Olivia is sad and lonely and angry - angry that she's been dumped with her sister eel at her grandmother's school, and angrier still that that school turns out to be a stage school where there's no encouragement for her to do what she loves best: practice her circus skills. But in the course of a turbulent first term, Olivia finds out much more than she bargained for about the theatre, about friendship, about enemies, about her family and about herself.
Olivia's First Term
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
About the Author
Lyn Gardner is the author of Swans on Stage: Olivia's First Term and the other Swans on Stage books. She was born in London and now lives near Richmond Park with her partner and two daughters. A theatre critic on The Guardian, she goes to the theatre five or six nights a week, which should leave no time for writing books at all. Before she bacame a journalist, Lyn was a tea lady, a waitress and sold advertising space for a magazine called Sludge. Her ambitions are to learn to tap dance and walk the high wire, but it may have to be the low wire as she is a bit scared of heights.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Sarah
Format:Paperback
Olivia's First Term is the first book in a new series from Theatre Critic Lyn Gardner.
The book is focused around the lives of twelve year old Olivia Marvell and her seven year old sister Eel. Having been used to a life of traveling around Europe with their father's famous circus, Olivia and Eel are shocked when they're taken to their grandmother's stage school `The Swan Academy of Theatre and Dance' in London whilst their father recuperates from an accident and plans a career comeback.
After a dramatic introduction, Eel takes instantly to life at The Swan and relishes in the constant round of dancing and theatre activities. For Olivia, however, the upheaval is not so easy and she finds herself desperately worrying about her father and unable to fit in at The Swan. All Olivia really wants to do is walk the highwire, but she is sure that her grandmother, who loathes the circus, will disapprove.
Things take a turn for the worse when valuable objects begin to go missing and Olivia must use her circus skills to try and catch the real thief.
The book is filled with all of the ingredients for a really exciting tale of school life with a difference. There is the nasty bully, Katie Wilkes-Cox, who seems to get away with everything, a model student; Georgia Jones whose mother is working all hours to pay the fees and an array of other characters that readers will be able to relate to.
Exciting and with lots of twists and turns, Olivia's First Term is a gripping story which I found difficult to put down. I am really looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
Lyn Gardner has created a tale of a modern day stage school, which I think could rival many classic children's stories.
The book is focused around the lives of twelve year old Olivia Marvell and her seven year old sister Eel. Having been used to a life of traveling around Europe with their father's famous circus, Olivia and Eel are shocked when they're taken to their grandmother's stage school `The Swan Academy of Theatre and Dance' in London whilst their father recuperates from an accident and plans a career comeback.
After a dramatic introduction, Eel takes instantly to life at The Swan and relishes in the constant round of dancing and theatre activities. For Olivia, however, the upheaval is not so easy and she finds herself desperately worrying about her father and unable to fit in at The Swan. All Olivia really wants to do is walk the highwire, but she is sure that her grandmother, who loathes the circus, will disapprove.
Things take a turn for the worse when valuable objects begin to go missing and Olivia must use her circus skills to try and catch the real thief.
The book is filled with all of the ingredients for a really exciting tale of school life with a difference. There is the nasty bully, Katie Wilkes-Cox, who seems to get away with everything, a model student; Georgia Jones whose mother is working all hours to pay the fees and an array of other characters that readers will be able to relate to.
Exciting and with lots of twists and turns, Olivia's First Term is a gripping story which I found difficult to put down. I am really looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
Lyn Gardner has created a tale of a modern day stage school, which I think could rival many classic children's stories.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By pop
Format:Paperback
As a 13 year old aspiring actress and die hard bookworm I thoroughly enjoy poring over stage related fiction, but find it difficult to track down anything modern.
Olivia's First Term is my ideal story. It is exiting, action-packed and touching, full of detailed characters and believable dilemmas, as well as plenty of stage school references, which are explained as the story goes on.
However, this isn't just a book for stage fans. Olivia, the main character of the book, is a circus girl, so there is lots of info about that too.
Highly recommended for any kid who loves a good book!
Olivia's First Term is my ideal story. It is exiting, action-packed and touching, full of detailed characters and believable dilemmas, as well as plenty of stage school references, which are explained as the story goes on.
However, this isn't just a book for stage fans. Olivia, the main character of the book, is a circus girl, so there is lots of info about that too.
Highly recommended for any kid who loves a good book!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By LeedsMama
Format:Paperback
I bought this book for my next door neighbour's daughter. She wrote the following review:
My first impression of the book was that as soon as I started reading I was hooked and I couldn't put it down! It took a while for me to get to terms with all the different characters but once I got into it I thought the story was original and really well written. There was a cliffhanger near the end and it kept me on tenterhooks. I definitely felt what the characters were feeling because the descriptions were so detailed and descriptive. As soon as I finished the book I wanted to read the next one straight away so I am asking for the other two for Christmas! I think Lyn Gardener is a very good writer and I would definitely recommend this book to girls my age, and I have already lent it to one of my friends. P.S. I thought the ideas were very imaginative.
My first impression of the book was that as soon as I started reading I was hooked and I couldn't put it down! It took a while for me to get to terms with all the different characters but once I got into it I thought the story was original and really well written. There was a cliffhanger near the end and it kept me on tenterhooks. I definitely felt what the characters were feeling because the descriptions were so detailed and descriptive. As soon as I finished the book I wanted to read the next one straight away so I am asking for the other two for Christmas! I think Lyn Gardener is a very good writer and I would definitely recommend this book to girls my age, and I have already lent it to one of my friends. P.S. I thought the ideas were very imaginative.
By Ellie
Format:Kindle Edition
Full of drama and has the most amazing style of writing. Olivia changes through out the book and unexpected turns that happen at the swan make you never want to stop reading
Format:Kindle Edition
This is a brilliant book when you start you can't stop reading it is thrilling.olivia takes a big gamble on a old friend
Format:Kindle Edition
a thrilling book.i can't put it down!i highly recomend for 7 to 11 year olds.i have read alot these books and i love how from the start olivia is so misreble and by the end she has wonderful friends and she loves the swan
By Jane Nelson
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
My granddaughter Lily (aged 10) absolutely loved this and has been nagging me for all the rest (which I'm drip feeding her, one a week!). Trouble is, she enjoys them so much, she won't put one down once she's started - and then finishes it in a few hours!
By Tweezle
Format:Paperback
My daughter age 7 loves the olivia stories. Very entertaining. Nicely written. Lots of likeable characters and of course the odd horrible one! Can't wait for the next one in the series.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great reading
This book was loved by my 8year old daughter - she couldn't put the book down and thorougly enjoyed reading it.
Published 12 months ago by M. Elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great reading
This book was loved by my 8year old daughter - she couldn't put the book down and thorougly enjoyed reading it.
Published 12 months ago by M. Elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
Our granddaughter loves this series of stories and was delighted when we sent this one to her for her eighth birthday. Read more
Published 13 months ago by R. Luther
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
