 The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis
 The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by 
Barbara O'ConnorMy rating: 
5 of 5 starsNow anyone who knows me, knows I am a fan of Barbara O'Connor.  I am also a sucker for a good southern accent and a backwoods setting.  This book has backwoods written all over it and this is what I loved the most!
My favorite part of the book is the family in the rambling RV.  I wanted to know them.  I thought maybe I did know them.  Oh, the characters...  Gosh, Barbara is so good at character development.  I knew all those characters.  I put a face with them in a split second.  (Or split page)  The NAMES, the NAMES, the NAMES!  I am always complaining about authors using obscure character names. These were obscure in a perfectly lovely way.   
The book is short.  A quick read.  Perfect for that reluctant reader that isn't going to pick up a book over 200 pages, even if paid to do so. 
Of course there were dogs in this book.  But maybe not in the way that you would expect.  Knowing a little bit about Barbara O'Connor, this part of the plot just tore me up.     
Mrs. O'Connor is such a fan of vocabulary.  I see that theme in many of her books.  There is no exception here.  Does it fit?  Maybe.  That might be my only complaint.  Sometimes I wasn't sure the vocabulary added to the story.  However, as teacher I have to view vocabulary building as a good thing no matter what.
I recommend this book to students in grades 3-5.
Way to go, my friend.  Homerun!  Sorry for the rambling post.  
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