In this addition to the otherwise WONDERFUL Olivia series, Olivia tells little girls that:
1) if they like pink princesses they are unoriginal
2) if they like princesses, they should dress up as princesses from other countries who don't wear pink (not sure why they wouldn't?)
3) that even though Olivia is a pig, she is actually a White girl pig. (as evidenced by the page with the "orphan" pigs who range in shades of white to grey).

I still love OLIVIA, just not this particular book. ( )

This is a funny story that young children will enjoy and it teaches a great lesson. Olivia is so "depressed" because she does not know what she wants to dress up like. Everyone at the party dresses like a princess, but she does not want to be a princess because they are not special anymore if everyone can be one. Instead, she dresses as a sailor. Finally, at the end of the book she decides she wants to be queen. It teaches young children that it okay to be different. Many young children can relate to Olivia and I think this book will help them understand it is okay to be yourself. ( )

Olivia no quería ser una princesa, como el resto de sus amiguitas. Decía tener una "crisis de identidad" y no comprendía por qué todas las demás se disfrazaban con falditas brillosas, varitas mágicas y coronas. Cuestionaba, además, que siempre quisieran ser princesas rosas. ¿Por qué no pensaban en ser princesas indias, tailandesas, africanas o chinas? No entendía. Lo único que tenía claro es que ella no sería una de ellas. Buscaba un estilo más original, más moderno. Tampoco pretendía ser La niña de los cerillos referida por Hans Christian Andersen, como en los cuentos que le leía su mamá antes de dormir. Por las noches, imaginaba que podría ser enfermera o reportera, incluso en adoptar a niños pobres. Y de tanto pensar, Olivia supo exactamente qué quería llegar a ser algún día. Olivia es un personaje creado por Ian Falconer caracterizado por su valentía y capacidad de decisión, lo que le permite ir a contracorriente, como en este divertido cuento.

Irrepressible Olivia is back in this seventh picture-book devoted to her madcap adventures, and this time she's preoccupied with the idea of being different and special. How is one to accomplish this, in a world where everyone else seems to want to be the same? Everyone wants to be a fairy princess at the party, everyone wants to be a ballerina. Olivia maintains her unique status, marching to the beat of her own drummer, and eventually she realizes what she truly wants to be: The Queen!

Like its predecessors, Olivia and the Fairy Princesses pairs an engaging tale of an energetic and imaginative little girl (or pig) with amusing illustrations done in charcoal and gouache. As always, I really enjoyed Ian Falconer's artwork, and his ability to capture the droll expressions on the faces of everyone around his eponymous porcine heroine. I also appreciated the idea presented here, of trying to work out issues of individuality, although I do think that Falconer missed an opportunity to highlight the fact that everyone wants to be special and different, even when their choices seem to indicate mere conformity. Recommended to Olivia fans, and to anyone looking for picture-books addressing the "princess" theme. ( )

Quite possibly one of the more adorable picture books that I’ve read recently. The story is lovely, and any kid who doesn’t feel like they fit in will relate to this. Wanting to go against the grain, Olivia is in a bit of a crisis as she tries to figure out how to be herself in a world where everyone wants to be the same.

The art is great! I loved every page! I especially loved the background details and some of the little tie ins within the illustrations.

Olivia is a fun read for all and the ending is quite adorable. ( )