Claudia Mills How Oliver Olson Changed the World #TBT

Oct 01, 2015

Last week’s Throwback Thursday review featured a Short Chapter Book nominee from 2010 (the fifth year of the Cybils Awards). This week, we’re going to the 2009 Cybils. How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills was a finalist in the Short Chapter Book category that year. If you’ve read this title – or any book by Claudia Mills, be sure to include a link to your review!

Claudia Mills How Oliver Olson Changed the WorldHow Oliver Olson Changed the World

written by Claudia Mills
illustrated by Heather Maione

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009

Oliver’s third grade class is studying the solar system. Crystal Harding, Oliver’s classmate is horrified that Pluto is no longer a planet. Oliver sort of agrees with her – it doesn’t seem fair. At home, Oliver’s parents have taken over his assignment to create a solar system diorama. They know what they want; they don’t need his ideas. Even when Mrs. O’Neill asked each student to come up with an idea that can change the world, Oliver’s Mom told him what to suggest. That doesn’t seem fair, either. When Crystal suggests they work together on the diorama, Oliver agrees … but then he has to convince his parents and suffer the embarrassment of Crystal coming to his house. How can he change the world if he can’t change his parents? This is a story that kids will relate to and that reminds parents to let their kids grow up!

Reading Tub review: October 2009

See How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills and other category finalists here: 2009 Easy Reader & Short Chapter Finalists.

Why a Throwback Thursday for Book Reviews?

Those of us who blog about books are a community. We read lots of books, we write lots of reviews, and we share those reviews with fellow book lovers and those in search of books for children and teens on our blogs, websites, and via social media.

We write so many reviews that, over time, they get buried by other, newer reviews. BUT! that book we read three years ago will always be new to some reader, somewhere. So why not share that review with a new audience?

Everyone is welcome! Here are the participation guidelines:

  • If you reviewed the same book we’re featuring, add your permalink to the original review on the Reading Tub website or in the InLinkz Linkup above.
  • Want to (re)share a review you posted in October 2009 but which isn’t our featured book? Add your permalink in the InLinkz Linkup or comments. [No, it doesn’t have to be a book you loved; but it does have to be a review you take a lot of pride in.]
  • Add any notes about the review in the comments, please.

The spammers have been having a blast with our Throwback Thursday posts … now its your turn to take back blogging from those nuisances. Add your reviews to our InLinkz linkup above or the comments section below.

Too late for this week’s Claudia Mills #TBT linkup?

Our InLinkz linkup is open for one week from publication date. If you didn’t find this post in time, no worries! Add your review on our review page at the Reading Tub.

NOTES: The cover image for How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills links to amazon.com. The Reading Tub has an affiliate relationship with Amazon. 100% of any income from this source is used for our literacy mission.

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