Elsie Mae Has Something to Say

by Nancy J. Cavanaugh Narrated by Cassandra Morris

Overview

Elsie Mae has long treasured summers with her grandparents in the Okefenokee Swamp, so she is devastated to hear that a shipping company plans to build a canal right through it. What will that mean for the people and animals that call the swamp home? So she writes a letter directly to President Franklin Roosevelt himself and sets off to enjoy what may be her last happy summer there with her new dog, Huck. But when she arrives, she discovers a team of hog bandits who have been stealing from the swamper families. When her cousin Henry James, who dreams of one day becoming a traveling preacher like his daddy, shows up, Elsie doesn't think things could get worse. But then she devises a plan to use Henry and his Hallelujahs to help stop the thieves-and maybe make just enough noise to gain Roosevelt's attention...

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Cavanagh’s sweet and engaging historical fiction style perfectly captures the special quality of life in the Okefenokee, from ‘gators to biscuits to good neighbors. Elsie Mae is a strong, complicated heroine, surrounded by complex characters. The novel also does a good job highlighting the complications of federal conservation for those who live in and use a wild place." — School Library Journal

"The period details, unusual setting, light dialect, well developed characters, and the affirming, gradual progression of Elsie Mae and Henry James’ friendship makes for an engrossing story. An author’s note offers more insight into the real story of FDR’s protection of the swamp." — Booklist

"Cavanaugh weaves an engaging story with characters you immediately fall in love with. The text offers a poignant window into the customs and lifestyle of the swampers who lived there in the 1930s. Written with humor and sensitivity and reflecting the vernacular of the time, this book would be a great intro to a lesson on the National Wildlife Refuge system, conservation, and preservation." — School Library Connection

"Our spunky protagonist takes the reader on countless high-energy adventures through the marsh and eventually learns that there are more important matters than heroism. Set in 1933, this piece of historical fiction gives a perspective of life on the Okefenokee, and the author’s note provides context for the real-life events like President Roosevelt’s Executive Order that lead to its National Wildlife Refuge status." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Gators, huckleberry pie, and sweet tea on the porch are all part of the swamper way of life. Elsie Mae is spunky, headstrong, and kind… Swamp magic." — Kirkus Reviews

School Library Journal

08/01/2017
Gr 4–6—How can one person make a difference in the world? Should they watch, listen, and learn, or shout the truth at the top of their lungs? For Elsie Mae, the youngest in her family, doing "something big and important in the world" is going to involve speaking up. Elsie Mae comes from swamp people, and unlike her parents and siblings, she is most at home deep in the Okefenokee, where her grandparents and uncles pursue a traditional swamper life—hunting, fishing and living off the land and the water—a life that is now threatened by the development plans of a shipping company. As Elsie Mae prepares to spend the summer with her grandparents, she sends a letter to President Theodore Roosevelt, begging him to protect the unique environment of her home. Her wish comes true, with the help of her bible-thumping nuisance of a cousin Henry James, her capable uncles, some reporters, some hog thieves, and a nosy bloodhound named Huck. But will saving the swamp mean losing the swampers' way of life? Cavanagh's sweet and engaging historical fiction style perfectly captures the special quality of life in the Okefenokee, from 'gators to biscuits to good neighbors. Elsie Mae is a strong, complicated heroine, surrounded by complex characters. The novel also does a good job highlighting the complications of federal conservation for those who live in and use a wild place. Cavanagh collapses the time line (the book takes place in 1933, the Okefenokee wasn't protected until 1937), and fictionalizes the order of events, which will frustrate some readers, but an author's note appended to the story makes these choices clear. VERDICT Recommended for fans of historical fiction, nature, and determined young heroes. A great read to pair with J.E. Thompson's The Girl From Felony Bay.—Katya Schapiro, Brooklyn Public Library

NOVEMBER 2017 - AudioFile

Narrator Cassandra Morris’s bright soprano drawl as Elsie Mae transports listeners into a series of warm afternoons in the Okefenokee Swamp. Elsie Mae is eager to spend her summer there with her grandparents and favorite uncle. But she has her hands full with a new dog, a mission to save the swamp from destruction, a plan to thwart the hog bandits who are terrorizing her neighbors, and the unexpected company of her cousin, Henry James, an aspiring preacher. Morris’s pacing captures the wide swings between relaxed summer exploration and flurries of scheming and activity. Her characterizations of Elsie Mae’s family and neighbors create a vibrant web of people who support her in her adventures. This is an ideal vacation listen for those who like slice-of-life stories, down-home tales, and summer days full of daring feats. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2017-06-27
Eleven-year-old Elsie Mae lives for her summers spent with her grandparents on Honey Island in the Okefenokee Swamp—so when the swamp is threatened by a developer, she decides to do something to save the most beautiful place on Earth. The canal project is only part of the drama in this Depression-era tale. A hog thief, a Bible-thumping cousin, and a dog that cannot seem to stay out of trouble all conspire to make this the most exciting and problem-filled summer ever. But Elsie Mae is so focused on making a name for herself that she neglects to consider how her actions will affect those around her. She seems to create more problems than she solves. Is this the fall her cousin warned would follow her pride? Or are the complications really just blessings in disguise? Gators, huckleberry pie, and sweet tea on the porch are all part of the swamper way of life. Elsie Mae is spunky, headstrong, and kind, but she also has moments of jealousy and recklessness. The mystery surrounding the hog thefts falls flat, but the distinctive setting, the intriguing characters, and the glimpse at a culture that is unfamiliar to most are enough to carry it through. Elsie Mae narrates, and characters' dialogue is rendered in a broad dialect. Absence of racial markers implies that they are white. A historical note explains the actual events surrounding the Georgia swamp's protection. Swamp magic. (Historical fiction. 9-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175394383
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	09/05/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

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