Olivia Helps with Christmas



Last updated Friday, October 25, 2013

Author: Ian Falconer
Illustrator: Ian Falconer
Date of Publication: 2007
ISBN: 1416907866
Grade Level: 1st    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Dec. 2009

Synopsis: Everyone's favorite Caldecott honor-winning porcine and #1 Kris Cringle enthusiast is helping to make the season brighter than ever. Christmas is coming, and Olivia is incredibly busy. She has to wait for Santa, make sure dad sets up the tree, wait for Santa, watch mom make the Christmas dinner, wait for Santa, oversee the care with which the stockings are hung and, of course, OPEN HER PRESENTS! Do you see how hard it is to be so helpful during the holidays! A lovingly-told and lavishly-illustrated Olivia Helps With Christmas is the perfect stuffing for any stocking, and the newest star atop the Olivia series.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What is she baking?
•  What is Olivia?
•  Look at title page picture- What happened there?
•  Have you ever decorated a tree? With lights?
•  Eaten a Christmas Eve dinner?
•  How do you help with dinner? Setting the table?
•  Do you leave treats for Santa?
•  Had to fall asleep when excited?
•  Been skiing/sledding?
•  Made a snowman?

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Vocabulary: Exhausted Impatient Soot Snout, trotters Noiselessly

Craft ideas:
•  Draw and color a Self-portrait
•  Make a snowman out of cotton-balls
•  Make Christmas cards

Special activities:
•  Sing Christmas Carols

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!