The Small Adventures of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor
My daughter had to read this book for school this summer. I think this was the first time she was being told what she had to read, usually she picks out very girly books. The cover of our copy had two boys in a river – not really girly or princessy.
We decided on sharing the reading aloud – 2 chapters for me and 2 chapters for her. It is the story of Popeye (you’ll have to read it to find out why he’s called Popeye) who lives in Fayette, South Carolina. Nothing ever happens to Popeye, and he is not looking forward to his boring summer. Then, the Jewels Holiday Rambler makes a wrong turn and gets stuck in the mud. And so we meet Elvis and his siblings. That in itself is more adventure than Popeye has ever had. He and Elvis discover that someone is sending yoo-hoo boats down the creek – and so begins the adventure.
Despite this “boy” theme – my daughter LOVED this book. There was suspense, discoveries, treasures, friendships, sibling relationships, and fun. And, there are wonderful vocabulary words, including definitions. I highly recommend this book.
Happy Reading!
