Perfect Picture Book Friday-Ollie and Claire

Posted on by Penny Parker Klostermann

ollie and claireOllie and Claire

Written by Tiffany Strelitz Haber

Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Philomel 2013

Ages 3-7

Themes: Friendship

Synopsis: (From publisher’s website) Ollie and Claire are as tight as two friends can be. Every day they picnic together, every day they do yoga together, and every evening they eat dinner together. But when Claire longs to break free from this routine and dreams of traveling the world, she worries that Ollie would never join her. So she takes matters into her own hands and finds a mysterious travel partner when she sees a sign posted on a tree. Who could it be? And how can she ever tell Ollie?

Opening:
Ollie and Claire were a tightly knit pair,
like hot buttered biscuits and jam.
They frolicked by day at the park and the bay,
where they yodeled and yoga’d and swam.

And here is the trailer:


Resources: I didn’t find any on the Internet…probably because Ollie and Clare has just been released. So here are few I came up with.
1) Have students write an acrostic poem, using the letters in their name about a trip. They can write about things to do or places to go.
2) Have students design their own luggage from a shoe box or other small box. Have classmates drop in notes telling that student why they would miss them if they left for an around-the-world trip.
3) Use the luggage from #2 to work with rhyming words. Have the student put a word/s on their “luggage tag”. Have other students drop in words that rhyme with the luggage tag as they think of them. When they get 10 (or whatever number decided  upon), the student will write a poem with the words from inside their luggage.
4) Here is a longer project for older students. Have students plan the round-the-world itinerary for Ollie and Claire. As a whole, have the class decide the best way to travel from place to place-airplane, boat, train, bus, etc. For math, add up the miles they will travel and estimate expenses. Have enough stops so that each student have a location to research. Have them map it. Have them list three things to do while on their stop. Have them find a recipe for food from their location and/or possibly make and bring that food to school for the class to taste. Make a round-the-world recipe book.

Why I Like This Book: Oh the rhyme! Did I mention the rhyme? Well, there is the rhyme! Seriously, Tiffany Strelitz Haber is super skilled at rhyming. She kills it! Spot on meter! Fun wordplay! But what’s great rhyme without a story, right? Never fear…the story’s here! You will be engaged. You will be torn…See below quotes from my mind as I read the book:
“Claire deserves adventure.”
“But, how can she leave Ollie?”
“Claire will be back some day.”
“But how can she leave Ollie.”
And then, you’ll read the ending and your heart will melt.
Matthew Corell’s illustrations are adorable. I’m sure you saw that in the trailer. They just add to the perfection of the book!
Yes, this tale of friendship must be shared with kids everywhere.

24 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday-Ollie and Claire”

  2. Oh wow! I second what Tara said. It does sound like Toot and Puddle. Oh, and I also have an idea who the travel companion will be, Wendy! Great review Penny!

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  3. Wow! I fell in love with the cover right away. I can’t wait to check it out. Great post.
    ~Cool Mom for
    Stanley & Katrina

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  9. I’ve got my guess on who Claire’s travel companion is (“Do you like pina coladas, and taking walks in the rain…”) 🙂 I am in awe of Tiffany’s rhyming skills and will be sure to find this one!

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  11. I was just going to ask if we can add this to the list of great stories of travel and friendship with T&P, but that dog beat me to it! And they yodel – my kind of folk! On my list!

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  12. I love Ollie and Claire just from the cover! They sound a lot like Toot and Puddle. And I can never pass up good rhyme! Thanks for sharing this one. I’ll have to check it out!

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