Olive, the Other Reindeer is part of our Starts With a Story Collection, which includes more than 550 picture book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Learn more about this children’s book below! - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
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SUMMARY
"Olive, the Other Reindeer" by Vivian Walsh is a whimsical and endearing children's book that tells the story of Olive, a dog who believes she is actually a reindeer. When Olive hears the classic Christmas song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," she mishears the lyrics as "Olive, the other reindeer" and is convinced she must help Santa with his sleigh. Eager to fulfill her newfound role, Olive embarks on a journey to the North Pole, encountering various challenges and making new friends along the way. With its charming illustrations and playful narrative, the book captures the holiday spirit and emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and embracing individuality. Through Olive's determination and kindness, readers learn about the power of friendship, acceptance, and the magic of the Christmas season. "Olive, the Other Reindeer" is a delightful tale that brings joy and laughter to readers of all ages.
 USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
Our read aloud lesson plans for this picture book come with reading comprehension questions (with sample student responses), 30 writing prompts, teaching ideas for grammar skills, social emotional learning discussion ideas, and more. Check out our list below to get a sneak peek at some of the skills this resource teaches.
- Practice making inferences throughout the story and after reading.
- Practice making predictions throughout the book. Encourage students to check and see if their predictions were correct.
- Discuss the different characters in the story and analyze their thoughts and actions.
- Discuss the books plot and examine the problem and solution.
- Teach a lesson on multiple meaning words using examples from the story.
- Discuss the different adjectives used in the book.Â
- Introduce and practice using shades of meaning.
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30Â writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
This book is a must have for your school or classroom library. Your students are going to love completing these activities for the book and you will be impressed with how much they learn. You will want to read this book to your class every year.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will love the similar books listed below, which can all be found in our free picture book list.
- How to Catch a Reindeer by Alice Walstead
- The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
- Imogene's Antlers by David Small
- Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever by Matt Tavares
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
It's hard to explain how amazing the Starts with a Story book companions are because there is just so much goodness included in each one. It's best if you experience using one for yourself. Sign up below & we'll send you an entire book companion to try out for FREE!
