OLIVE BLACKWOOD TAKES ACTION!

A Portland, Oregon, girl pushes through doubt for a cause she believes in.

Olive Blackwood, a Black seventh grader, looks at the world with a director’s eye, just like her deceased dad did. But, unlike Dad, when Olive is center stage, her anxiety takes over. Luckily, her outgoing best friend, Kayla, has star power, making it easy for Olive to quietly blend in. When she’s paired with confident Jo (who is vegan and uses they/them pronouns) and subdued David for her film class’s competition, Olive will need to learn to trust her instincts if she wants to win and get her teacher’s recommendation for a prestigious summer film camp. After Olive films an angry woman who’s chasing a beaver—and the beaver is later found dead—she makes a short movie urging viewers to advocate for wildlife protection. Its success and impact motivate Olive to go off-script and start directing her own life. The issues that contribute to Olive’s anxiety are woven throughout the book and are portrayed in a realistic way that doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable. The activism themes highlight the different means kids may take to effect change while also using technology responsibly. The supporting characters are wonderfully developed catalysts for Olive’s emotional journey; Olive’s story arc with Kayla frames the adolescent challenge of growing up with, apart from, and alongside childhood friends.

Two thumbs up for this necessary novel about anxiety and self-advocacy.