Elvis and the World As It Stands

Gr 3-5–Elvis is a kitten living in a shelter with his sister, Etta. During a big Fourth of July adoption event, Elvis is adopted by Mrs. Pemberton wanting to give her daughter, Georgina, a special gift because Mrs. and Mr. Pemberton have separated and Georgina is not taking it well. Elvis is heartbroken to be torn away from his sister and though Georgina is kind to him, he desperately tries to go back to the shelter. As Elvis becomes more comfortable in his new home with Georgina, who builds LEGO architecture to cope with her life changing, will he ever be reunited with his sister? This book is part adventure, part family drama, and a remembrance of 9/11. One of the buildings Georgina works on is a replica of the Twin Towers, which she builds because she keeps asking her parents for a photo of them in front of the towers when they first met, in NYC before 9/11. The author also includes a note about this historical event for younger readers. Though the book deals with serious topics, being told from Elvis’ point of view lightens the overall tone, along with supporting characters like a funny hamster named Mo and a goofy dog named Bambi. Readers will race to find out how everything ends, with character growth and plenty of failed escape attempts before the satisfying conclusion.