kim_j_dare 's review for:

Elvis & Olive by Stephanie Watson

2.0

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Gr 4-6-Ten-year-old Natalie is resigned to a quiet summer of riding her bike around the neighborhood and entertaining herself. But when she almost crashes into the new kid on the block on the first day of vacation, she quickly realizes that this summer is going to be anything but ordinary. Annie is brash and outspoken, and adamant that the far-fetched stories she tells about herself are true. She lives with her uncle, who provides minimal supervision. Natalie's mother tries to steer her daughter away from this friend's questionable influence, but Annie's unpredictable nature calls to Natalie. In search of adventure, the girls form a spy club: Natalie becomes "Olive" and Annie, "Elvis." Spying on their neighbors seems harmless enough until private issues are brought to light during a block party, and both girls learn painful lessons. The characters are fairly two-dimensional, and the loose ends tied up too neatly, but fans of protagonists like Anne Mazer's Abby Hayes will enjoy the twists and turns the story takes as the two try to undo the damage they have caused. An additional purchase for large collections.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.