All Too Much for Oliver

by Leila Boukarim

Oliver is a quiet little boy. He avoids going to places that might be too noisy or crowded like the playground, the pool, or even birthday parties.

In fact, Oliver’s favorite thing to do is play by himself in his own quiet room.

But things start to change when Odile moves in next door.
One day, Odile asks Oliver to go to the playground with her. Oliver really wants to play with Odile, but he is worried...

Will Oliver go with Odile to the playground, even though it might be very crowded and much too noisy?

"All Too Much for Oliver" was written and illustrated for highly sensitive children.


“At its heart, All Too Much for Oliver is about the connection between a highly sensitive boy and a less sensitive girl. She clearly enjoys him and finds him special. She also encourages him, without judgment, to do the things he wants to do anyway. These two little children effortlessly teach us that the 20% and the 80% can be a great team.”

- Dr Elaine Aron, bestselling author of The Highly Sensitive Child


“This book creates an excellent opportunity to help sensitive children learn how to deal with overstimulation and new ways to relate to other children in a group setting.”

- Dr Ted Zeff, bestselling author of The Strong Sensitive Boy

Genres: Childrens

40 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2015

About the author

Leila Boukarim was born in Lebanon, grew up in several countries, and now resides in
Berlin. She has published a number of children’s books internationally, and her North American debuts are forthcoming, including Lost Words and Mariam Dreams: The Story of Mariam Al-Shaar, Soufra, and a Food Truck of Hope (Chronicle Books); the Zips and Eeloo graphic novel series (Andrews McMeel); Summer Sunday (Groundwood Books) and Rima and the Painter (Macmillan).

Leila’s stories are often influenced by her Middle Eastern upbringing, her observations as a citizen of the world, and the playfulness that arises from raising two young boys. In addition to writing and editing, Leila also spends her time reading, (proudly) hoarding books, embroidering, cooking, and trying to impress her cat.

You can visit her at www.leilaboukarim.com.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oliver is highly sensitive and finds busy places, noise and the unpredictability of other children unsettling. He'd rather play alone in his room. Until he meets Odile, a girl who moves in next door. They are chalk and cheese. And complement each other perfectly. Odile gives Oliver the confidence to go outside his comfort zone and do things he wouldn't usually do. In time, this highly sensitive boy stretches his boundaries without changing the essence of who he is - in his own time and with the support of those who love him.

I'm the mother of three highly sensitive children and can relate to this story immensely. Highly sensitive children need to learn that things are safe, fun and okay to do in their own time - with someone they trust holding their hand. When they have that support they blossom. Like Oliver!

The story is beautiful, the illustrations are breathtakingly gorgeous - and in contrast to so many other children's books the pictures and colours in All Too Much for Oliver are very calming. I look forward to more books from My Quiet Adventures!

More about highly sensitive children? Visit https://happysensitivekids.wordpress.com

[Lisa Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oliver is a very quiet little boy. He is sensitive and likes to avoid places that are noisy or crowded, which is a lot of places. Oliver likes to be by himself, or he thinks he likes to be by himself because it makes him feel comfortable. What happens when Oliver decides to try something new? And maybe that might even involve making a new friend too. How will that make him feel? Will Oliver discover that crowded and noisy places aren’t so bad after all?

This is a wonderful realistic story for a child who is highly sensitive. And what is a highly sensitive child? This is a type of person that has an innate trait of high sensory processing sensitivity.

To compliment the story, the illustrations are simple, done in soft pastel pencils and watercolors, which are calming to the senses. This sweet enduring story allows any child to have feelings of being overwhelmed in different situations and understanding that these feelings are common. It can also help build self-esteem in sensitive children and guide them to learn coping strategies.

I look forward to seeing more books for highly sensitive children by My Quiet Adventures!

[LauraN · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the mother of two highly sensitive children, I really appreciated this book. It shows that it's okay to be sensitive, as Oliver was accepted the way he was, but when Oliver naturally learns to cope through his new friendship, it shows that even sensitive kids can gently and naturally learn to enjoy things that used to be overwhelming. A perfect gentle way to show a sensitive child that they can decide to join in more when they are ready.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read with your sensitive child. Led to a great conversation with my son. 5 stars

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the premise, but it’s not realistic to think that one person/friend can change a personality trait. This isn’t something that any other HS child (or parent) can relate to…