Ollie's Odyssey
Autor William Joyceen Limba Engleză Hardback – 2 iun 2016 – vârsta până la 11 ani
Can a beloved but lost stuffed rabbit save himself and other Losts from becoming the most feared designation of all: The Forgotten? Find out in this epic quest from the author of The Guardians series and the creative force behind The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
Oswald is a favorite. Of all the toys in Billy’s home, the stuffed rabbit takes top rank: everywhere Billy goes, so goes Oz. But being a favorite is more than a privilege—it’s also fraught with danger. Because of Zozo.
Zozo has never been a favorite. An amusement park prize who was never chosen, Zozo has grown so bitter that, when the amusement park closes, he seeks revenge on every toy lucky enough to be a favorite. He wants them all to become The Lost, and even better, Forgotten.
When Billy accidentally leaves Oz under the table at a wedding, Oz finds himself on an unplanned adventure, kidnapped by the nefarious Zozo and his gang of creeps and faced with the momentous task of saving not only himself, but all the other stuffies who are “lost” as well…
With nods to Toy Story and Knuffle Bunny, but with that insoucient joie de vivre that is all William Joyce’s and Moonbot’s own, here’s a look at what REALLY goes on with your stuffed animals when the lights are out.
Oswald is a favorite. Of all the toys in Billy’s home, the stuffed rabbit takes top rank: everywhere Billy goes, so goes Oz. But being a favorite is more than a privilege—it’s also fraught with danger. Because of Zozo.
Zozo has never been a favorite. An amusement park prize who was never chosen, Zozo has grown so bitter that, when the amusement park closes, he seeks revenge on every toy lucky enough to be a favorite. He wants them all to become The Lost, and even better, Forgotten.
When Billy accidentally leaves Oz under the table at a wedding, Oz finds himself on an unplanned adventure, kidnapped by the nefarious Zozo and his gang of creeps and faced with the momentous task of saving not only himself, but all the other stuffies who are “lost” as well…
With nods to Toy Story and Knuffle Bunny, but with that insoucient joie de vivre that is all William Joyce’s and Moonbot’s own, here’s a look at what REALLY goes on with your stuffed animals when the lights are out.
| Toate formatele și edițiile | Preț | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback (1) | 108.19 lei 3-5 săpt. | |
| – | 108.19 lei 3-5 săpt. | |
| Hardback (1) | 130.69 lei 3-5 săpt. | |
| Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books – 2 iun 2016 | 130.69 lei 3-5 săpt. |
Preț: 130.69 lei
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Specificații
ISBN-13: 9781442473553
ISBN-10: 144247355X
Pagini: 304
Ilustrații: f-c jkt (fx: spot UV, emboss over soft touch)+4C int. ill.; digital
Dimensiuni: 178 x 229 x 25 mm
Greutate: 1 kg
Editura: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Colecția Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
ISBN-10: 144247355X
Pagini: 304
Ilustrații: f-c jkt (fx: spot UV, emboss over soft touch)+4C int. ill.; digital
Dimensiuni: 178 x 229 x 25 mm
Greutate: 1 kg
Editura: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Colecția Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
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Notă biografică
William Joyce does a lot of stuff but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Guardians series, Dinosaur Bob series, George Shrinks, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also his Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. Talk to William Joyce and see upcoming work on Instagram @HeyBillJoyce.
Extras
Ollie’s Odyssey
When Billy was born he was nearly lost. He came into this world with a small hole in his heart, and for the first few days of his life, he was seldom with his mother and father. He was shuffled from room to room through the maze of hallways that made up the hospital where he was born. The doctors did many tests on Billy, mostly to see how large this hole was and if, as one doctor said, “It was something to be really worried about.”
When Billy’s mother and father were told about this hole, they were much more than worried. They were afraid in a way they had not felt since they were small children, since before they had learned the words to describe their feelings. But there were no words that could describe or give comfort to the deep unease and desperation they now felt. A new baby is suddenly the dearest thing alive to a mother and father. In one miraculous moment a bond forms that is stronger than any other in life.
Billy has a hole in his heart. Will he be all right? He must be. This was all they would allow themselves to think.
So as they sat at the hospital, waiting, waiting, waiting to hear any news, Billy’s parents were in a quiet, fearful agony of not knowing. When kids are afraid they hide under the covers, or cry, or scream, “I’m scared!” But grown-ups sit very still and try to act like everything is okay—even if they feel like hiding or crying or screaming, they usually will not. This is a grown-up thing called “coping,” which is just a polite way of saying they are terrified.
Billy’s father coped by holding his hands together very tightly and clenching his jaw until it ached. And his mother coped by making a small stuffed toy for Billy. “Toy” is a word that feels pleasant in thoughts and memories. But “toy” is also a limited word. Under the right circumstances a toy can become so very much more than something to be played with or amused by.
It can become miraculous.
This toy that Billy’s mother was sewing was already special. It was made of various kinds of deliciously comfortable fabric, which she had chosen with great care. And its shape was very pleasing. It looked like a teddy bear, but for reasons that Billy’s mother could not explain, she had also given it long ears that were vaguely rabbit-like. So it wasn’t really a bear or a rabbit; it was something all its own. It wore a blue-striped hoodie and a red scarf around its neck and had a simple, hopeful face that gave the impression of friendliness.
![]()
Billy’s mother had a keen eye and a mother’s instinct to guide her as she made this funny little rabbit toy. Her sewing was expert. This toy may have been homemade, but it didn’t look odd or shabby—it looked steadfast and unusually charming. This is a toy that will matter, she told herself.
As she sat in the hospital waiting room, trying not to be scared for baby Billy, she was adding a last bit to the toy that would set it apart from any other in the world. She gently sewed into its chest a small heart. The heart was made from a scrap of fabric that came from something very dear to her—a toy she had loved as a child. The toy that had been her favorite.
She had called that toy Nina. It was a lovely doll, and the first time she’d ever held it, the name popped into her head and somehow seemed perfect.
![]()
Nina had been with her constantly through her childhood, and even when the doll had been loved till it had fallen to shreds, Billy’s mom had kept a bit of its once-lovely dress and the tiny bell that had been inside of Nina.
So now these tokens of her own childhood would live on in this toy for her Billy. The bell was inside the heart, and though the blue cotton fabric was packed snugly around it, it gave a faint but pleasant jingle every time the toy was moved.
When Billy’s mom made the last stitch, she closed her eyes for a moment as a thousand memories of Nina flooded back to her. But this remembrance was interrupted. She realized the doctor was standing there. He was holding Billy, who was wrapped in blankets and not moving.
For a moment the parents’ hearts stopped. But the doctor was smiling at them, and they heard Billy make a yawning sound.
“It’s a very small hole,” the doctor explained. “A few years ago we wouldn’t even have been able to detect it. It should close up on its own. And Billy will never even know he had it.”
Billy was okay.
Billy’s parents’ fear faded away, and before they knew it they were holding him. Billy was tightly clutching one of the toy’s ears in his surprisingly strong baby grip. He made a funny little sound: OLLY OLLY OLLY. And in that instant Billy’s parents knew the toy’s name: Oliver, Ollie for short.
What they never realized was that another small bit of magic had occurred.
Ollie knew his name too.
1
Lost and Found
When Billy was born he was nearly lost. He came into this world with a small hole in his heart, and for the first few days of his life, he was seldom with his mother and father. He was shuffled from room to room through the maze of hallways that made up the hospital where he was born. The doctors did many tests on Billy, mostly to see how large this hole was and if, as one doctor said, “It was something to be really worried about.”
When Billy’s mother and father were told about this hole, they were much more than worried. They were afraid in a way they had not felt since they were small children, since before they had learned the words to describe their feelings. But there were no words that could describe or give comfort to the deep unease and desperation they now felt. A new baby is suddenly the dearest thing alive to a mother and father. In one miraculous moment a bond forms that is stronger than any other in life.
Billy has a hole in his heart. Will he be all right? He must be. This was all they would allow themselves to think.
So as they sat at the hospital, waiting, waiting, waiting to hear any news, Billy’s parents were in a quiet, fearful agony of not knowing. When kids are afraid they hide under the covers, or cry, or scream, “I’m scared!” But grown-ups sit very still and try to act like everything is okay—even if they feel like hiding or crying or screaming, they usually will not. This is a grown-up thing called “coping,” which is just a polite way of saying they are terrified.
Billy’s father coped by holding his hands together very tightly and clenching his jaw until it ached. And his mother coped by making a small stuffed toy for Billy. “Toy” is a word that feels pleasant in thoughts and memories. But “toy” is also a limited word. Under the right circumstances a toy can become so very much more than something to be played with or amused by.
It can become miraculous.
This toy that Billy’s mother was sewing was already special. It was made of various kinds of deliciously comfortable fabric, which she had chosen with great care. And its shape was very pleasing. It looked like a teddy bear, but for reasons that Billy’s mother could not explain, she had also given it long ears that were vaguely rabbit-like. So it wasn’t really a bear or a rabbit; it was something all its own. It wore a blue-striped hoodie and a red scarf around its neck and had a simple, hopeful face that gave the impression of friendliness.
Billy’s mother had a keen eye and a mother’s instinct to guide her as she made this funny little rabbit toy. Her sewing was expert. This toy may have been homemade, but it didn’t look odd or shabby—it looked steadfast and unusually charming. This is a toy that will matter, she told herself.
As she sat in the hospital waiting room, trying not to be scared for baby Billy, she was adding a last bit to the toy that would set it apart from any other in the world. She gently sewed into its chest a small heart. The heart was made from a scrap of fabric that came from something very dear to her—a toy she had loved as a child. The toy that had been her favorite.
She had called that toy Nina. It was a lovely doll, and the first time she’d ever held it, the name popped into her head and somehow seemed perfect.
Nina had been with her constantly through her childhood, and even when the doll had been loved till it had fallen to shreds, Billy’s mom had kept a bit of its once-lovely dress and the tiny bell that had been inside of Nina.
So now these tokens of her own childhood would live on in this toy for her Billy. The bell was inside the heart, and though the blue cotton fabric was packed snugly around it, it gave a faint but pleasant jingle every time the toy was moved.
When Billy’s mom made the last stitch, she closed her eyes for a moment as a thousand memories of Nina flooded back to her. But this remembrance was interrupted. She realized the doctor was standing there. He was holding Billy, who was wrapped in blankets and not moving.
For a moment the parents’ hearts stopped. But the doctor was smiling at them, and they heard Billy make a yawning sound.
“It’s a very small hole,” the doctor explained. “A few years ago we wouldn’t even have been able to detect it. It should close up on its own. And Billy will never even know he had it.”
Billy was okay.
Billy’s parents’ fear faded away, and before they knew it they were holding him. Billy was tightly clutching one of the toy’s ears in his surprisingly strong baby grip. He made a funny little sound: OLLY OLLY OLLY. And in that instant Billy’s parents knew the toy’s name: Oliver, Ollie for short.
What they never realized was that another small bit of magic had occurred.
Ollie knew his name too.
Recenzii
The bond betweena child and a toy is a very special thing. For six-year-old Billy thatconnection exists with Ollie, the stuffed animal his mother made him when hewas born. Resembling a teddy bear with rabbit ears, the endearing Ollie isimportant for a reason beyond being Billy’s favorite; sewn into Ollie’s chestis a tinkling bell from Nina, the precious childhood toy of Billy’s mother.With a seasoned storyteller's skill, Joyce sets the stage for an incredibleadventure, using Billy’s childish perspective (and vocabulary) to convey thevastness and scariness of the world beyond one’s backyard, as well as to createa place where toys can come to life. Not far from Billy’s house lie the remainsof an abandoned carnival, where an embittered toy clown, Zozo, has growncrooked and cruel with hate. His army of Creeps (wicked minions built fromscraps) kidnaps the toys Zozo despises most—favorites—and his sights are set onOllie. Joyce’s beautiful color illustrations put the sweetness of Billy andOllie’s relationship and the creepiness of Zozo’s underworld on full display.Sensitive readers may find Zozo too frightening, but many will get a thrillfrom the perilous, high-stakes adventure, where bravery and friendship reign supreme.
HIGH-DEMANDBACKSTORY: Astalwart of children’s literature, Joyce will drive inherent interest evenfurther with an author tour.
—Julia Smith
A cloth "teddy rabbit"and his beloved boy rescue one another from a toy clown gone bad. Loading hislatest plushy epic with precious observations—"In the realm of toys beingfavorited was a special distinction. It was as yum as it got"—andpop-culture references, Joyce pits 6 ½-year-old Billy and his homemadecompanion Ollie against Zozo, a wooden carnival clown whose love for aballerina doll named Nina has, after years of separation and physical neglect,transmogrified into hatred for all toys that are beloved of humans. When Zozo'sarmy of Creeps ("stunted, scroungy creatures" made from bits oftrash) "toynap" Ollie, Billy sets out with his lightsaber and somesnacks to rescue him. When the Creeps capture the little white boy, though, theroles reverse. With a band of recruits and inspired by a broken typewriter's"Damn t e torpedoes, full speed a ead," Ollie returns to subterraneanDark Carnival Place for a brisk dust-up with the baddies. The narrative isprinted on artificially age-stained paper and punctuated with largeillustrations—of toys loved to shabbiness and genuinely sinisteradversaries—that add golden-toned atmosphere to the "huge a-venture."In the end, the message is no different from countless of its sentimental ilk:"It didn't matter if something was pretend or real; if it was remembered,then it was true." Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story meet Phantom of theOpera. For better or worse. (Fantasy. 10-13)
Joyce (the Guardians of Childhood series) delivers a deliciousremix of classic movie and storybook themes: imprisoned toys, talking junkyardfriends, and a doll lost a generation ago. Six-and-a-half-year-old Billyreturns from a family wedding to find that his beloved stuffed toy, Ollie, isgone. Readers know that he has been abducted by miniature mechanical henchmenand taken to the lair of Zozo, an eerie clown ruined by his own bitterness.Timid Ollie manages to escape and even spies Billy for a moment, only to findhimself tossed away. Has Billy renounced him? In a rousing climax, Ollie andhis loyal junkyard allies overcome Zozo and free the toys: "Okay," hetells his troops, "Our plan is gonna be: do some Robin Hood, and some Usethe Force Luke, and some Trojan Horse, and some... Yellow Submarine."Though tense moments abound in this all-boy adventure, it's always clear thatBilly and Ollie will prevail. Joyce's irresistible illustrations and joyouswordplay ("I am the Grand High Safemaster of Planet Billy," Ollietells himself) are icing on the cake. Ages 7–11.
Many children’s books have been written about the secret life of toys, but Joyce’s storytelling and original characters elevate this novel. Meet Billy and his favorite plush toy, Ollie, a bear/rabbit mash-up Billy’s mother made for him with a remnant from her own cherished girlhood doll. Billy and Ollie grow up together over the course of six years, sharing secrets, imaginary escapades, and observations about the baffling adult world.The friends’ bliss is threatened by the existence of an underground kingdom of abandoned toys who have never known the love of a child. The ruler of this kingdom is Zozo, a former carnival-game clown doll whose heartbreaking backstory is the stuff of tragic opera. Zozo’s anguish compels him to imprison any toy that’s been “favorited” by a child, and his minions—the darkly menacing yet comically maniacal Creeps—kidnap Ollie, setting up the novel’s conflict.Billy leaves home in search of his lost companion, leading to an epic battle between Zozo’s army and a team of charmingly odd heroes Ollie befriends,including a tin can, pet rock, and bottle opener. The third-person narration retains a storyteller’s wisdom as it shifts between Billy and Ollie’s naive perspectives; pacing is leisurely despite Zozo’s sinister presence being introduced fairly early in the plot. Joyce’s full-page illustrations in rich but muted tones capture deeply emotional moments and reinforce the novel’s nostalgic mood. VERDICT With all the feel of a modern classic, this is an odyssey readers of all age swill want to take again and again; a wonderful choice for read-alouds.
HIGH-DEMANDBACKSTORY: Astalwart of children’s literature, Joyce will drive inherent interest evenfurther with an author tour.
—Julia Smith
A cloth "teddy rabbit"and his beloved boy rescue one another from a toy clown gone bad. Loading hislatest plushy epic with precious observations—"In the realm of toys beingfavorited was a special distinction. It was as yum as it got"—andpop-culture references, Joyce pits 6 ½-year-old Billy and his homemadecompanion Ollie against Zozo, a wooden carnival clown whose love for aballerina doll named Nina has, after years of separation and physical neglect,transmogrified into hatred for all toys that are beloved of humans. When Zozo'sarmy of Creeps ("stunted, scroungy creatures" made from bits oftrash) "toynap" Ollie, Billy sets out with his lightsaber and somesnacks to rescue him. When the Creeps capture the little white boy, though, theroles reverse. With a band of recruits and inspired by a broken typewriter's"Damn t e torpedoes, full speed a ead," Ollie returns to subterraneanDark Carnival Place for a brisk dust-up with the baddies. The narrative isprinted on artificially age-stained paper and punctuated with largeillustrations—of toys loved to shabbiness and genuinely sinisteradversaries—that add golden-toned atmosphere to the "huge a-venture."In the end, the message is no different from countless of its sentimental ilk:"It didn't matter if something was pretend or real; if it was remembered,then it was true." Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story meet Phantom of theOpera. For better or worse. (Fantasy. 10-13)
Joyce (the Guardians of Childhood series) delivers a deliciousremix of classic movie and storybook themes: imprisoned toys, talking junkyardfriends, and a doll lost a generation ago. Six-and-a-half-year-old Billyreturns from a family wedding to find that his beloved stuffed toy, Ollie, isgone. Readers know that he has been abducted by miniature mechanical henchmenand taken to the lair of Zozo, an eerie clown ruined by his own bitterness.Timid Ollie manages to escape and even spies Billy for a moment, only to findhimself tossed away. Has Billy renounced him? In a rousing climax, Ollie andhis loyal junkyard allies overcome Zozo and free the toys: "Okay," hetells his troops, "Our plan is gonna be: do some Robin Hood, and some Usethe Force Luke, and some Trojan Horse, and some... Yellow Submarine."Though tense moments abound in this all-boy adventure, it's always clear thatBilly and Ollie will prevail. Joyce's irresistible illustrations and joyouswordplay ("I am the Grand High Safemaster of Planet Billy," Ollietells himself) are icing on the cake. Ages 7–11.
Many children’s books have been written about the secret life of toys, but Joyce’s storytelling and original characters elevate this novel. Meet Billy and his favorite plush toy, Ollie, a bear/rabbit mash-up Billy’s mother made for him with a remnant from her own cherished girlhood doll. Billy and Ollie grow up together over the course of six years, sharing secrets, imaginary escapades, and observations about the baffling adult world.The friends’ bliss is threatened by the existence of an underground kingdom of abandoned toys who have never known the love of a child. The ruler of this kingdom is Zozo, a former carnival-game clown doll whose heartbreaking backstory is the stuff of tragic opera. Zozo’s anguish compels him to imprison any toy that’s been “favorited” by a child, and his minions—the darkly menacing yet comically maniacal Creeps—kidnap Ollie, setting up the novel’s conflict.Billy leaves home in search of his lost companion, leading to an epic battle between Zozo’s army and a team of charmingly odd heroes Ollie befriends,including a tin can, pet rock, and bottle opener. The third-person narration retains a storyteller’s wisdom as it shifts between Billy and Ollie’s naive perspectives; pacing is leisurely despite Zozo’s sinister presence being introduced fairly early in the plot. Joyce’s full-page illustrations in rich but muted tones capture deeply emotional moments and reinforce the novel’s nostalgic mood. VERDICT With all the feel of a modern classic, this is an odyssey readers of all age swill want to take again and again; a wonderful choice for read-alouds.
Descriere
An epic battle between good and evil...by William Joyce and the folks who brought you The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.