Official Review: OLGA by Ted Kelsey

[debo9967]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "OLGA" by Ted Kelsey.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Olga written by Ted Kelsey and illustrated by Dillon Samuelson is a children’s book in the fiction genre. It follows the adventures of Sally and Jack in the cloud kingdom.

Sally and Jack are ordinary twelve year old kids who live in the town of Chilton built in the side of Mount Chalktop. Sally thought this was the most boring place in the world. However, one day something extraordinary happens to them as they investigate the mysterious creature which is flapping around in the fields. However, this creature pulls them straight to the cloud kingdom which is home to the giants. Olga, the giantess, has been waiting for her human toy for a long time. Will Sally and Jack unravel the mysteries in the cloud kingdom in time to stop the giants from attacking humans? Will they escape from the cloud kingdom or will they become Olga’s latest prisoners?

The author’s writing style is apt for young readers, with just the right amount of suspense to hold their interest. There are black and white illustrations in the book which are sketched very well and would enhance the reading experience of the child. The sketches are quite imaginative and funny in their own way. I was a little disappointed that there weren't more of these illustrations.

The fantasy realm in this book exists in the fluffy clouds, however, the author has taken into account that clouds are not solid enough and if one is not careful then one may just sink through and fall splat! The story has its moments of hilarity like when Mr. Dodadudis sees a disembodied leg coming out of a spongy cloud. The author has not overly packed the fantasy world in this book with plenty of mythical creatures; instead he has kept it simple but interesting.

What really impressed me about this story was the fact that it was Sally who took the lead and was the brave one. Not discounting Jack’s courage, but it’s very rare that the female protagonist leads the male protagonist. Olga’s character is very fascinating too, since the reader would see her cruelty but sympathize with her at the same time. The story is not a straightforward story of good defeating evil; it is interwoven with comedy and deeper emotions of loneliness and freedom.

I would recommend this book to readers in the age group of five to twelve years. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars, since it’s an entertaining and lighthearted adventure fit for the age group mentioned.

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OLGA
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[Amheiser]

This sounds like an interesting book for young children. I like the idea for the story. You mentioned in the review that the girl is the one who takes the lead and is the brave one in the adventures. This makes it seem like a good book for young girls to read to help them with confidence. I like where you mentioned that the story is a little more complex with comedy and deeper emotions involved too. That makes it seem like it would encourage young children to think more about things. Good review!

[Michelle-lit]

I loved the cover art of this book. Makes me interested to see what the illustrations inside are like. Thanks for the review

[debo9967]

Thanks, both of you

[ananya92]

This book seems to focus more on female characters, which is quite nice. Good review.

[debo9967]

Thanks

[TedK]

Thank you for the thoughtful review!

[debo9967]

All thanks to you!

[sherri_]

I loved the cover art of this book. Makes me interested to see what the illustrations inside are like. Thanks for the review

I found them as charming as the book itself. My favorite illustration was the cover, mostly because it was in color. I agree with the reviewer's comments about this being a good book for children younger than middle-schoolers, especially advanced readers. I probably would've read this on my own in 2nd or 3rd grade (I was reading Michael Crichton by age 10).

Disclaimer: I received a copy from goodreads giveaway...and my 4 yo granddaughter is going to love this story in another year or two. There was a blurb in the storyline about future stories in this series, so maybe she'll have another besides "Olga".

Nice job, reviewer!