I read this with my daughter because she’s been having trouble at times feeling like she doesn’t fit. She’s on the autism spectrum and has trouble with certain subjects in school so often that’s all people see. They don’t notice she soaks up math and science like a sponge. They don’t see that she can create artwork with amazing skill. They don’t hear how she can sing perfect pitch and match note for note when she mimics her favorite singers Katy Perry and Adele. This story was perfect for her because she’s tried so hard to fit in, change herself, try to constantly make others happy; this helped show her that if she remains true to herself she’ll find where she fits.

It has a great theme about not changing yourself to fit in with colorful illustrations that are eye catching enough to keep kids glued to the book without realizing they’re learning a valuable lesson in the process. It’s the perfect book to add to your home library and for teachers to use in their classroom.

Based on the cover and the emphasis on puzzle pieces, I figured this would be a book about autism, but it’s not (at least not explicable). It’s a book about fitting in with those around you. The puzzle piece illustrations are used in a perfect way to illustrate the concept that the author is talking about. You are you, yes you could try to fit in, you could completely change yourself to fit in, but in the end, are you really you when you do that? And if you are doing that, then what about the others we are also trying to hide and not be their true selves. This book is very well done, and I like it’s message. It is one I want on my shelf as a simple, but powerful tool to help kids understand that you will not always fit in with those around you.

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I like that this book is so creative with using the puzzle pieces to have a conversation about fitting in. It was able to show when you try to force fitting in it messes up you and the overall puzzle. If you think about it if Oliver is forcing himself to fit in somewhere where is the place for the piece of the puzzle that actually fits there? Overall just be yourself. Where Oliver Fits is probably one of the better analogy books about fitting in, I think. It is so fun, cute, and non-preachy feeling.

Even if you never take a course in children's literature, which I have, you can start to recognize certain themes in picture books, and middle school books. For picture books the most often theme is making friends, and knowing your a loved. A variation on that theme is fitting in.

The main theme of fitting in is that you should be yourself, because, of course, that is what we want everyone to realize. You don't have to pretend to like sports if you would rather play with dolls. You don't want to pretend to hat veggies, if you secretly love them. You don't want to pretend to go along with the crowd.

So, this is the story of Oliver, a puzzle piece, who wants to fit in, in both ways. He wants to be part of a puzzle, but he can't find one where he fits in. So he paints himself to fit in, and the paint wears off. He puts on angles, but that doesn't help. Finally, he disguises himself, and no one knows who he really is, and he finally fits in. But he is miserable. He has finally fit in a group, but they don't want him for what he is.

And then he decides he would rather just fit in as himself, and he finds others who have also been trying to fit in, and haven't been happy. And he finds a puzzle where he finally belongs.

I love how he goes through the thinking, just a as a little kid would do. I love that he figures out that this is not the life he wants to lead. Big, big theme for a little picture book, but it tells a good message, and the colors are beautiful and little Oliver is cute as well.

Good addition to any library or home. Probably close to a 4.5 star book. Not quite 5 stars, but dang close.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.