Customer Reviews

Cherry and Olive

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"Cherry and Olive" does not start off on a cheerful note. In fact, for almost half the story, it focuses on the alienation that young Cherry feels. Readers learn that Cherry's mother has left (not died, but left, no reason being given) and this poses some problems for a parent reading this to his/her child. My 4.5 year-old kept asking what happened to the mom, and I explained to her that the mom left for reasons of her own, a concept that she didn't quite get (kept asking "why?")...so anyway, be prepared to answer that question when you're reading it to a child.

Cherry as such is a sad child, and at school, her sense of alienation is heightened, as she feels she doesn't fit in, and is the target of name-calling by some mean-spirited children. Cherry's life begins to brighten when she finds a wrinkly dog at the animal shelter her father works in, and claims it as her own, naming her Olive. Will Olive answer Cherry's wish for friends and happiness?

Author-illustrator Benjamin Lacombe does an excellent job in not only crafting a story that is heart-rending, but also in the illustrations which are a visual delight. Though the theme is a tad depressing, both my daughter and I loved the optimistic note at the end!

I work in an elementary school library and the cover illustration caught my eye. I took the book home to read and I fell in love with it! What a great story! Your heart will go out to Cherry and Olive. Our 23 year old daughter read it and loved it and wanted the book for Christmas, which I then purchased from Amazon. Great book. You will love it.

The first thing that caught my eye with this beautiful book were the unique illustrations. I love the mood that artist/illustrator Benjamin Lacombe sets with his illustrations and the character's expressions.

The main character, Cherry Sullivan, is very endearing. I think a lot of children could relate to her and some of the difficulties she faces. She is shy and keeps to her self, watching the other children play. Most of all, she wishes for a friend. Haven't we all felt that way at least once in our life.

The other children in this story are not nice to Cherry. They laugh at her behind her back and seem very exclusive except for Angelo.
"But there's one boy who seems like a hero from one of Cherry's books- the handsome Angelo." But Cherry would never dare to approach him or the group of girls surrounding him. In the accompanying picture, Cherry is standing apart from the crowd looking sad and dejected while Angelo admist a flock of girls is glancing at Cherry, really noticing her.

Enter Olive, the other half of the title of this story, a wrinkly little puppy at the animal shelter where her father works. Olive greets her like most dogs, wagging its tail. Cherry and Olive become the best of friends doing everything together. Despite her father's warnings that this dog actually belongs to someone else, Cherry becomes attached to her wrinkly friend. The friendship between girl and dog portrayed in the illustrations is heart-warming.

I love how Cherry's love for her friend, Olive, enables her to stand up for her friend when other people make fun of Olive. Isn't that just what a good friend should do for us?

Although I secretly wished, just like Cherry, that Olive's owners would never find her, that reunion brings another new friend into Cherry's life.

I love how two friendships develop in this story for Cherry. A perfect ending to a heart-warming story. One I'm sure both children and their parents will enjoy!