All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall

All Shook Up Reviews

• 
  Elaine

  This book probably deserves five stars, but the problem is with my taste in books rather than the book.
  
  I am not sure what to say about this book. It should definitely appeal to all the kids whose parents have ever done something that embarrasses them. I guess that means everybody.
  
  I really liked how Josh came to realize that everything was not about him. I couldn't blame him for being self-centered. I think that is human nature and it is especially strong in a teenager.
  
  I grew up as an Elvis fan and I still enjoy his music. That's another thing this book will do for you. It will make you want to pull out your old 45s. I wonder if they still make turntables? -grin-
• 
  Molly Krumm

  You was a cute fast read
• 
  Becky

  Pearsall, Shelley. 2008. All Shook Up.
  
  When you're thirteen, it doesn't take much for you to think your parents are embarrassing. Meet Josh. He normally lives with his mom in Boston, but when his grandmother falls and breaks her hip, Josh is sent to stay with his Dad in Chicago while his mom is off to Florida.
  
  Looking back, I would say everything in my life changed the summer I turned thirteen and my father turned into Elvis.
  I'd heard people say thirteen was an unlucky number, and from the very beginning, that seemed to be true. I'd been thirteen for less than twenty-four hours when the phone call came from Florida about my grandma taking a fall on the steps of the Shadyside Episcopal Church and breaking her hip. That same day, somebody swiped my bike from the city pool because, yes--I'd stupidly left it unlocked. And then my mom decided to ship me off to Chicago for four months so she could rush to Florida to take care of my grandma.
  Before arriving in Illinois at the end of the summer (which had been a pretty decent summer until I turned thirteen), I didn't know anything about my dad being Elvis. Well, that's not quite true, I'd heard there were people who pretended to be Elvis. You know--sideburns, sunglasses, twisting hips, jiggly legs, and all. But I never would have believed my own dad would become one of them. (1-2)
  
  Josh's "shock" comes quickly when his Elvis-dad picks him up at the airport. "Trust me, right at that moment, I didn't really want an explanation for why my dad was pretending to be Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. If you have to choose between standing around with somebody who is being a complete hunka-hunka burning shame in public--or getting as far away from the situation as you can--you take the second option. Always." (12)
  
  Yes, Josh has a few adjustments to make that's for certain. And you can read all about them in All Shook Up.
  
  It was a fun read because you couldn't help but want to listen to Elvis. (I don't know if teens will have this response or not?!) Even though Josh himself is turned off completely by anything and everything Elvis. (Will they like Josh be mortified by the King?)
  
  The writing is good (not great but solidly good). I've always enjoyed Shelley Pearsall's books in the past--her previous books include Trouble Don't Last, Crooked River, and All of the Above. And I did enjoy this one. It started off strong. It was funny. But it was believable. It had great potential. And while I wasn't particularly disappointed in the book, the last half is weaker than the first half. Not that it ever turns bad.
  
  If it were a beam routine (and forgive me but with the Olympics I have gymnastics on the brain), I'd say there were no falls, no major deductions per se. But a couple of balance checks and a hop on the landing keep it from getting that perfect perfect score.
  
  © Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
• 
  Arminzerella

  Josh, thirteen, has to go live with his father in Chicago when his mom has to go stay with her mother in Florida (after she breaks her hip). He misses his friends in Boston, and his life there, but Josh finds that the worst thing about coming to Chicago is the fact that his dad has become an Elvis impersonator after losing his job (shoe salesman). It’s so embarrassing that Josh can’t even tell his mom about it. It’s so embarrassing that he forbids Ivory (his dad’s girlfriend Viv’s daughter) to tell anyone at school. It’s so embarrassing that when Josh finds out that his dad has agreed to perform at his middle school he makes up a fake Elvis impersonator contest just so his dad won’t appear. When the truth finally comes out neither Josh nor his dad can speak to one another, and it takes some outside intervention (and a concert) to help them see eye to eye again.
  
  This was a torturous read. Josh is so self-centered and his teenage concern (and embarrassment) over what people will think of him and his Elvis-impersonating father (if they should find out) is downright irritating (not to mention hurtful). It’s obvious that Josh is going to do something stupid and cruel, and also that everything is going to be ok in the end. Or, at least, more ok. It would have been nice if the men (Josh and his dad) were better at communicating, but they suck at it. So, readers are stuck with all of Josh’s thoughts of what he *could* or *should* have said and the horrible reality of what eventually came out of his mouth. Argh. Yes, parents can be embarrassing, but this sensitivity Josh displays is beyond annoying. He’s not confident or strong enough to stand up for himself (or his dad), and it’s not even clear where this social anxiety comes from (he was relatively well-liked and popular in his old school). It’s hard to sympathize with a character you can’t like.
• 
  Jill

  This book looked like it was going to be awful when I saw the cover and read the book jacket. It wasn't as bad as I thought and I had a good time reading it.
  
  It was, however, a formula book. In that way, it was completely, outrageously, predictable. I understand why writers write this kind of book - it is easy to do. Think of a kid who would have a problem, think of a crazy scheme that's going to really hurt someone in his life, have him do it and feel very guilty for the rest of the book. Ugh. It's like She's All That and all the other teenage movies.
  
  Anyway, enough complaining. It took place in Chicago, which was cool. I did want to keep reading it, so it was fun to read. I liked all of the Elvis lyrics.
  
  Although this book did remind me that my cousin Kelley wants to name her daughter "Presley" ....... don't do it, Kelley!!!
• 
  Missy

  My son is trying to read all 20 "Rebecca Caudill" 2011 book nominees for an award at his school. We've always been impressed by the books on the list - usually just right for ages 9-12 or so. This one was fine, but I become frustrated by books/shows where there is a problem caused by someone's dishonesty that could be cleared up if they would just tell the truth. But that rarely happens and so they dig themselves a deeper hole trying to cover up their lie... You know how it goes.
  
  This is an easy read and my son liked it. A cute story about a boy whose Dad loses his job and becomes an Elvis impersonator, much to the son's dismay/horror.
• 
  Jeanne

  2011 RC I liked Pearsall's other book Crooked River a lot. This one-not so much. There are young adult books that a broad audience will enjoy and then there are young adult books for young adults. This is the latter. Joshua is another angry 12 year old child of divorced parents. His bitter selfishness may be very realistic, but I found it annoying. This one was very disappointing.
• 
  Mary Duda

  I kept reading, expecting Josh to be redeemed, but he never was. He was an annoying, selfish brat the whole way through. I have a kid this age and while they can sometimes be that way, they also have a good side. I never saw a good side in this kid.
• 
  R.A.

  His father lives in Chicago and is an Elvis impersonator. His mom lives in Boston. He travels back and forth on a fairly regular basis. I thought this book was funny and fabulous.
• 
  Nushu Shri

  I picked up this book because the synopsis seemed unusual, but intriguing. How many books do you read about someone's dad trying to impersonate Elvis? It's the reason why I enjoyed this book a lot.
  On the character side, Josh is just a normal boy, who worries a lot about fitting in. He's funny and sarcastic, which makes his point of view very interesting. His dad is also really nice, but their relationship starts off rocky. Josh, understandably, isn't very cool with his dad's new job doing gigs, but the tension is resolved after the book's peak. (However, I don't really agree with the "drastic action" Josh takes in the middle of the book, because it's pretty selfish of him to not look out for his dad's feelings.) The other characters like Ivory and Viv were nice, too, and I like how Ivory doesn't care what anyone thinks of her and holds her friends in high respect. She doesn't let Josh boss her around.
  The story is fun and interesting, and progresses at a nice pace. It's really about letting others find themselves, and not worrying so much about what someone thinks of you. I give it 4 stars. The author has a nice way with words!
  
  Check out my blog for more reviews: notprimadonna.blogspot.com
• 
  Tracey

  I liked this so much more than I expected. It's entertaining, has some quirky & endearing characters, & even though I'm not an Elvis fan, I loved how his songs are incorporated in all of the chapter titles. I'll be suggesting this to my middle schoolers this year for sure. It's a fun, fast-paced, enjoyable story.
• 
  Vicki

  When 13 yr old Josh’s dad loses his shoe store job, Jerry finds new employment as an Elvis impersonator much to the embarrassment of Josh.
  
  This book is about teenagers, divorced parents, a new school and trying to fit in. Great characters in Ivory, Gladys & Digger.
• 
  Travis Nacke

  It was an enjoyable easy read. Since I like Elvis it was fun.
• 
  Ann

  🤷‍♀️
• 
  Alicia

  LOVED the concept of this book! But I wish it would have been more of a madcap adventure with some bigger drama (I wanted Elvis to visit the school).
• 
  Rachel

  It's summer! Josh is excited for summer to spend with his Mom until Josh's grandma breaks her hip, his mother has to travel to Florida to nurse her back to health, and Josh has to go to Boston to spend the whole summer with his Father. As Josh gets dropped off at the airport, he is expected to meet his father but instead he meets a Elvis Presley man. Turns out the Replica of Elvis Presley is Josh's Dad. Read the book to find out what happens next in the story, All Shook Up and how wild Josh's Summer will be and who he will meet.
• 
  Tami

  I have recently become a HUGE fan of this author. She writes everything from amazing historical fiction to contemporary fiction, to stories based on current, real-life events. I first became aware of her when her book ALL OF THE ABOVE showed up on the Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee list for 2010-11 in Division II (5th -7th grade).
  
  Having read ALL OF THE ABOVE and enjoyed it so thoroughly, I went looking for more of Ms. Pearsall’s work. I also visited her website, which is quite informative and interesting to explore.
  
  The next novel of Ms. Pearsall’s I read this summer was ALL SHOOK UP. This is set in the present. The main character is a 7th Grade boy whose parents are already divorced at the beginning of the story. His maternal grandmother falls in her home in Florida and his mother has to relocate there for a few months to help her mother with her recovery. Josh is sent to live with his dad in Chicago.
  
  Upon arriving in Chicago Josh discovers that the father who had always worked as a shoe salesman has lost his job and is now working as an Elvis Presley impersonator. Josh is mortified by this information. He even goes so far as to pick up a job application from a local video store for his dad so he can have a “real” job again. The really moving part about this novel is the honesty with which Josh speaks. We all have feelings of anger and resentment and embarrassment connected at times with our parents. It’s hard to admit those things to ourselves. We see in Josh’s gradual realization of the discrepancy between his perceptions and his father’s our own understanding of those feelings and thoughts that can otherwise fester. When Josh decides to manipulate circumstances, sacrificing his father’s goals for his own he discovers that the consequences are far-reaching in ways he never anticipated. And he discovers how to find his way back from some questionable decisions. It is a remarkable book that adds to my admiration for Shelley Pearsall and her work.
  
  
• 
  John

  Sent to live with your dad for a few months while your mom cares for your elderly grandmother, forced to try to survive in a new school, and your Dad has chosen as his occupation ... Elvis impersonator.
  
  The premise of this book is a good one.
  
  I didn't care for Josh's tone. He comes across as EXTREMELY self-absorbed, and while I think 7th graders can be self-absorbed, this is a little over the top. I think Josh is realistic, but I think Josh's self-absorbancy makes it difficult to "root" for him.
  
  On the positive side, the adults in the book are not moronic stereotypes of adults. They are real, and they are interesting. They attempt to communicate, and considering they had a hard time communicating going into the story, they improve in this area. Josh's dad has the opportunity to come across as crazy and selfish, but he really isn't. Josh's dad has a new girlfriend, and her daughter is important to Josh's survival there for a while ... when the chips are down, Ivory is there for Josh, though even Ivory doesn't want to deal with Josh in his selfishness.
  
  I would imagine this is a good book for young people who have experienced divorce.
  
  It was a quick read ... read the whole book (255 pages) in about four hours.
• 
  Asani Smith

  The classic story of the teen with divorced parents, except this one is spiced up a bit. So it all starts off with a 13 year old boy who has to leave his hometown to go stay with his father for a few months. He doesn't mind the idea until he ends up at the Chicago airport staring at some wacky guy that looks like Elvis. Come to find out that it was his dad, his dad changed from shoe store employe to Elvis impersonater. At first he's comfortable with it until his dad signs up to preform at his schools talent show. He quickly talked his dad out of it and after that they live awkwardly. The story ends with his dad winning a million dollar prize for best Elvis impersonator in America, he now loves the whole idea. This was a great story overall, I liked the tone that the narrator have off. I would advise anyone that had to go through they're parents being divorced in their life, or even someone that just likes reading a good book.
• 
  Celia

  Here's a disclaimer: I am a die-hard Elvis Presley fan. So, when this book showed up at my book fair, I purchased it for the library, and knew I had to read it. It is a funny, very down-to-earth look at the relationship between 13 year-old Josh, (who lives with his mom in Boston) and his father, who lives in Chicago. Poor Josh has to go live with his dad for a few months, which means starting a new middle school, and being away from his friends. Traumatic, right? Well, when Josh finds out that his dad lost his job, and is now trying to make a living as an Elvis impersonator, things get crazy.
  Very realistic dialogue, the author never writes down to her audience, and the story moves along very quickly. Very real family problems, and they are not sugar-coated.
  I even made my husband read the book, and he enjoyed it, too!
• 
  Kathleen

  I was humming Elvis tunes to myself all the way through this book, how could you not.
  
  Being a 13 year-old boy with divorced parents is hard enough. But add to that the fact that he not only has to spend this summer with his dad in Chicago, he's going to be starting 7th grade there as well. And when he arrives in Chicago, his dad has other surprises for Josh - a new girlfriend and he's started his own business as an Elvis impersonator. This could possibly be the worst year Josh has had yet.
  
  While younger readers may not be know everything there is to know about Elvis, they will at least know who Elvis was. But the heart of this story is Josh learning what to do when the people you love the most also embarass you the most.
  
• 
  Kelly

  Josh, a 13-year-old, must go and stay with his father in Chicago while his mother cares for his ailing grandmother. His parents divorced when he was five because his father, a shoe salesmen, just couldn't get his act together. Josh's father loses his job and begins a career as an Elvis impersonator.
  
  I thought that this was a very creative book, but I didn't find it to be extremely enjoyable. Shelley Pearsall is a crafty writer and created some great characters, but I just didn't like Josh all that much. He may be your typical 13-year-old-boy, a self-centered, egotistical, squirrely liar, but I didn't see him redeemed in the end. Maybe it bothered me that he never said he was sorry. Overall, I did like the book and Shelley Pearsall is a gifted writer.