The Small Adventures of Popeye and Elvis

O’Connor, Barbara. 2009. THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 9780374370558 [Suggested Grade Levels 3- 6]

REVIEW

Meet Popeye. He is the young hero in Barbara O’Connor’s THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS. You could say that he had a very boring life, about as unadventurous as you can possibly get. But when Popeye meets Elvis, there's the promise of more. Elvis arrives in a silver motor home. A going-nowhere-anytime-soon motor home. Because they are stuck in the mud. Which suits Popeye just fine. Because for the first time in forever, he has someone to play with. Someone his own age to get in trouble with! A friend. Will these two young boys ever have a proper adventure? Read and see for yourself!

O’Connor’s sparse style works perfectly in THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS. Her characters are charming and completely down-to-earth. She makes the ordinary seem extraordinary, and that is a rare gift indeed.

CONNECTIONS

Have readers brainstorm ideas for having their own adventures (big or small).

Have readers create/craft their own boats.

RELATED BOOKS

Other books by Barbara O’Connor:

O’Connor, Barbara. BEETHOVEN IN PARADISE. ISBN 9780374405885

O’Connor, Barbara. FAME AND GLORY IN FREEDOM, GEORGIA. ISBN 9780374322588

O’Connor, Barbara. GREETINGS FROM NOWHERE. ISBN 9780374399375

O’Connor, Barbara. HOW TO STEAL A DOG. ISBN 9780312561123

By Becky Laney