As I read this book, I started to realize I did know this author. I love The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore and it doesn't surprise me that this book is by the same author. He seems to have a romanticized approach to childhood....and it's really something to soak up and enjoy. All the books that my public library has by him look very intriguing....I'm going down that rabbit hole! I do think that elementary students would enjoy this book. They may look at the imaginative life as juvenile...but my gut says something in it would draw them to it since they're not too far removed from toys and imaginative play. I don't think they'd be as slightly annoyed as I felt by the silly words throughout the book. Every kid thinks they can be a heroic rescuer....and this one story would be a great way to relive that. The whole thing made me wish I could go find the old toys I once loved.
In this book, the villain is a clown that was never loved. My heart kind of broke for him in the end. He's a bully that needs some love. And in the end, he finds his love.
Text to text connections: The Velveteen Rabbit, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
- Toy World pages where reign of terror under Zozo, pages are a stained yellowed color, as if the paper is old and smelly.
Apparently this book has been made into a movie or series of some sort (Lost Ollie). I was sorry to hear that. I get why authors love it when their book is made into a movie. That's where the big bucks are, I think. Too many people just go straight to the movie though. *sigh*
This was a pick for my Children's Lit book club. Possible discussion questions:
https://www.pegiwilliams.com.au/pdfs/teachernotes/9781442473560.pdf
https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Ollies-Odyssey/William-Joyce/9781442473560
Goodreads says:
The inspiration behind Netflix animated series Lost Ollie!
From the creator of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore and The Guardians of Childhood comes a grand adventure of valor, friendship, and a look into the mysterious world of favorite toys.
In the secret realm of toys, there are many mysteries.
There is the Code of the Toys, which is as ancient as childhood.
There’s also the magic of becoming a child’s favorite, the highest honor in the Toy World.
Made by hand by Billy’s mother, Ollie is a special toy, “a toy who will matter.” He becomes Billy’s best friend, confidant, pal, and yes, Billy’s “favorite.”
But there are villains in the Toy World, and Zozo, the clown king, is the most feared. He and his toy henchman (the Creeps) have sworn to steal and imprison favorite toys until they forget their children and become forever lost.
When Ollie is toynapped, Billy must rescue his beloved favorite from Zozo’s subterranean lair in the old Carnival Place, past the park, through the woods, and into the night.
Never has a journey of ten blocks been more epic.
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