Turkey Call: Olivia Talks Turkey by Farrah O'Doogle

Olivia wants a turkey. No, not for Thanksgiving dinner.

She wants a turkey for a friend.

But how does she find a friendly turkey?

Olivia turns to her trusty teacher, Mrs. Hoggenmuller, who seems to know everything. And Mrs. H. happens to be an expert in talking turkey:

"OOO-LOO-LOO-LOO!" CALLED MRS. HOGGENMULLER, AS SHE STEPPED IN FRONT OF THE BLACKBOARD.

"OOO-LOO-LOO-LOO!

TODAY IS TURKEY DAY AND I AM CELEBRATING TALKING TURKEY."

Mrs. Hoggenmuller indeed summons a turkey to the classroom and reminisces about her childhood success in calling a turkey to be her pet. "Unfortunately, my parents were goldfish people," she concludes her story sadly.

Ooo-la-la! Olivia is inspired and can't wait to start trying her turkey calls, too!

"YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO PRACTICE!" SAYS MRS. HOGGENMULLER.

Olivia has a fast learning curve, and when she gets outdoors, her own "Ooo-loo-loos" produce a turkey right out of the bushes. Her little brother Ian is delighted and her dog Perry is beside himself. Mother and Father? Not so much. The turkey is cute, but inside their house, he's a mess!

Olivia is sad, but she understands that there's no real room for a turkey in her house, and she wonders what to do with this turkey who very much needs a friend to take him in.

And then Olivia has a brainstorm. Who else does she know who can talk to turkeys and has always wanted a turkey for a pet?

OLIVIA Talks Turkey, (Simon, 2011) the latest spinoff from Ian Falconer's hit Nick Jr. network children's program, with text by Farrah McDoogle and faithful illustrations by Jered Osterhold, is a happy addition to the November storytimes that honors the national bird but stays well away from the delicate turkey-on-the-table theme. Easy to read and inexpensive, this series of paperback adventures of the ever-perky pig makes fine reading for the primary fan of Falconer's Olivia.