Elvisly Yours

  So far majority of the children's books that I've read this year leaned toward the serious and kinda sad side of spectrum. I was hoping that I would pick up a fun and uplifting read. A humorous book would be a bonus too. Luckily, I got all three when I read and finished All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall.

Description: Josh's parents split up when he was five years old. He lives with his mother in Boston, but when his grandmother slips and breaks her hip, Josh is shipped off to stay with his father in Chicago for a few months. When he arrives in the Windy City, he discovers, to his horror, that his dad is an Elvis impersonator. Josh does everything thing he can to keep his dad's embarrassing 'job' and has done quite well to be inconspicuous...until his dad is hired to perform at his school.

Review: All Shook Up was exactly what I was in the mood for reading this weekend. It is hilarious, heart warming, and uplifting. Josh is a great character who is snarky and sarcastic. Like many kids in junior high, he solely focuses on how others, particularly his clueless dad, embarrasses him. He is very funny and his voice is authentic. I felt bad for him and was frankly mortified at several parts of the book right along with him.
 Although the plot is quite predictable, I think Pearsall does a great job weaving both interesting characters such as Josh's dad's wacky girlfriend and her daughter along with music and a message of finding yourself and connecting with others. What I loved about All Shook Up is that it's funny and has warmth. Josh does go through a transformation as he starts to wear his father's shoes. I think anyone, but maybe boys especially with connect with Josh's struggle to avoid being humiliated by his/her parents.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: A handful of mild swear words. I'd recommend this title to grades 5 to 8.

If you like this book try: Deliver Us from Normal by Kate Klise or Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko