Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Elvis to the Rescue!

Benji has had health issues since he was born, and he's missed a lot of school over the years. When he is at school, he gets picked on by the biggest bully. One day trying to avoid the bully, Benji has a seizure in the hallway. Although he can't remember a thing about what happened, the doctors tell him they're not sure what caused it, and tell him that he must wear a large helmet to protect himself. Benji begs for a service animal who can detect seizures instead, but his wish doesn’t come true, until a bad situation with the helmet makes his mom see the light. What a surprise when his service animal arrives, and it’s the biggest dog he's ever seen in his life. Not only that, but the dog, Elvis, speaks perfect English. At first Benji thinks he hit his head harder than they had thought, but he soon realizes that Elvis is just special. Unfortunately, it turns out that Elvis belongs to the President of the United States, and the service dogs got mixed up. Benji and Elvis will only be together a week. Will Elvis be able to help Benji? What will the kids at school think when Benji shows up with the biggest dog ever? Read this funny book to find out!

Elvis and the Underdogs by Jenny Lee is a great book for kids who feel a little different. I felt bad for Benji that he had so many health problems, and that he spends more time in the hospital than he does at school. It's also sad when someone doesn’t have any friends. It was wonderful to see the relationship between Elvis and Benji. It would be amazing to talk to a dog and see what they thought about everything, so I was a little jealous! I loved seeing the way Benji grew during the story, and the unexpected way he got to know some of the other kids in his class. I recommend this book to kids in grades 3-6 who like animals and enjoy characters with a quirky sense of humor. 

 

Has anyone else read Elvis and the Underdogs? Or have you read another book by Jenny Lee? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

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62 comments:

  1. I've got a comedy reader who is very sensitive to bullying. Methinks this would be a fun book for him.

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    1. Crystal- This would be perfect for the child you described! :) ~L

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  2. Oh no! Poor Benji. This sounds like a wonderfully sensitive and yet fun read.

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    1. Tracy- It is a great read and Benji will grab readers' hearts. :) ~L

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  3. No, I haven't read but sounds well done

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    1. Brandi- It is! The author worked on Disney shows and gets the humor of the age group. :) ~L

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  4. I love books like this. They are SO important...they can make a huge difference to the kids who read them.

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    1. Stephanie- I agree! A book that can make a difference. :) ~L

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  5. Awe... I like the sound of this book... it can be so hard going to school and having health issues... I love the premise of the talking dog ♡

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    1. Launna- I think going to school with so many health issues would be incredibly hard. A great story for kids in a similar situation. :) ~L

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  6. I've never read this book, but it sounds cute. It puts me in mind of Red, the big red dog.

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    1. Sherry- It is a great story. I haven't read Red- but if it is about a big dog then it does have something big in common. :) ~L

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  7. What a cool idea for a story. I've been in that situation with seizures at school. Scary stuff. :)

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    1. David- Definitely scary stuff! Sorry to hear that you have been in that situation before, I am sure it wasn't easy. Thanks for visiting! :) ~L

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  8. I LOVE this! Sounds like a wonderful story! Thanks so much for writing about it. I wish I knew someone of that age who could benefit from it. I might buy it and keep it for whenever that someone shows up!

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    1. Lisa- It is a great book and will make the perfect read for a kid in a similar situation. Other kids will enjoy it too! Glad it sounds like a good read to you. :) ~L

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  9. This sounds like such a sweet book, I hope everything works out with the bully.

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    1. Heidi- I can't tell you what happens, but I will say that progress is made. :) ~L

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  10. Is it just me? I think that Elvis, and any service dog like him, would be much, much better (and probably happier) with Benji than with the President.
    He has so many more alternatives than the Benji's of this world.
    It does sound like fun though.

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    1. Elephant's Child- I couldn't agree more! Benji would be way more fun than being the President's dog! Plus- Elvis (or any service dog) would get to play, run around, and enjoy life more if he wasn't living in the White House. :) ~L

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  11. What a cute story line! Too bad Elvis was there for just 1 week or is there more to the story?

    betty

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    1. Betty- I can't say, other than he doesn't belong with Benji. But- there is a sequel... :) ~L

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  12. Sounds like an interesting one even though the protagonist is ill. Reading about sick children can be tough. I feel bad that Benji only got to spend a week with Elvis. Wonder what he'd 'overheard' from Elvis about POTUS. Any state secrets? Hmmm ...

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    1. Claudine- The book has a lot of humor to take away from the illnesses and other emergencies Benji has. Although Elvis and Benji don't have a lot of time together, a lot happens. Plus, there is a sequel so I am curious about what happens then! :) ~L

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  13. This sounds awesome! There's nothing I like better than a hero who's an underdog. I love to see them find their strength in the end. And I love the idea of a giant dog named Elvis! Wishing Jenny much success!

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    1. Lexa- I always root for the underdog too! A giant dog definitely adds to the fun. :) ~L

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  14. I love this title and cover. And I'm glad to hear there's humor mixed in because this sounds like it could be an emotional read.

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    1. Kelly- There is a lot of humor, which really helps with the emotional topics. :) ~L

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  15. What a great cover. Christopher has had a lot of seizures in his life. I HAVE to buy this for him. I'm so thankful I homeschooled. LOVE the name, Elvis. :-) Best wishes to Jenny. She has a winner on her hands. Thanks for spotlighting this read.

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    1. Robyn- I think this will be a great book for Christopher and it is part of a series. I know there are at least two books in the series so far. I can't wait to hear what he thinks of it. :) ~L

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  16. No, I haven't read but sounds well done. Awesome.

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  17. This looks like an absolutely charming story. :-)

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  18. I haven't read this one or any other by this author but it sounds like a really nice read. When I was a kid I always wanted to have a dog companion to have adventures with:)
    Hugs!:))

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    1. ToTylkoJa- A dog companion would definitely make life exciting. I am curious to watch the show that the author wrote for- Disney's Shake it Up. I haven't seen it, but after reading the book I am curious. :) ~L

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  19. this sounds fantastic, perfect for kids who feel different, and I would devour any animal story as a kid so I'd love this!

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    1. Beth- I agree! It will help kids who feel like they are different and anyone who feels like an underdog. :) ~L

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  20. What!? Haha! What a twist that Elvis belongs to the President. This is sure to be really cute. I've had it on my TBR list for a while and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I completely love the concept and the main character right now. I'm excited to see if I can get this book at the library.

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    1. Adriana- Elvis belonging to the President was quite the twist. If you can get the book on audio you may be able to listen to it and get it read while driving or doing chores. :) It is a cute story! :) ~L

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  21. Such a wonderful theme with a service dog for someone with seizures, thanks for highlighting it.

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    1. Brenda- You are welcome! I think it is a book kids will really enjoy. :) ~L

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  22. É verdade! E o que não falta aqui no Brasil é umidade e calor! hahaha! ;B

    Você sempre comenta de livros que não conheço. Fico curiosa!

    Ótimo sábado!

    Beijo! ^^

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    1. Amanda- I bet there is no shortage in Brazil! :)

      Glad to introduce you to new books. ~L

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  23. I would love to read this. I haven't read Jenny Lee yet.

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    1. Medeia- This was my first book by Jenny Lee. Curious to watch the show she worked on- Disney's Shake it Up. :) ~L

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  24. Sounds like a great one. Can't go wrong with the biggest dog ever, unless you have to pick up it's umm crap lol

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    1. Pat- The big dog will be a huge hit with readers. :) ~L

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  25. A dog (named Elvis) and a boy, my kind of story. Thanks for telling us about this one.

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    1. The Armchair Squid- I hadn't read anything quite like it before! :) ~L

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  27. I haven't read it but it sounds wonderful.

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  28. This reminds me a little of Clifford the big red dog, but a much more interesting, and uplifting, read :)

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    1. Meredeth- I bet kids who enjoyed Clifford as a child will like this one. :) ~L

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  29. What a fun story.

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