The Secret Olivia Told Me

Reader reviewed by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, The Original H.I.R. (Historical Investigative Reporter)

Got a secret? Don't know whether to tell it or not? Before you do ANYTHING, be sure to read author N. Joy's delightful K-5 children's book, The Secret Olivia Told Me.

In The Secret Olivia Told Me, a little girl learns a secret from her friend Olivia. Although the girl promises not to tell, the secret is so juicy, it just slips right off the girl's lips. Before she knows it, everyone in the school yard knows Olivia's secret, and now the girl wonders if Olivia will still be her friend.

This contemporary dilemma is perfect for classrooms, homes, churches - any setting where people tell secrets and expect other people to keep them.

The illustrations, by multi-talented artist Nancy Devard, may seem simple on the surface, but are in fact, unique and memorable. Each illustration is done in silhouette, yet the details are precise enough to conjure up all sorts of memories. As soon as you lay your eyes on them, you're whisked back to your old elementary school playground, and all the secret-telling shenanigans of that period. The illustrations are so moving, Devard received the 2008 Coretta Scott King Honor Award for her work on the book.

For a timely look at friendship and trustworthiness played out by lively and intelligent African American characters, be sure to read >The Secret Olivia Told Me..