Olive Morris (Little People, BIG DREAMS) by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara

Olive Morris (Little People, BIG DREAMS) Reviews

• 
  Mai

  Another one that is new to me. I had to do some research, but Olive's story is an inspiring one. The illustrations in this series are always gorgeous, but they seem especially well done in this installment. Fight for what you believe in!
  
  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
• 
  Reading_ Tamishly

  Before this book, I haven’t heard about Olive Morris. Yes, children’s books are powerful like this! I never understand why people ask me weird questions about reading, loving, reviewing and recommending books meant for young audiences. Here’s one valid read why!
  
  Apart from this little banter, I absolutely love this series by the author which focuses on outstanding personalities from all around the world and I wait excitedly all year round for the next book in this series. It’s been more than two years now that I have been reading ARCs and I am totally hooked.
  
  Olive Morris grew up as a normal kid but things changed when we witnessed a case of police brutality regarding the black community which reflected discrimination and abuse. She fought against this injustice by joining forces with similar minded individuals. She even fought for African and Asian women.
  
  Such a small book that would leave some powerful impression to the young readers!
  
  The illustrations are amazing!
  
  Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group- Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, for the advance reading copy.
• 
  Read by Curtis

  I wouldn't normally write a review for a picture-book-read, but I got this book from NetGalley, and the deal with NG necessitates a fair review in exchange for the e-book. So, here we are.
  
  Harkening back to ValueTales series of the 80's, Little People Big Dreams is a fantastic picture book series that showcases biographies of exceptional people. Much like the
  ValueTales series, the books provide an age-appropriate biography of a person's life which highlights their achievements (except without the annoying anthropomorphized sidekicks of the VT series). And also like ValueTales, the book includes a "more mature" biography at the end of the book (though, in the case of Olive Morris, the biography at the end was simply a repetition of the picturebook story contained within).
  
  The inclusion of Olive Morris as an honoree was a surprising choice simply because I had never heard of her. And while the story provided the pivotal moments of Morris's life (moving to England, experiencing racism, defending a Nigerian diplomat from police brutality, creating safe spaces and social justice groups), there is something lacking that was necessary to immortalize an ordinary person who did extraordinary things. Perhaps it was the lack of dialogue? Perhaps it was a lack of detail of injustices, to spare young readers from traumatization? I'm not sure, but while the memory of Olive Morris will stay with me, the book may not.
  
  Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the e-copy of the book in exchange for this review. Olive Morris will be published in June, 2023.
• 
  Carla

  Olive Morris was a child when she moved from the countryside in Jamaica, living with her grandparents, to the busy streets of London in Britain, to live with her parents. She soon realised just how tough and hard life was growing up in Britain during the 1970s. When she watched a black diplomat from Nigeria get arrested and beaten because he was suspected of stealing the nice car he was driving, she was incensed. When she spoke up to the police beating the man and she was also arrested and beaten. Olive was only seventeen at the time, and her life changed forever. Olive became a leader within the Black British community, fighting against any kind of abuse and speaking up about racism. She spent the rest of her life fighting for the rights of others and was instrumental in changing the attitudes and treatment of the people within the Black British Community. My grandson and I got into quite a discussion of racism in our own country and although he hasn't seen a lot of it, he had certainly heard of news reports and big stories such as George Floyd, Brionna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin. I did not know about Olive Morris, but we now know that even young people can make a difference in the world when you fight injustice. This book contained all the things we like about this series: short text with important points, quirky illustrations that add interest, and a timeline with photos at the back. Another great addition to this series.
• 
  Vanessa

  Olive Morris by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara was a beautifully written and illustrated book by the famous and best selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series. These book are so good from start to finish and a must for our small children.
  
  "Olive was a child when she moved from the countryside in Jamaica to the busy streets of London in Britain. She soon realised just how tough and hard life was growing up in Britain during the 1970s.
  
  Her life changed forever when she witnessed police brutality towards a Black man and was arrested when she came to his aid .
  
  Olive became a leader within the Black British community, fighting against any kind of abuse and speaking up about racism. She never let the injustices she faced as a Black woman during that time stop her . Olive was involved in the first Black bookshops in Britain and spent much of her life fighting for the rights of those in her community. Olive’s fearless determination inspired the building blocks for change within the Black British community. "
  
  I am so glad these books are being published and I highly recommend all of these books
  
  Many thanks to Quarto’s Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Martina

  The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
  These stories are very short, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
  I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
  Here we have the story of Olive Morris, the social justice activist, and campaigner. She fought all her life against any kind of abuse and spoke up about racism in order to secure some justice for the Black British community. Her fierceness is so inspiring, I'm sure children will appreciate her story and will learn a lot from her example.
• 
  Graham Sillars

  Another colourful and educational little picture book.
  
  I absolutely adore this series. I know they are aimed at children but I don’t care. I’m a big kid at heart!
• 
  Danielle

  Another great addition to the Little People, Big Dreams series. I hate to say but I had never heard of Olive Morris but was excited to learn about her life. Her parents first moved to England when she was 9, leaving her in Jamaica with her grandmother, although she eventually joined them. She realized then that not all races were treated equally and when as a teenage she witnessed an innocent Black man being arrested for a crime he didn't commit she stepped in. She ended up being arrested as well, this drove her to take on an activist role within the Black community and brought about positive changes.
  
  A fantastic introduction to Olive Morris' inspirational life helping Black women in the community. The illustrations in the book are so bright, bold and colourful.
  
  Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
• 
  karla_bookishlife

  What a fierce advocate for the rights of black and Asian women. Olive was born in Jamaica and moved as part of the Windrush generation to the UK, where she didn't always receive fair treatment. After being beaten by police for helping to defend a black diplomat, who suffered a racist attack, she became an advocate and warrior fighting for equality and justice. She established a centre in her hometown as a refuge and support to help others. Unfortunately, she passed away in her 20s from cancer, but her legacy lives on. This is a powerful story about defending the right to equality and showing our young people how to fight for their beliefs. The colours used in the illustrations are so vibrant and bold, and perfectly match the personality of Olive Moris. #olivemorris #littlepeoplebigdreams #olivemorrislittlepeoplebigdreams #aureliadurrand #mariaisabelsanchezvegara #netgalley
• 
  Vanessa

  Before this book, I hadn't heard about Olive Morris.
  I didn’t know who she was, where she lived or what she had done.
  
  Olive Morris grew up as a normal kid but things changed when she witnessed a case of police brutality regarding the black community, which reflected discrimination and abuse.
  
  She fought against this injustice by joining forces with similar minded individuals.
  She even fought for African and Asian women.
  She saw how much brutality and discrimination was going on in her community, and wanted to fight and do something about it.
  
  Reading this to my mixed daughter raised some questions...
  
  How can she help fight police brutality?
  How can she have a voice in this world?
  
  Beautiful writing and artwork, and a great learning experience for children and adults as well!
• 
  Melanie Pearce

  This powerful book on Olive Morris is one all young children should read.
  
  With strong illustrations to capture the strength of Olive and engage young minds this is an attractive book filled with a very important message.
  Olive Morris was a powerful person who made a big impact on the world despite only being in it for a short while. Olive is a woman I had never heard of before picking up this book and after finishing the book I understand why it is important everyone knows what she stood up for, and what she created.
  The storyline is easy for young readers, this book would make a wonderful addition to your library.
  
  I was gifted a digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
• 
  Alex Lynn

  Before this book, I haven't heard about Olive Morris. I didn’t know who she was, where she lived or what she had done.
  •
  Olive Morris grew up as a normal kid but things changed when we witnessed a case of police brutality regarding the black community which reflected discrimination and abuse. She fought against this injustice by joining forces with similar minded individuals. She even fought for African and Asian women. She saw how much brutality and discrimination was going on in her community, and wanted to fight and do something about it.
  Reading this to my mixed daughter raised some questions. How can she help fight police brutality? How can she have a voice in this world?
  Beautiful writing & pictures.
• 
  Wayne McCoy

  “Olive Morris“ by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vergara, with illustrations by Auurelia Durand is an e-book in the Little People, Big Dreams series.
  
  This is the story of Olive Morris, the social justice activist and campaigner. Olive grew up in Jamaica, but moved to London when she was little. She soon realized how unfair life can be when she witnessed police brutality towards a black man, and then was arrested for protesting it. This informed her life and she became a very vocal member of black British community speaking up about racism and abuse.
  
  I enjoy this series and learning about new people that I’ve never heard of like Olive Morris. It’s sad that her life ended when she was so young. The illustrations are bright and colorful.
  
• 
  Sarahlovesbooks76

  Another beautiful addition to the Little People Big Dreams series, with wonderful bright illustrations that you came to expect of the series.
  
  I'll admit to not having heard of Olive Morris before I read this book, which is unusual for this series - however, having read it, I can understand why she was chosen as a subject. Olive was 9 years old when she moved to London from Jamaica. After witnessing racism and sexism first hand, she became an activist against many things. This book is a fabulous first introduction to Olive, and I indeed found myself looking for more information afterwards. An interesting read.
• 
  Jan

  Olivia and her siblings were born in Jamaica but later moved to Brixton in London, England where she was exposed to police errors and more. She organized other women to take a stand and more. She is a true hero for our time.
  The illustrations by Aurelia Durand are clear, colorful, and add to the meaning of this young woman's short life.
  Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
  I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
• 
  Bethany

  I will admit, I don't know much about the Black Panthers or racism in the UK. I actually didn't even realize it was a problem there, thought that was uniquely American bullshit. Really tragic that this fired up woman died so young, she probably could have done more. Her methods were a little unorthodox, but I guess so was Ghandi. But the way the book was written it was like her biggest accomplishment was illegally squatting above a laundromat... which I don't think that should have been the point, right? Right? Anyway... I always like learning about great people that the American educational system failed to mention, so three stars.
• 
  Amberleigh Million • a.millionbooks

  My 3 and 5 year old boys love the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. They enjoyed Olive Morris just as much as any other we've read. This book follows the life of Olive as a child through her adulthood in which she fought against racism and injustice.
  
  The illustrations were cute and colorful. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
• 
  Angela Lawman

  I love this series of books but I especially love finding out more about people I have not previously heard of.
  Olive Morris is one of these, those I will admit to immediately hitting the internet to find out more about her after finishing this book.
  She was a fighter against racism in the 1970s before dying of leukaemia at the shockingly young age of 27.
  She is certainly someon I will be encouraging more knowledge about in the future in school.
• 
  Sharni

  This was my introduction to Olive Morris - and what a short, accomplished life she led. A phenomenal example of someone who lived their values and always stood up against injustice. These are written for a young audience - but they do touch on the racial abuse and police brutality that Olive - and the Windrush generation faced in England.
  
  The illustrations in this volume are particularly vibrant with contrasting background colours really making everything pop.
• 
  Lellie Reads

  I love the LPBD series. This one is about a Jamaican/British activist in the 70s named Olive Morris. Her life was unfortunately short and I've never heard of her before, but leave it to this series to introduce everyone to great historical figures! Thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
• 
  Lisa Gisèle

  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
  
  Olivie Morris has proven that you are never too young to fight for what is right. She did so much for her community and attended university to gain education to do so much more.
  
  Sadly, her life was ended very young, but her name and spirit will live on as it should.
• 
  Jo

  Hello, Olive Morris, a person whom I just heard about. But this super woman does inspiring me with her motivation and her courage to get colored people to be recognized in the UK. It was not easy, but Olive proofed that this way is doable. Again, I am thankful to the author for bringing Miss Morris to life in her book.
• 
  Huyen Tran

  Ấn tượng bởi tấm lòng quả cảm bảo vệ người yếu và xây dựng cộng đồng của cô Olive Morris, đến từ Jamaica, vùng biển Caribe. Bất ngờ vì cuộc đời cô quá ngắn, 27 tuổi mất vì ung thư. Hic quả thương cho cô, nhưng cuộc đời cô thực sự đã mang lại ý nghĩa cho nhiều người, thậm chỉ cả tương lai của nhiều thế hệ!
  Quả là tấm gương sáng 😎
• 
  Julie

  Awesome little quality-made books featuring people who persisted beyond circumstances of their time. Includes a brief and more detailed timeline at the end. Exceptional illustrations perfect for children.
• 
  Alice

  3 stars for this introduction to activist Olive Morris
  
  I read a digital advanced reader's copy, courtesy of the publisher
• 
  Nette

  Olive Morris
  An amazing new addition to the children’s book series Little People, Big Dreams. Where we learn about the social justice activist and campaigner Olive Morris, written by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara.
  
  Olive Morris
  Born in the countryside of Jamaica, imagine the culture shock of then moving to London during the 1970s. Olive Morris saw the prejudice that existed towards those that didn’t look like her. She was even a witness to a police assault on Nigerian Diplomat Clement Gomwalk, ending up in her arrest. Having intervened with the sole determination to always speak up against oppression. Olive and a friend ended up occupying an apartment where they organized community activism.
  
  Olive Morris left quite a legacy. The work she did for women’s activism and the Black Freedom Movement is still a reminder to always speak up!
  
  Little People, Big Dreams
  Why this book series is so beloved in Curating Edits is the impact these stories have on young minds. Not only will you find famous people in this series. You will learn alongside your child about people who made major impacts in places we might not have known about. Think about the Olive Morris story, her life, and all that she did during the 1970s. This is not something that we can find in our school books or even have books that recognize the amazing things done by her. Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara finds a way to uncover and provide child-friendly mini biography books of people that are relatable to us. That has attempted to pave the way for not only their lives but their community, and everyone around them.