Birgitta Sif

Ólíver is a story about a little, rather special, lonely - but not unhappy - boy. He has "imaginary friends", stuffed animals, with whom he shares his exciting adventures. One day, however, it turns out that these friends are not enough. Searching for a tennis ball, he begins on a jaunt that leads to a new friend who has a number of virtues that the old friends did not have.

The text of the book is simple and of few words but very open to interpretation and here the pictures play a key role; they have been worked on with special care and are rich and full of life and mystery. Ólíver's journey from loneliness to friendship, from urban life to rural life, is just as much spiritual as it is physical. This is emphasised with colours and pencil strokes and together the text, drawings and colours make up a whole, and a fascinating story.

The book's main theme is the individual's position in the world, loneliness, creativity and happiness and is suitable for "all those who are a little bit special". This is Birgitta Sif's first book. The artist Birgitta Sif is Icelandic but lives in the UK. On the last page the word "end" has been crossed out and underneath is written "beginning" instead. We can therefore look forward to more adventures with Ólíver.