Olivia Kidney and the Exit Academy -- Ellen Potter

It should be noted that the fabulous Peter H. Reynolds does the illustrations for these books--and as far as I'm concerned, if he does even just the cover art, I'll read the book.  Love him.

Love Olivia Kidney, too!  I was so excited that there was a sequel to the first book that I left this note in the book before it was processed:

Oh. My. God.
Leila
Leila
Leila!!!!

Needless to say, I got the book first.  (I was also mocked, but I'm used to that).

Olivia and her dad are moving into a new apartment building--George Kidney is a wonderful father but a lousy apartment manager, so he gets fired from every job sooner or later.  Don't worry, though, Olivia Kidney fans!  Since their new building is only a few blocks from their old one, the Princepessa Christina Lilli is still around:

Close behind her came a loud and haughty sniff, then a demure sneeze.

"Bless you," Olivia said.  She almost never said "Bless you" to people who sneezed, since it always seemed very phony, but this was such a prim ladylike sneeze that it was almost impossible to say nothing at all.

"I hardly think you are qualified to bless me, Olivia Kidney, unless you've been ordained as a priest since I've last seen you."

Olivia whipped around at the sound of the cranky but familiar voice, and cried out, "Princepessa Christina Lilli!"

"Hush!" The Princepessa glanced around her nervously, then dabbed at her nose with a tissue.  "I'd thank you not to use my title in public," she said severely.  "Just 'Christina Lilli' will do."  The old lady scrutinized Olivia for a moment.  "You've grown," she accused Olivia.  "You're threatening to become a tall girl."

The Kidneys' new apartment building is flooded--which is actually kind of a good thing, since it's George's utter lack of mechanical mindedness that gets him fired again and again--and the residents traverse the first floor by boat.  No swimming, though.  There are snapping turtles.  Olivia is suspicious of her father's new employer and the maid thinks that she's a twelve-year-old alcoholic.  She's trying to learn to skateboard, still communicating with her late brother Christopher, and still seeing ghosts at every turn. 

A billion thumbs up.  It was a wonderful, wonderful sequel--I can't wait for the next one.

Comments

tytytytytyty

[gigi]

i wanna read this one, but how old is olivia?

[near]

i love OK she is soo adventurous i finish exit academy in like 2 hours did u know that they changed the name if ur looking 4 it search 4 'olivia kidney stops for no one' o. mi. gawd.