I put this on my LGBTQ shelf even though the boy isn't necessarily gay. He's just into dancing, so the other boys call him a sissy (and his dad isn't too thrilled with his choice of hobbies, either). The story is a kind of roller coaster of sad and happy (kids are jerks: boo! his mom is awesome: yea!), but the message is simple--just do what you love and hope that people get over it. ( )

Oliver doesnt enjoy many of the activities that all of the other boys typically like. He enjoys using his creativity in pictures, dancing, and stories. Staying true to ones interests despite what other people say. Recommend for K-2.

Oliver doesn't like the typical boy things. He likes art, plays, acting, walking in the woods... He is made fun of by the boys and the girls stick up for him. He enters the talent show but doesn't win; however Oliver is a Star and is appreciated for his differences.

The thing i found most interesting about this book, is the fact that it was written in the 70's. The issue of accepting people for who they are is not a new concept, I just thought it was interesting that someone was interested enough to challenge gender roles in the 70's. The great thing about this book is character development. Oliver stays true to himself throughout the whole book. His peers and his father are the characters that change. Oliver likes to play with paper dolls, draw, and read. His peers at school make fun of him by writing :"Oliver Button is a sissy" all over the school hallways. This does not discourage Oliver though. His father does not really support him either, but relents and lets him take dance classes. Oliver practices dance and even preforms in the talent show. Although he does not win, when he returns to school, his peers have crossed out the word "sissy" and replaced it with "star"! Even Oliver's father is proud of him. I think this is a great lesson for children, and adults honestly, to learn. Accept people for who they are, weather it be your friend, your sibling, or your child. ( )

This is another trade book that is for my research topic. This story is about a boy who loved to do things "normal" boys didn't do. He loved to play dress up, play with dolls, and he hated playing dolls. He eventually joined dance class, and loved it. Oliver was bullied in this book because of dance class. I gave this story a five out of five stars because it shows that boys can be in dance class just like girls can. The illustrations were very dull and looked like they were done in colored pencils. The story was quite sad throughout most of the book, so the dull colors fit the story. I would use this in a classroom just for fun. They could write a journal entry on why this book goes against the social norm. This was a cute story. ( )