Oliver Has Something to Say! Book

This book is one of my favourites. The story is about a little boy who is too shy to talk. Everyone speaks for him in his family. He doesn't make any choices because his family speaks out on his behalf, assuming they know best what he likes and does not like. On his first day of school, Oliver's teacher helps him come out of his shell, prompting him to declare that he'd much rather play with trucks than the train set. He now has the courage to speak out, and a couple times goes even a little further. He takes his family by surprise in the middle of the night, snacking on spaghetti on the kitchen floor and telling them all the little things they had been wrong about. They had no clue he had so much to say.

The front cover grabs my attention; I want to know what Oliver has to say. The author very effectively builds up Oliver's frustration and then unleashes his assertiveness. I can feel Oliver's frustration growing and as a reader I am compelled at times to say "Oh for Pete sake, let Oliver talk!" The author uses humour to get the message across. At his birthday party, for example, Oliver sees his friends leave without their treat bags. He wants to chase after them and give them the bags. But before he has the chance his sister takes over. If only he could have said something to them as they were leaving. The illustration shows Oliver looking upset and frustrate at the front door. The author describes Oliver's inability to speak as "Oliver opened his mouth. Oliver closed his mouth."

The author does an even better job unleashing the boy's assertiveness. Oliver finally decides enough is enough and lets his teacher know in no uncertain terms he likes to play with trucks! He then lets his family have it. The teacher is very patient, allowing Oliver to take his time choosing which toy to play with. He eventually speaks out and the illustration shows clearly that this is a turning point for Oliver. The author puts us into Oliver's head.

I also find the writing balanced between dialogue and narration. For example, when Oliver's family tucks him into bed, it is clear that Oliver's life will be different by the smile on his face as he falls asleep. The illustrations tell so much that few words are needed; the text on the page balances perfectly, even offering a bit of foreshadowing.

An example of Oliver's frustration occurs when, at his birthday, another mom asks him how old he is going to be and his father comes out of nowhere and calls out "four years old." Oliver's face shows frustration and the author uses repetition to emphasize the frustration: "Oliver closed his mouth and stared at the candles on his cake."
An example of Oliver's assertiveness comes while walking with father and sister. They come across friends with a dog. His sister jumps in and says Oliver is afraid of dogs, but Oliver sticks out his hand and allows the dog to lick him, leaving his father and sister dumbfounded.