Description
Olive Tran is turning ten! Now she can walk to school by herself and go to Kandy Korner whenever she wants. Finally!
But when Olive finds out Mrs. Ly was pushed on the street and her brother’s school friends had gross things thrown at them because they’re Asian, she starts to feel less safe. And why doesn’t her best friend Josh want to come to her birthday party at the trampoline park anymore?
Olive knows something is wrong, but she is determined to have fun at her party. If she shows kindness, maybe others will too. Every little bit counts!
Author Bio
Phuong Truong grew up in Ottawa and dreamed of being a rock star, a lawyer, or an author. She happily achieved one of these goals with her picture book Everyone is Welcome and her Olive Tran series. She works in book publishing and lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.
Christine Wei is a Taiwanese Canadian illustrator based in Vancouver, Canada. She graduated from Emily Carr University of Art + Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and has since then worked in editorial illustration, children's books and public art programs.
You can find her at www.christineweiart.com
Prizes
- Ontario Library Assocation Silver Birch Express AwardShort-listed 2025
Review Quotes
"Gorgeous black-and-white illustrations by Christine Wei add depth to the story, bringing the drama to life in creative ways. ... Truong treats the topic of racism with insight and sensitivity. Readers who have experienced racism will recognize themselves in Olive, and those who have not will find themselves empathizing with her situation."
— Canadian Children's Book News★"Joyful and celebratory seem like odd descriptors for a book about racism, but author Phuong Truong and artist Christine Wei manage this delicate balance rather deftly in Every Little Bit Olive Tran. The story centres around the eponymous heroine’s 10th birthday. Olive’s eagerness for her newfound freedom – she’ll finally be old enough to walk to school by herself and go to Kandy Korner whenever she wants! – is marred by the rise of anti-Asian hate in her neighbourhood....Underneath all this is a defiant thread of Asian joy....Ultimately, Olive’s story is one of community, courage, and celebration."
— Quill & Quire, starred review"Truong has written a timely story with conflict resolution, empathy, and kindness all rolled into one. The theme of racism is handled in an age-appropriate way that doesn’t sugarcoat the hurt that hate causes, and illustrations help readers pinpoint important scenes. A promising start to the Olive Tran chapter-book series."
— Booklist“Every Little Bit Olive Tran explores racism through the eyes of a child.… The solution to addressing it was a conversation, an admittance of the behaviour, and an apology. Highly Recommended.”
— CM Reviews