Ellen Potter is an American author of both children's and adult's books (as Ellen Toby-Potter). She grew up in Upper West Side, New York and studied creative writing at Binghamton University and now lives in Candor in upstate New York Amazon.ca: Olivia Kidney And The Secret Beneath The City: Books: Ellen Potter. She has been a contributor to Cimarron Review, Epoch, The Hudson Review, and Seventeen. Her novel Olivia Kidney was winner of the Child Magazine Best Book award and was a Best Book of the Year selection for 8-12 year-olds by Parenting magazine.
Olivia Kidney- The first book in The Olivia Kidney Series, In which twelve-year-old Olivia moves into a new apartment building in New York City with her father, who is a superintendent (janitor). But this building is different from any other building she had ever lived in before; With ex-pirates, ghosts, exiled Princesses, a room filled with a tropical rainforest and a room entirely made of glass, some of the things that this girl encounters make the ones in Alice in Wonderland look tame! Olivia had been moving constantly over the years, so frequently that she had never had the time to make new friends. This fact upsets her, but then she finds that some of the best of friends can be found in the most unlikely places... (2003) ISBN 0-399-23850-6
Olivia Kidney and the Exit Academy, (2005) ISBN 0-399-24162-0
:renamed as (Olivia Kidney Stops for No One)
Olivia Kidney and the Secret beneath the City- (2007) ISBN 0-399-24701-7 ::also named as (Olivia Kidney, Hot On The Trail)
Olivia- The protagonist of the series, a girl with strange connection to the spirit world.
Madame Brenda- A famous Psychic medium and a good friend of Olivia's. Madame Brenda appears in all three books.
George Kidney- Olivia's father
Christopher- Olivia's deceased older brother.
Ruben- A boy about Olivia's age, Ruben is one of the first friends that Olivia makes during her second move. He is the best skateboarder in Central Park; and a potential love interest to Olivia.
Princepessa Christina Lilli- The old exiled princess of Babatavia.
Branwell Biffmeyer/Berns A ghost child Olivia meets and her first real friend.
Arthur Vondychomps/ The Thing That I Step On- Princepessa Christina Lilli's childhood sweetheart and later husband.
Abby'A spirit in the exit academy who tries to hurt Olivia and pull her out of a high window
Ansel Plover- Madame Brenda's handsome son, a charming young fellow who owns the brownstone that Olivia and her father live in during their second move.
Nora Horn- Ansel's sarcastic maid and love interest.
Mertha- Arthur's baby sister; A cave dweller.
Viola- Mertha's rebellious teenage daughter.
Delilah/Sidi-and the coral shell
Stella- Olivia's artistic friend from school, who can sleep with her eyes open.
Mona Monsoon- Olivia's teacher who is famous
Franklin Steenpister-
Lippa- Steenpister's wife, a member of Papua New Guinea's Pitta Pitta tribe.
Frannie- Olivia's friend who is a genius with stunted growth.
Gwen- The school guidance counsellor.
Dijon/ Stacy-Frannie's sister
Cornwickle- Ansel's butler.
Claude Vondychomps- The half-witted son of Arthur Vondychomps, Claude is the husband of Mimi Smithers, and later Frannie's stepfather.
Mimi Smithers (Later Vondychomps)- Frannie's mother, who is a dog groomer from the Bronx and is not very bright.
Mr. Snuggles- Frannie's mother's dog.
Monica Kidney- Olivia's eccentric mother.
The Groupies- A group of girls who sit in Central Park, ogling Ruben whenever he tries to teach Olivia how to skateboard.
Alice-
Master Clive- A murderous ex-pirate who pushed Olivia out of the window with his black rubber gloves on.
Renee- The rude girl whom Olivia meets in the elevator in the first book, and makes a second appearance in the third book, Olivia Kidney and the secret beneath the city. She takes every opportunity to snub Olivia, and she is said to be one of the "most unpleasant people that Olivia has ever met".
Gretchen- The other girl in the elevator, and also says "We're sorry,"It's just the cuffs on your pants. They're so big!"