfying that. I think this book reflects that time of life so well.
I would enjoy doing this more in a lap-read or suggesting as a read-alone since I'm not quite sure how I would read it in a storytime.
I would enjoy doing this more in a lap-read or suggesting as a read-alone since I'm not quite sure how I would read it in a storytime.
May 19, 2012
Grades Pre-K to 2. This book reminded me a little bit of Where the Wild Things Are... with inventions. Oliver is very curious. He wants to learn how to fly, wonders if penguins could live in his refrigerator, how fish can breathe underwater-- and what the noise in the bathtub drain is. He's always making a mess with his experiments, and his mother is tired. She tells him to do something quiet while she rests. Draw. So he does... and takes an adventure to discover the answers to all of his questions. Cheerful drawings and relate-able story makes this a good choice for an invention/inquiry introduction.
October 14, 2015
Oliver by Judith Rossell is adorable, warm, and chock full of imagination. The pure magic and joy of learning and exploring can be found in Oliver’s story. I loved every page!
Oliver likes to ask questions---lots of questions. Why, how and what? And then he sets out to learn and discover anything and everything about the world around him. From broccoli to penguins to what’s down the drain!
”I’m going to find out what’s down the drain,” he said.
Did you hear me, Mom? I’m going down the drain.” Haha...
Inventions, art, drain gurgles and more! Come see what Oliver finds down the drain.
Highly recommended adventure.
January 24, 2013
Oliver is an imaginative, curious boy, and I was drawn to him from the very beginning of the book when he found out all he could about wings (made cardboard wings and strapped them to his arms) but already knew a lot about Band-Aids. His mother has some great lines, too. At one point she suggests he take a nap. His reply is, "I'm not tired." To which she says, "I am. Do something quiet." His quiet activity takes him on a great imaginative adventure....or was it just his imagination? Wonderful book - the text and art work together beautifully.
October 23, 2013
What a wonderful story! So cute and a story any kid can relate to! Oliver is a curious kid with a vivid imagination that will have your kids falling in love with him! A book my 5 yr old as well as my twin 3 yr olds loved. A solid reading level 1 book, this cute story keeps all ages engaged with the bright colorful pictures and cute story. My 5 yr old liked it so much, he asked for more by this author. A great addition to any children's library.
July 3, 2012
It begins with a Oliver's essential question (Jim Burke): "How do planes stay up in the sky?"
When his mother answers, with a mouth full of clothespins, "Wings," the curiosity is piqued and a delightful book about curiosity, exploration, tests and trials. . .and penguins with jet packs begins.
What I really like about OLIVER is the comic pacing of the book that would lend well to reading aloud with purposeful pausing before page turning. On one page, the text reads:
"Oliver found out everything he could about wings."
On the next page (cue the bell chime here)it reads:
"He already knew about Band-Aids."
Let's talk about Common Core State Standards for just a moment. This kind of simple set-up affords the ability to introduce inference (after you have finished the reading, please). Go back. Point to the text. Read the prior page. Turn the page. These are important skills for younger readers. The answer seems simple to experienced readers, but this kind of skill is needed again and again as readers grown and develop. Why did the author make this statement? What has transpired between asking the questions and where we find Oliver, aside a crumpled set of cardboard wings, checking his forearm?
Another celebration of OLIVER comes of the mother, who we get in voice only. She is off-stage calling out responses to Oliver's questions. Her responses are those of a mother who embodies patience and long-suffering even when Oliver becomes a little frustrated with the limitations put upon him in the name of maternal wisdom (no, we should not be poking bananas down bathtub drains to see what's down there). There is comic timing here too, even when we don't see the mother on the page. When the mother suggests that Oliver "Get dry, get dry. How about a nap?" Oliver responds, "I'm not tired." And here is where we see the reality of life with the curious. . .
"I am," said Mom. You do something quiet. Do some drawing."
I love that this interaction reads like a quiet exasperation. Think the mother from the Bill Watterson strip, Calvin and Hobbes. Here, the mother is tired, but she offers an alternate activity that plays right into one of her son's personality traits. And the banana stays on that page the whole time through the drying and dressing phase.
Oliver builds a cardboard submarine based upon his own design, complete with Rossell's delightful child-like renderings of Stick-Oliver and the types of fish he may see when he is underwater. Think about those early Simon cartoons from the Captain Kangaroo shows of the 70's and 80's and you will see why I think this book is so special for adult readers to share with younger readers.
When Oliver tells his "off-stage" mother he is going down the drain and suggests that he might not come back, the fish from the drawing arc over the next page to lead the way, straight from Oliver's design with their drafting paper bodies and and colorful patterns.
You'll have to read OLIVER to get the end. No spoilers here, people. You know that. But, I can tell you that there are penguins, jet packs, and a classic picture book ending reminiscent of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.
Judith Rossell has created something special here in the writing and illustrations. There's a Hero's Journey tucked into this special book. And journeys almost always begin with a question followed by a quest.
In the end. . .we call come back. Because people will miss us. And we should check in--now and then--before going on our next adventure. Building jet packs--well. . .that's why we have a thing called tomorrow.
When his mother answers, with a mouth full of clothespins, "Wings," the curiosity is piqued and a delightful book about curiosity, exploration, tests and trials. . .and penguins with jet packs begins.
What I really like about OLIVER is the comic pacing of the book that would lend well to reading aloud with purposeful pausing before page turning. On one page, the text reads:
"Oliver found out everything he could about wings."
On the next page (cue the bell chime here)it reads:
"He already knew about Band-Aids."
Let's talk about Common Core State Standards for just a moment. This kind of simple set-up affords the ability to introduce inference (after you have finished the reading, please). Go back. Point to the text. Read the prior page. Turn the page. These are important skills for younger readers. The answer seems simple to experienced readers, but this kind of skill is needed again and again as readers grown and develop. Why did the author make this statement? What has transpired between asking the questions and where we find Oliver, aside a crumpled set of cardboard wings, checking his forearm?
Another celebration of OLIVER comes of the mother, who we get in voice only. She is off-stage calling out responses to Oliver's questions. Her responses are those of a mother who embodies patience and long-suffering even when Oliver becomes a little frustrated with the limitations put upon him in the name of maternal wisdom (no, we should not be poking bananas down bathtub drains to see what's down there). There is comic timing here too, even when we don't see the mother on the page. When the mother suggests that Oliver "Get dry, get dry. How about a nap?" Oliver responds, "I'm not tired." And here is where we see the reality of life with the curious. . .
"I am," said Mom. You do something quiet. Do some drawing."
I love that this interaction reads like a quiet exasperation. Think the mother from the Bill Watterson strip, Calvin and Hobbes. Here, the mother is tired, but she offers an alternate activity that plays right into one of her son's personality traits. And the banana stays on that page the whole time through the drying and dressing phase.
Oliver builds a cardboard submarine based upon his own design, complete with Rossell's delightful child-like renderings of Stick-Oliver and the types of fish he may see when he is underwater. Think about those early Simon cartoons from the Captain Kangaroo shows of the 70's and 80's and you will see why I think this book is so special for adult readers to share with younger readers.
When Oliver tells his "off-stage" mother he is going down the drain and suggests that he might not come back, the fish from the drawing arc over the next page to lead the way, straight from Oliver's design with their drafting paper bodies and and colorful patterns.
You'll have to read OLIVER to get the end. No spoilers here, people. You know that. But, I can tell you that there are penguins, jet packs, and a classic picture book ending reminiscent of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.
Judith Rossell has created something special here in the writing and illustrations. There's a Hero's Journey tucked into this special book. And journeys almost always begin with a question followed by a quest.
In the end. . .we call come back. Because people will miss us. And we should check in--now and then--before going on our next adventure. Building jet packs--well. . .that's why we have a thing called tomorrow.
January 25, 2013
Ever-curious, Oliver reminds me of a lot of children and adults I've known. You know the sort that I'm talking about, and I'm sure you've had an Oliver or two in the classroom or maybe even in your own household. Among other matters, he wonders about planes can possibly stay up in the sky and whether penguins could survive in a refrigerator. When he hears a gurgling noise in the bathroom drain, he builds a submarine and heads down the drain. Once he finds the source of the sound, he has so much fun that he almost doesn't come back home, eventually returning only because his mother might miss him. Not only did I adore the illustrations (created in pencil and watercolor for the scenes at home and in collage and colored crayon to represent his drawings and elements from his own life), but I smiled a lot at the interaction between mother and son as I imagined just how exhausting it would be to keep up with Oliver. The understatement in this book is also delicious. When his flying maching crumples to the ground, it's pretty clear that he's used up more than his share of Band-aids for scrapes from mishaps. This title is a perfect read aloud to share with others.
May 11, 2016
Judith Rossell, although she is (I presume), not a child herself, perfectly understands what it is to be a child. My mother, like Oliver's, will not let me do anything; more specifically, she will not let me push a banana down the bathtub drain (no spoilers: if you want to know how that drama turns out, read the book). This book includes complete specifications for the construction of a submarine and a jet pack, and contains interesting zoological information about penguins which you will not learn in, say, your preschool curriculum.
August 21, 2012
Totally charmed. I love the clean but detailed illustrations, I love Oliver's graph-paper designs, and I love how the illustrations switch to mixed media when he's off on his adventure. The dry humor & logical-to-the-story plot developments made me smile. (What's that gurgling noise? It's the penguins, slurping their drinks.)
December 9, 2024
Oliver is a curious young explorer. Full of questions, brimming with courage.
* How do planes fly?
* How does our fridge work?
* Can I breathe underwater like a fish?
The big adventure in this book begins when Oliver's in the bathtub. After he hears a strange gurgle, he follows that up with a question.
* What lives down the drain?
Soon Oliver zooms down the drain in his homemade submarine. He's on a historic mission.
FIVE STARS to Judith Rossell, both author and illustrator.
* How do planes fly?
* How does our fridge work?
* Can I breathe underwater like a fish?
The big adventure in this book begins when Oliver's in the bathtub. After he hears a strange gurgle, he follows that up with a question.
* What lives down the drain?
Soon Oliver zooms down the drain in his homemade submarine. He's on a historic mission.
FIVE STARS to Judith Rossell, both author and illustrator.
November 21, 2019
This is the story of Oliver, a young boy who likes to ask lots of questions and if he doesn't get the answer he figures it out himself. That's what leads him to build a submarine to go down the bathtub drain to figure out what makes the gurgling sound. You'll never guess who he meets!
There are parts of this story that seem a bit disjointed, but I think children will enjoy it anyway.
There are parts of this story that seem a bit disjointed, but I think children will enjoy it anyway.
February 19, 2021
This book didn’t do a lot for me. But I’m sure many children will like it. 3 stars
April 8, 2014
This is a wonderful and completely charming tale about creativity and invention, about art and imagination. The narrative is short and the mixed media illustrations are terrific. I expect that this book will appeal to children of all ages (and parents, too).
Our girls loved that many of the characters and Oliver's submarine show the grid lines of the graph paper, and help to emphasize his artwork. The 'broccoli islands' are hilarious and really add to the fantastical nature of the story. We really enjoyed reading this book together.
As a parent, I loved the firm, but loving way that Oliver's mom responds to his inquisitive and adventurous nature. She's not depicted in any of the scenes, but she's always there to make sure he doesn't stick a banana down the bathtub drain and to answer his questions.
Our girls loved that many of the characters and Oliver's submarine show the grid lines of the graph paper, and help to emphasize his artwork. The 'broccoli islands' are hilarious and really add to the fantastical nature of the story. We really enjoyed reading this book together.
As a parent, I loved the firm, but loving way that Oliver's mom responds to his inquisitive and adventurous nature. She's not depicted in any of the scenes, but she's always there to make sure he doesn't stick a banana down the bathtub drain and to answer his questions.
July 10, 2012
I'm sure some will disagree with my comparison but this book reminded me of Mayer's Where the Wild Things Are. Oliver is not being naughty like Max, but they both have a lot of energy and imagination. There was something about Oliver's going down the drain and then ending up in a land of broccoli trees where penguins fly with jet packs that felt a little reminiscent of Max's adventures with the wild things. It may not have quite the same depth of feeling; this is certainly a more bright, happy book.
I appreciated Oliver's persistence and curiosity and his mother's patience with him. I love his "submarine" made out of a cardboard box.
I appreciated Oliver's persistence and curiosity and his mother's patience with him. I love his "submarine" made out of a cardboard box.
February 14, 2017
Any children's book with jetpacks is likely to grab me, I'll admit. But it takes more than jetpacks to make me happy when my son asks "read it again?" I gladly obliged with this one because insatiably curious Oliver's adventure was charming and fun, with just the right amount of quirk. The art is cute, especially Oliver's little toes. And the penguins. I want to party with the penguins.
(We re-read this again when Boy Detective was 9 and the story wasn't quite complex enough, but he did enjoy the jetpacks.)
(We re-read this again when Boy Detective was 9 and the story wasn't quite complex enough, but he did enjoy the jetpacks.)
August 22, 2012
A more complex version of Where the Wild Things Are. It's cute, but just too complicated. He's going through the day (do we really care the order he's doing things and when-does it matter to the story at all?) being told not to do things and finally does what he wants despite what his mother says and goes down the drain. On his trip, all the things his mom said "No" about are yesses. And then he goes home.
Just think there's too much going on.
Just think there's too much going on.
October 17, 2012
This book is about a curious little boy who wants to find out how things work. He wants to learn how to fly and if penguins could live in the fridge. The book also has many interesting pictures.
Learning Experience
I would use this book so children can see things that float and sink. I will have water in a bowl and have paper clip, piece wood, paper and few other things and together we will look at things that flit and sink.
Learning Experience
I would use this book so children can see things that float and sink. I will have water in a bowl and have paper clip, piece wood, paper and few other things and together we will look at things that flit and sink.
March 8, 2013
Oliver likes to find things out. He asks a lot of questions, too. When he asks his mom what's down the drain, she tells him "nothing." Oliver is not convinced, so he builds a submarine and sets off down the pipes to find out for himself. This is an adorable story about imagination and curiousity with sweetly detailed pencil-and-watercolor illustrations.
July 21, 2014
Oliver is a fun book about inventing and exploring how things work. Oliver asks his mom lots of questions, like if penguins could live in their fridge. It is far from factual, Oliver goes down the drain to see what is making the gurgling noise he hears after his bath. He meets a group of penguins on vacation slurping their drinks. They fly around with jet packs.
June 19, 2012
Oliver is curious about things, all things. O.k. well most things, he is not curious about broccoli. His boundless curiosity often wearing his mother out before the day is even half way through. A fun read aloud that children and parents can equally relate to.
December 8, 2011
Four words: penguins with jet packs.
February 1, 2013
Cute illustrations but didn't feel new. I've been here before with many picture books directed at boys.
July 18, 2012
This makes Ellie giggle... So that makes me giggle.
September 15, 2012
I like the idea but it is too complicated and confusing. Good illustrations but hard to follow the story.
September 17, 2012
My 3 daughters were delighted by this book! It was genuinely child like and filled with humor, curiosity and wonder. I'm definitely going to read it again!
September 19, 2012
Inquistive boy with big imagination has a wild adventure.
September 19, 2012
Delightful imaginative adventure, love how the drawings change to capture the child's experiences.
October 10, 2012
Charmingly clever illustrations enhance the seemingly simple story of Oliver who wonders about anything and everything, and is never satisfied until he attempts his own investigations.
November 11, 2012
Great illustrations.
February 5, 2013
The imaginative story line is very creative and sparks great interest in children of all ages. Oliver looks down the bathtub drain and goes down the drain to an adventure any child would love.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews