Oliver's Must-Do List
PreSchool-Grade 2–Oliver, a rhino wearing a striped T-shirt, wants to play with his mother, but she has a long list of chores to do. Lonely and bored, he creates his own Must-Do list. His mother recognizes Oliver's need and they spend the day together. The plot is satisfying and many children will identify with Oliver and his need for a playmate. Unfortunately, the digitally rendered artwork is often cluttered and overwhelming, showing the protagonist surrounded by his many possessions. Although some of the details are charming (such as the facial expressions of the youngster's Boston terrier), more often the pictures pack in too many images for viewers to take in. The illustrations are sometimes from Oliver's point of view (for example, only showing the belt of his mother's apron) and sometimes more general, and the switch in perspective is distracting. The endpapers include a neighborhood map that does not relate to the story, adding to the confusion.–Susan Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.