Elvis & Olive: Super Detectives

Our family LOVES this book. My husband read it out loud to our two girls ages 10 and 8 every night before bed. The entire time they were reading this book, the girls begged to go to bed so they could hear the next chapter. Then afterward they decided to come up with their own code names. This is a wonderful book that speaks to kids in a way that excites their imaginations. It's really something special.

First-time author Stephanie Watson seems to know a thing or two about what it's like to be 10 ½ in the suburbs. You ride your bike around the block at breakneck speeds. You form secret clubs with your friends. You love spying on your neighbors. But what you don't fully understand is the idea that some things --- especially secrets about other people --- are better left hidden. And that's exactly what the two protagonists learn in EVLIS & OLIVE --- the hard way. On the first day of summer, Natalie Wallis is incredibly bored. She misses school already and can't fathom spending two months sitting around playing with her younger brother. But when Annie Beckett, the tomboyish girl down the road, introduces herself and suggests they form a covert operation in order to spy on everyone in the neighborhood, Natalie has a sneaky suspicion that her summer won't be so bad after all --- especially when they give themselves code names: Elvis & Olive. As the days fly by, Elvis (Annie) and Olive (Natalie) uncover bizarre facts about the other families who live on their street. When they discover something incredibly juicy --- like the fact that 50-year-old Sergeant Robert Dewey is building a paper-mâché hot air balloon in his basement, or that snooty 14-year-old Trina George is stealing jewelry by carrying it out of the store in her milkshake --- they write it down on a notecard and post it on the wall of their clubhouse, a musty old crawl space underneath the front porch of Annie's house. Before long, the walls are plastered with secrets (both true and embellished), and the girls begin to think that nothing could be more fun than what they're doing --- until everything takes a turn for the worse. When Annie mistakenly spills a secret that Natalie has been desperate to keep regarding a certain crush, and Natalie retaliates by blabbering the harsh truth about Annie's past, the girls' friendship seems tarnished for good. Then, when the neighbors find out about what the two have been up to, it's all Natalie can do to get out of bed --- especially because she's grounded. Thankfully, Annie and Natalie eventually realize the error of their ways and learn a valuable lesson about respecting people's privacy and telling the truth. Although there are a few stock characters in ELVIS & OLIVE (Natalie's prissy, Barbie-like mom and Annie's uncle's trashy girlfriend, Charla), both Annie and Natalie are flavorfully drawn preteens. While none too complicated, the moral is believably hard-won, and readers will get a kick out of the girls' Harriet the Spy-esque adventures. --- Reviewed by Alexis Burling

Harriet the Spy has 21st-century kindred spirits in Natalie and Annie -- neighbors and unlikely new best friends who spend the summer spying on and uncovering secrets of their neighbors. Going by code names of Elvis and Olive, the girls embellish what they find and post the stories on cards in the headquarters of their secret club. Enthusiasm bordering on recklessness gets them in the sort of trouble that seems like the end of the world to a 10-year-old. Young readers won't want to put this book down until they find out how Elvis and Olive emerge from the mess they created. [review originally appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly, 7/9/08]

This is a wonderful story about two fourth grade girls who, at first glance, seem to be total opposites. Natalie is shy and polite but Annie, her new neighbor, is a free spirit who dances to her own tune. There is something about her that draws Natalie in, and soon the two embark on a summer of spying on their neighbors. Natalie has never had so much fun . . . until the pair's own secrets come out and threaten to ruin everything. As the aunt of four nieces, I like to find books for girls that encourage independence and creativity while emphasizing friendship and tolerance. This book incorporates all those values and more, while telling a story that is just plain fun to read. Annie is unlike any other character I've met so far in children's literature; girls--and boys!--will love her. And readers will love following Natalie during a summer when she learns so many things: to find friendship in unlikely places, to have compassion, to stand up for what she thinks is right, and not least, how to deal with her first big crush. Natalie and Annie's summer adventures aren't just for girls, though--I just sent a copy to my 11 year-old nephew, who is really excited to read a story about a secret society of spies. He definitely didn't care that the story was about two girls, so I would really recommend this book to both girls and boys. . . and adults! I had a great time reading it! This would be a great gift for any kids you know, especially as the summer approaches. You never know. . . they might be inspired to leave the Playstation inside and get out to play!

Elvis and Olive is a gem of a book. Author Stephanie Watson captures the essence of ten year old girls from the opening paragraphs. Each chapter brings back vivid memories of how ten year old girls think and act. The two protaganists despite being very different girls are well defined and believeable. The book reminds us of the role of community in the lives of youth and the value and challenges of friendship.