Not to be confused with the Dorothy Bussy novel Olivia (1949).
The book provides examples of:
- Funny Animal: The pigs have hooves, but walk around on two legs.
- Inexplicably Tailless: The pigs don't have tails.
- Red Sock Ruins the Laundry: Olivia the Spy, Olivia's mother complains about being at the end of her tether because of certain of Olivia's recent actions, among which is being asked to put her father's white shirts in the washer, only for her to put her own red socks in with them and cause them to turn pink. Olivia says that she thinks they look pretty. "Well, then you wear them," her mother replies.
- Silence of Sadness: In "Olivia the Spy", Olivia hears that her mother is taking her to an "institution" (actually a ballet) and thinks she's going to be sent to prison. When they're in the car, Olivia's mother notes that Olivia is very quiet as she's looking out the window, since she's "saying good-bye to the city she loved so well".
- Something Itis: In one book, Olivia pretends to be a vet and says that Edwin has "furry-foot-itis".
- Toilet Humour: In one book, Olivia puts an ice pack on Edwin and it melts, so her mother thinks that he's had an accident.
- Wants Versus Needs: Olivia says to her mother that she "needs" a new bow, bike, and book from the store. Her mother asks if she truly needs those things or just wants them, and after mulling it over, Olivia decides that while she does need a new book (for a book report), she just wanted a new bow and bike.
