Book Review: Olaf Reads by Joan Lexau, illustrated by Harvey Weiss

In this book, Joan Lexau tells three different Olaf stories, none of which makes any sense at all. None of them has a plot. Each ends unexpectedly and strangely. I think the moral of the story is supposed to be that goofy antics inevitably follow the inability to read properly. Illiteracy = silly. I love it. A favorite excerpt? I'd have trouble deciding between:

"Olaf," said his mother, "will you mail a letter for me?"
"What will you give me?" Olaf asked.
"Nothing," said his mother. "You should do it because it I ask."
"O.K.," said Olaf.
"I will give you a cookie when you get back," said his mother.
"For mailing the letter?" Olaf said.
"No! Because I want you to have a cookie," said his mother.

and

"Who pulled the fire bell?" asked a policeman.
"Pull?" said Olaf.
"Did you do it?" said the policeman.
"But it said Pull," said Olaf. "Are you going to put me in jail?"
"No, but I will scold you," said the policeman. "It is good to read. But you must think, too. Read and think."
"Yes," said Olaf.
A fireman said, "You must not pull something that says Pull if you don't know what it is."

What? For Olaf, I'd say adults are probably confusing. One thing that the book has going for it is cool illustration. Even if Olaf can't seem to read the signs around him well enough to avoid making an ass of himself, at least the way he sees the text around him is whimsical and fun!