Elvis and the World As It Stands

by Lisa Frenkel Riddiough, Olivia Chin Mueller (Illustrator)

A poignant middle-grade story about loss and finding family from the point of view of a newly adopted kitten "An absolute delight, from beginning to end." —Anne Ursu, author of National Book Award nominee The Real Boy "Elvis's journey is sweet and funny and profound." —Eliot Schrefer, National Book Award finalist Most shelter animals dream of going home with a forever family. But for Elvis, being chosen by Mrs. Pemberton is a nightmare. He’s been separated from his sister, Etta, and is determined to get back to the shelter to find her. In spite of himself, Elvis becomes curious about ten-year-old Georgina Pemberton, who builds LEGO skyscrapers in her bedroom while navigating her parents’ separation. The longer he’s in his new home, the more he starts recognizing new admiration for Georgina’s creations, affection for the other pets, and even empathy for the Pembertons—despite their inability to listen.  As Georgina sets out to build her most important skyscrapers yet—the Twin Towers—Elvis realizes that maybe both humans and animals can take a page from Georgina’s Big Book of American Architecture and “build a world of their own choosing,” even if the choices aren’t what they’d initially expected.

Genres: Middle Grade, Animals, Cats, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Family

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2021

Reviews

[Lisa Riddiough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elvis thinks he knows how the world works. His plan is to live happily ever after with his sister, Etta, at their forever home in a setting much like that of the fairy tale stories that the shelter volunteer has been reading aloud to them. But when Elvis is adopted by Mrs. Pemberton and separated from Etta, everything he thought he knew is upended. While solely focused on getting back to the shelter to reunite with Etta, Elvis begins to get to know the residents of his new home, including an annoyingly optimistic hamster, a plucky goldfish, an elderly feline, and a 10-year old human girl, Georgina, who spends most of her time building LEGO replicas of famous American skyscrapers as a way to cope with her parents' recent divorce. Over time, Elvis becomes intrigued with the lives of those around him. If only he could find a way to communicate clearly with Georgina, he could tell her about Etta and maybe she'd help him find her. As Georgina prepares to build her most important skyscraper yet, the Twin Towers and the World Trade Center, Elvis learns that maybe he isn't the only one suffering. This story is about family and home and learning to move forward in the face of loss. It includes a light touch on the tragic events of 9/11 in a way that is accessible to young readers. The heavier themes are balanced with laugh out loud humor. As the author of this book, I am giving myself five stars!!!

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's very, very rare for me to not actually love a young reader's book filled with animals, kids, a loving family, good writing, amazing soft illustrations narrated from an animal's point of view! This book should have been in my young readers' favourite list. However, I would say it didn't make it. I am rather disappointed. I love all these aspects of the book I have mentioned. The issue is that the POVs gets confusing most of the time. I feel it would make the young readers really confused. That's all.

[Aimee Lucido · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! I think Elvis is adorable and hilarious and his love for his sister is so strong! I love the 9/11 tie-ins and the themes of rebuilding and all-in-all I adore this book .

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute joy! ELVIS AND THE WORLD AS IT STANDS is a delight from start to finish. The cast of animal characters is beautifully drawn, pulling me in in from the very first chapter: Elvis the cat, desperately missing his sister, Etta since they were separated at the animal shelter; Mo Pemberton the wise and optimistic hamster; Laverne the goldfish sentinel; Clementine, the cat who's grumpy for a good reason; Bambi the dog, who just wants to be a good boy. Together, these unlikely animal allies tell a tender and beautiful story about 'resilience and fortitude,' the nature of humans (they have so many bags!), the beauty of found family, and the importance of rebuilding after a tragedy. September 11th is woven into the narrative in a sensitive, poignent, and meaningful way. I can't wait to cheer for this story. Young readers will adore it. Many thanks to Lisa Frenkel Riddiough, Abrams Kids, and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Alysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, tender and heartfelt, Riddiough’s debut is a tribute to finding a way to rebuild after loss. Told through the POV of Elvis, a newly adopted kitten who is desperate to be reunited with his sister, Etta, Elvis and the Worlds as it Stands is by turns funny, poignant and life affirming. It’s about family- both lost and found- and finding a way forward after world-rocking loss.

With themes surrounding 9-11 expertly woven into the story, this is a beautiful addition to any classroom or home library for young readers to explore themes of loss in a tender and funny fashion.
.
Thank you to the author, the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Sam Subity · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a whole lot to love in this middle grade debut! When kitty Elvis is adopted into a new family and separated from his sister Etta, he tries everything he can think of to find his way back to her. But if only humans weren't so difficult! Expertly weaving in themes of separated families, loss, and the meaning of home, Elvis's story will tug at your heart and and ultimately leave you with the same feeling as a warm pet cuddling up to your side. And in its treatment of the long shadows cast by the Twin Towers, it's perfect for teachers and librarians looking to build a collection of books to honor the twentieth anniversary of 9/11.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful characters, in a story of irresistible emotions and quests. Layered with as many significant pieces as a lego construction, and each one SNAPS into place perfectly.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful tale! Elvis the kitten narrates this funny and warmhearted story about family and friends and a changing world. The voice is perfect, with lots of humor and heart and just a touch of snark. Wise for his age (and at the same time naive), Elvis wonders why listening is so hard for humans. He keeps trying to speak clearly to them, but they just don't understand.

Separated from his only sister, Etta, when he's adopted from the Shelter, all Elvis wants to do is find a way back to the Shelter to see Etta again.

His new home, however, has Mo, a wise and talkative hamster, Laverne, a goldfish whose favorite word is "Incoming!" and Clementine, a grown cat, who at first seems like a snob, but who carries a burden of her own. Best of all, there's Georgina, the ten-year-old human girl who cuddles him and loves him and talks to him about her feelings. Upset about her parents' divorce, Georgina spends all her time building skyscrapers with LEGOs. The title is a clever reference to the famous tall buildings Georgina likes to build and to the upcoming anniverary of 9/11 and the Twin Towers. Perfect for classrooms. This is the kind of book that you'll want to sit quietly and hold long after you finish reading it.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this charming book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story about grief, transition, and moving forward. I loved Elvis’s voice and all the interspecies friendships. It was such a delight to read with my 7 year old.

Think you’re too old to read it? Please.

[Munchie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason that I picked up this book was because of the illustrations and how this was an animal lovers book. The art alone is charming and should be a solid 5/5 stars for a book said to be for 8-12 year olds which is a elementary school read.

Little did I realize we'd be hearing the story told through the cat and not the girl. I think if the tables had been turned, this would have been an even better read because the animal dialogue was bland and strange. It also repeated itself a lot with things we already knew. Sentences that did not need to be brought back up, as if saying kids aren't at all going to remember what happened just a chapter ago. The characters consist of a young girl, mom, dad, kitten, older cat, a fish and a hamster and a somewhat brief encounter with the volunteer at the shelter and a babysitter with a dog. And boy, that's a lot of characters for this story to only take place in 2 and a half locations. Which is the home, the shelter and the dads apartment.

The problem I have with this read was the dialogue rather than the plot but both don't make much sense to me. The story starts off with Elvis being separated from his sister after he gets adopted. Then it jumps to wanting to escape. Then because he can't make it far in his escape plan, he grows to like Georgina which felt like it came out of nowhere and a bond was instantly formed but just a chapter before, he didn't care for anyone. He hated the hamster for their talking, the mother for invading his space and going too fast. So it didn't feel quite real. Then the plot is focused on the girl, building models of buildings with Legos. This is actually a wonderful and fascinating idea of a child's interest. How Georgina started this project because it helps her feel safe after the breakup of her mother and father. How they used to visit these buildings and it inspired Georgina to build her models to keep a part of the past alive about her family.

But what catches me off guard in this book the most is how the hamster interacts with his human, despite the cats and fish and even a dog for only a brief moment, don't act like how the hamster acts around the human, which is more humanoid than mammal. How is a hamster able to put together Legos in front of Georgina. How does this rodent who's nocturnal, walking on two feet instead of four, able to function not like a rodent and the cats are supposed to act like cats? Someone please explain to the author why this doesn't work. Oh wait, let me try. This is so misleading for young readers as hamsters are treated as toys, and the entire time I kept hearing the hamster lives in a "plastic palace" which might be in reference to the horrible plastic cages, not suitable for hamsters in the first place. It's 2021 when this book came out, let's update readers with a better understanding of how hamsters are supposed to live domestically, there's been info out there for a few decades now in appropriate care. I just wanted to scream. I am a hamster advocate and the book disappointed me when it came to representation.

Some more nitpicks but just be mindful they mean something to me. When the mother gets a kitten as a gift for her daughter, then gets upset her own daughter doesn't spend time with human friends but animals during the beginning chapters after the kitten comes home. It's a big WTF moment! Having the mom be the most frustrating mother character I've seen by getting in the kitten's face, doesn't read the kitten's body language of "hey leave me alone" (or understand her daughter for that matter), but then a few chapters later acknowledges that getting a second cat was a bad idea because they let it escape and it got hurt. Oh really mom? I would think you'd figured out from the hamster and the fish she has that getting another animal wasn't the smartest idea, especially a kitten with energy and needs and that you already have a cat at home. Did you ever think about that mom?

There is just so much wrong with this pet book. It just screams impulsive behavior that I'm sure kids won't get, but if they think a pet or a cat is supposed to act as an emotional support fixer upper, despite this not always working out for people with those types of expectations, every animal's personality is different. Why did mom impulsively get her another pet? Ugh! Or that hamsters can build with Legos so kids want a hamster now. As a pet lover, I know this was supposed to build up to having pet buddies help Georgina with her family woes, but it doesn't work in the way the author intends.

During one chapter in particular when there is supposed to be turmoil for the kitten Elvis, he turns into this hateful character. It was very out of character for him. The phrase "knocks her outside of her head" was something I did not expect to hear coming from this book or this chapter of sorrow but more along the lines of text talk. Instead the author thinks Elvis needed to be as rude and cruel as possible inside his own head. I get that she was trying to portray his frustrations but it didn't hit well with me as a reader. Besides Elvis will repeatedly tell us he's trying to talk to the human, yet has said time and time again, oh yeah I can't, or of course she can't respond. We know Elvis, we know! Please stop repeating!

The only part I liked besides knowing Georgina likes to build with Legos is representing the shelter. I felt happy that the ending was a kind one, one that showed second chance animals getting a good life but let's face it, telling the reader oh hey the point of this was really to get another cat, wasn't the solution to this book. Maybe she thought it would connect the parents and Georgina so she has a happy ending, but you can do it differently and still have the beginning and the middle have a meaningful ending. Instead we have another impulsive animal add on to a house filled with pets. Are these people rich? it made no sense for this to be the ending.

There were many things that just seemed so off about this book. Like the reference to 9/11 and how it didn't connect with the story about Georgina and her divorced parents. It just felt awkward. I don't like being mean to a book but it felt rushed, incohesive and put together to trail off by the end as if to say, maybe there was supposed to be more? Maybe if we had the ending be more about Georgina accepting her parents are split for food and that she is now in a cool program for architecture at her school and both parents couldn't have been prouder because she won first place in a competition, that would be super rewarding.

Here, take another cat instead...

I don't recommend the read.

[Macy Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super adorable and such a fun perspective to read from. Unfortunately, the 9/11 connection didn't work as well for me as it appears to have worked for others. It felt trite and could have been strengthened if the connection between Emma's parents being in love and the picture of them in front of the twin towers was made a little more clear, though I do understand the limitations of a Kitten narrator.

[MyCatJeoffry Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this new middle-grade novel! ELVIS AND THE THE WORLD AS IT STANDS by Lisa Frenkel Riddiough with sweet illustrations by Olivia Chin Mueller stars Elvis, a kitten, who is adopted from a shelter during a special Fourth of July adoption extravaganza. He’s very excited to start his new life, but there is one huge problem: the woman who adopted him didn’t take his sister, Etta, as well. The kittens can’t imagine life without each other. Elvis does everything in his power to let his adopter and the adoption counselor know that he is bonded with his sister and she must come with him. But no one can understand kitten speak. From the moment Elvis is carted out of the shelter his goal is to get back to Etta.

Elvis’s plight personally struck me. I adopted a puppy who'd been bonded with her sister. But the shelter hadn't ensured they were adopted out together as a bonded pair and her sister was adopted before she was. I was told by a friend who volunteered there that the shy, scared little dog left was doing very badly without her sister. So, I went down and adopted her - my first dog since childhood and she changed my life! But I often wonder what happened to her sister and if they might ever be reunited.

Throughout the novel Elvis struggles to find ways to escape his new house and get back to the shelter. But he also grows to love his new family, which consist of a multitude of endearing characters: Georgina, a little girl, Mo, Georgina’s hamster, Laverne, a fish, Clementine, a bratty but ultimately lovable older cat, and Bambi, Georgina’s friend’s excitable dog. Georgina wants to be an architect when she grows up and she, with the help of Mo and his very handy paws, loves building notable landmarks with her Legos. Her favorite is the World Trade Center, which meant a lot to her mother and father in the early years of their marriage. So her reconstruction of the towers is very important to her.

This year of course marks the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, and there’s a lot of conversation between Georgina and her mother and father about its significance. This is another reason this book spoke to me: I worked a block and a half away and, needless to say, the events of that day are etched in my memory forever. This book made me tear up in several places.

The novel is ultimately about finding home, creating family, and handling change. Elvis soon realizes that everyone is adjusting to something new: it becomes clear early on that Georgina’s mother and father have just separated and they’re all trying to adjust to a different living arrangement. Clementine also misses someone and is struggling to deal with loss. I won’t reveal the ending but it’s definitely not a sad one!

This is a beautiful story and I highly recommend it to everyone, kids and adults alike.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elvis the kitten lives at the animal shelter with his sister Etta, and they are looking forward to the upcoming adoption extravaganza where they will go together to their forever home. However, when the two are separated and Elvis finds himself in a house with an assortment of other animals and a ten-year-old girl named Georgina, he will do whatever it takes to find his way back to Etta. Obstacles continue to place themselves in Elvis’ way, but as time goes on, he discovers that family can be just as much about who he is with as where he is from.

This early middle grade story reads easily, incorporating several important design decisions to appeal to young readers who are transitioning to longer books. Engaging black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the novel, depicting Elvis and his companions in visual scenes that help to reinforce the narrative. Larger font is accompanied by adequate white space that promotes successful reading while presenting a heartwarming story. Alongside the narrative are text message conversations between Georgina and her parents, adding another interesting layer to the novel’s presentation.

While Elvis’ adventure is the primary focus of this story, Georgina is managing struggles of her own. Her parents are recently separated, and she is adjusting to life split between their two homes. Though they still love her very much, Georgina has trouble fitting into her new reality. Captivated by architecture and the iconic buildings that form the backdrop to her parents’ relationship and her own existence, she spends time constructing models of these edifices with the help of her hamster, Mo. This interaction is at once endearing and inspirational to readers who may find themselves in similarly difficult family situations.

Reminders of the 9/11 terrorist attacks are an added feature of this story, aimed particularly at readers who did not experience the event themselves. Shared alongside Georgina’s and Elvis’ own struggles, readers observe the breadth of challenges that come from a variety of dramatic life changes. Through tenacity and fortitude, humans and animals alike have the capability to move through difficult times to find a new outlook that can be just as sweet, even if it is different. This is a delightful and encouraging addition to libraries for early middle grade readers.

I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.

[Pine Reads Review]

“It’s no use. Humans don’t listen. They never do. If only I knew how to string the right letters together.”

Elvis and the World As It Stands deftly navigates personal change and loss amidst greater external events. At its core, this book is a sweet tale of two characters coming together—although not of their choosing—and growing into themselves individually as they learn how to communicate with each other. Georgina is a ten-year-old whose mother has just adopted her a kitten named Elvis, who has just been pulled away from his sister at the shelter. Hopefully, this will allow Georgina the companionship she desperately seeks in the wake of her parents’ recent divorce. The two join together slowly but surely as they realize that family can be made and found in humans, cats, or even pet fish.

This novel is Lisa Frenkel Riddiough’s debut in the middle grade genre, and it distinguishes Riddiough’s emotional connection to young audiences. She does a beautiful job of constructing a story of found family and personal healing that is enjoyable for readers of all ages. In particular, the novel winds together Elvis’ and Georgina’s points of view as neither of them are very happy to be living together, but through the magic of legos and honest communication, Georgina is able to begin the process of growing after her parents’ recent separation. The topic of grief is navigated so well because Georgina is such a likeable character. The illustrations from Olivia Chin Mueller are gorgeous and are a great moment of inclusion for the father character. They immediately offer a visual reference for readers of what Elvis looks like and how expressive he really is. Elvis and the World As It Stands is an engaging and realistic examination of change from the point of view of a young girl’s kitten that is guaranteed to have you crying by the end in the best way!

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!

[Christina Ensling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elvis is the plucky narrator of "Elvis and the World As It Stands" by Lisa Frenkel Riddiough, with illustrations by Olivia Chin Mueller. He is also a kitten, newly adopted by Mrs. Pemberton for her daughter Georgina. Georgina’s parents have recently separated. Unable to express her frustration at all of the changes happening with her family Georgina finds comfort in her favorite activity: constructing famous skyscrapers from legos. Elvis’ biggest wish after leaving the animal shelter is to get back there and check on his sister, Etta. When an accident forces him to postpone his escape plans he begins to form a friendship with the fellow residents of the Pemberton household, amateur architect Mo the hamster, Laverne the guardfish goldfish, and even the jealous fellow feline, Clementine. But the most special bond he forges is with the one with Georgina. With the other pets’ help Elvis figures out a way to communicate with Georgina and together they learn that families might not always look like the way we want them to, but that doesn't diminish the love we feel for them. There is a part of the book where Georgina and Elvis learn about the World Trade Center and the Freedom Tower that was built in the decade following the terrorist attack on 9/11/2001. The information included in the story is very appropriate for young middle grade readers. Additional information about 9/11 is included in the author’s note. Although a few elements of the book are a bit fantastical, the portrayal of a girl struggling with her parents’ separation is very realistic. I am confident a lot of readers would connect to Georgina’s story and find comfort in Elvis’ telling of it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers, this book is darling. I got the chance to read an e-ARC through NetGalley and I just adored it. The book follows a little kitten named Elvis who is separated from his sister at a pet adoption event. He goes home to a little girl named Georgina who is dealing with the divorce of her parents. Elvis joins a crew of pets already at Georgina’s house — a hamster named Mo (who might have been my favorite character!), a fish named Laverne, and a grumpy cat named Clementine. The characters are vibrant and oh-so lovable. I got such a kick out of every time Elvis said something along the lines of, “of course I know that. Please.” That “please!” was just so charming to me. Each character was so richly developed, and before too long, I had an actual voice in my head for each as they spoke — and I don’t think I do that very often. Maybe that’s part of the magic of kidlit and animals as main characters.

Beyond creating some truly lovable characters, Riddiough handles the topics of divorce and the history of the 9/11 attacks in such a tender and age-appropriate way. I pre-ordered a physics copy of the book and can’t wait for my kids to read it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free review copy of this book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Particularly as we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11 I am looking for more books to share with my students and add to my classroom library. And I think it's really important that it be a wide range of books, from those that introduce the tragic events, but are meant for younger readers, all the way to those that deal with it in a much deeper and heavier way...and we need all of them!

Elvis and the World As It Stands fits in the younger MG reader group and serves as a great way to introduce the events of 9/11 in a nonthreatening way...the narrator is a cat! I think students that like books with animals (and a lot of kids do!), will enjoy getting to hear the story from the perspective of Elvis the cat.

Lisa articulated it well in the Author's Note at the end of the book..."I wanted to explore the idea of rebuilding in the face of devastation." I think this book can not only provide discussion about 9/11 but about what it looks like for kids in the face of devastation from the pandemic.

[░▒▓█ Nguyễn Thiên Hà]

Elvis and The World as It Stands is a heartfelt middle-grade story told from the perspective of a newly-adopted cat.
Most shelter animals dream of having a forever home. But for Elvis, being chosen by Mrs. Pemberton is a nightmare.

Elvis has all of his future planned out. He's going to live in a forever homeーlike in the fairy tales, with his sister Etta. But then he's seperated from Etta, and he becomes determined to reunite with her. In the house he's living in, 11-year-old Georgina navigates the difficulties of divorce by building LEGO towers. Elvis becomes fascinated with Georgina's towers and wants to join building her largest project everーThe Twin Towers, which was destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. Elvis soon realizes people come and go over time, but family is forever.
Wow! I loved how the book potrays family seperation, divorce and having a new home and how the 9/11 terrorist attacks was carefully tied in. The illustrations were undeniably adorable and added something to the story. Recommend and will be checking out author's other books!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third grader received this book as a gift and absolutely loved it. He binge-read it in one long evening and then went back and re-read it the next day. I asked him what he liked about it and he said:

“I liked that it showed that people and even creatures who are really different from you are the same as you in certain ways. And I liked that it showed that determination will get you something you like, but it won’t always get you what you were determined to get.”

If your child also likes realistic stories about animals, especially pets, and wants something deeper than the early chapter books that have more simplistic relationships and issues, but isn’t ready for the super-intense YA novels, this is a great choice. Flipping through it myself, I felt like it balanced slightly more challenging reading and a nuanced approach to relationships with a basic gentleness, even in the face of tough issues, that felt appropriate for this age of readers. And I think kids always love narration from an animal’s perspective!

[Andi Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a smart, fun, thoughtful read for children who love LEGO, architecture, or animals (especially cats, like mine,) are experiencing grief or loss, whose parents are going through a divorce, or who are experiencing a life change like a move. Told from the point of view of a kitten (Elvis) and his animal friends, I especially loved Elvis and Laverne's voices, and think dog owners will get a kick out the dog's voice. Other highlights were the STEM connection with the LEGO, the themes of family and loss, the age-appropriate introduction of 9/11, and the respectful relationship between the parents. Without giving a spoiler, I also appreciated how some things were tied up in a way the reader would like while others weren't, which felt very realistic and still satisfying. I'm happy to have this book on our shelf!

[the tortured poets department · Rating 3 out of 5]

🐱🌁 BOOK REVIEW* 🐱🌁

This is a whimsical and charming middle grade read that deals with topics like 9/11, grief, divorce, and welcoming change into one's life. There were some sweet and poignant quotes throughout the story, and I enjoyed the found family aspect alot. The ending was so heartwarming and I LOVE the cover! My only complaint is that the writing was a bit simplistic for me, and not all middle grade titles read that way for me. However, this book is very cute and filled with the most adorable illustrations, so it's absolutely perfect for young and beginning readers! All in all, a sweet and wholesome read🥰

* thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely stunning debut about family, change, and the resilience of the human (and feline) spirit!

I had the pleasure of reading a very early draft of this novel, as well as an e-arc provided by the publisher. While I could say so many things I loved, I will focus on a few. This book offers a beautiful cast of complex and compelling characters, weaves together so many narratives and aspects brilliantly, and never strays from the deep heart of this story: the power of family and love to help the human heart heal after tragedy.

These themes, and the nuance they are developed with, is sure to touch not only young readers, but parents, librarians, and older readers a like. This entire story is truly masterfully done.

[Shari]

This is such a sweet and special book! I really loved Elvis and all of the other animals in this story. This is a rare story that is appealing and appropriate for younger middle-grade readers, while weaving in heavier themes of family, loss, divorce, and friendship. This would be a terrific readaloud for 2nd-4th graders, and a wonderful addition to any school, classroom, or public library. It's also a great conversation-starter for talking about 9/11, and I loved the way the author included the Twin Towers and the idea of rebuilding. Georgina's love of building with (LEGO) bricks makes this story extra-special to me, and models using art to cope with emotions. I will definitely add this wonderful story to my school library, and look forward to sharing it with students.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this very special book. While the narrative voice (first person, told by Elvis the kitten!) is fun, playful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, the story digs deep into harder themes that will resonate with young readers such as family changes (divorce, moving) and larger world problems (including animals being returned to the shelter and a beautifully nuanced discussion of 9/11). I'm a couple of days out from having finished the book and I miss my new animal friends! I can't wait to share this book with the young readers that I know when it comes out.

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and poignant story about Elvis, a shelter kitten who's adopted into a home with a girl whose parents recently separated, an eager hamster, a watchdog goldfish, and an older, ornery shelter cat. Elvis just wants to reunite with his sister Etta who was left behind at the shelter, and he must figure out how to adapt to his new home and friends. Even though Elvis can’t communicate with humans, he never stops trying. The story explores memory, family, and rebuilding things that are broken, and includes a light discussion of Sept. 11. Highly recommend it!

[JMM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elvis is a kitten who has been adopted from a shelter – and who wants nothing more than to return to it to reunite with his sister. His new family includes a girl who spends her time making LEGO buildings of sites she’s visited with her separated parents, and an assortment of other animals, who band together to help the kitten with his wish. This is a story about loss (the events of 9/11 and the family’s divorce), but it is also a very sweet and optimistic tale for middle-readers about adjusting to life’s turns and finding joy.

[Rob Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story! I absolutely loved Elvis and the World as it Stands! Not only does the book offer significant history lessons, but more importantly lessons of love and understanding. Ms. Riddiough writes an engaging story that grabs you from the get-go and makes us wonder why is it so hard for humans to listen?!

[Veronica Derrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging cast of animal characters that immediately draws you in. Elvis (a kitten) has been separated from his sister Etta. He's desperate to get back to the shelter to find her. There's also a wise hamster, a goldfish, an older grumpy and sort of scary cat, a bouncy dog and Georgina (the human little girl struggling through her parents divorce). Readers young and old will adore it.

[Landra Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing story that is surprisingly heartrending. I fell in love with Elvis and Mo and the gang. Beautiful theme of putting your life together again piece by piece. Lower middle grade especially for the animal lover. Very well done.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story from the animals' perspective about family and belonging. Includes ties to architect and famous buildings with a focus on the twin towers. Animal lovers will be delighted with this cute story. I definitely wanted to adopt 3 kitties by the end, what a lucky girl!