Molly has a secret and tells it to Olive, trusting she will keep it a secret. However, Olive can't help it and tells the secret to Joe. The secret gets told to several more animals and comes back around to Molly. Molly is unhappy that Olive told her secret. The reader isn't explicitly told the secret but can imply what it is from the endpapers of the book. The composition of this book parallels the story; the words and illustrations trail across the page like the chain reaction of a secret being told to several people. In the classroom, this book could be used to teach about trust and keeping secrets. Oh, I might just have to give this to my sister who was always the biggest squealer in our family and sometimes still is.The illustrations are vaguely Ren & Stimpyish (I said VAGUELY) so they sort of ick me out but at the same time, it's like Ren & Stimpy had babies with Richard Scarry's critters so all the little animals wear cute outfits to go with their strange faces.Poor Olive. Secrets are hard to keep. I'm sad for Molly that Olive couldn't pull it off but let that be a lesson learned: don't share your secrets in the first place with anyone other than your very best friend (which was Lola, Molly. Lola. Not Olive.)I admit this book made me giggle.
What do You think about Olive And The Big Secret (2012)?
Olive learns what happens when he tells one person a secret he vowed to keep!
—Ciara
The theme is gossip without consequences.
—20Krys12
