All Shook Up

1. All Shook Up: The Life and Death of Elvis Presley, by Berry Denenberg

2. 2001, Scholastic Press (New York)

3. 176 pages

4. Appropriate for secondary students (middle and high school)

5. All Shook Up is a rather pessimistic view of the life of Elvis that spans the time from his birth to his death. In it, one can read about his poor upbringing, his love of music at an early age, his relationship with Colonel Tom Parker, and his roller-coaster career. All throughout, the author offers very cynical views concerning Elvis’ father, Colonel Tom Parker, and other people Elvis had relationships with. Though I have no doubt many people wanted to take advantage of Elvis, I kept wondering if the author was writing about his research or putting his own pessimism into the story.

6. Circulate it. I think Elvis is cool, but I don’t know about the interest value he has with many of the students I teach. Though the book has interesting side stories and tangents, I don’t know that I would want to teach it with the whole class. It would be great for the student who is interested in Elvis and who wants a darker viewpoint of how his life was lived.

7. Essential Question: How can famous people be happy?

8. Literary Elements: Antagonists, Archetypes, Dialect, Didacticism, Dynamic Characters, Euphemisms, Figurative Language, Foreshadowing, Integral Setting, Metaphor, Narrative Hook, Open Ending, Protagonists, Static Characters, Stereotypes, Style, Symbols, Themes, and Tone