Elsie Mae Has Something to Say is a middle grade novel written by Nancy J. Cavanaugh. I was excited about the opportunity to read this book because we’ve read Cavanaugh’s last book- Just Like Me.

This book takes us back to the 1930s, and we are immediately introduced to Elsie Mae, a young girl living near the Okefenokee Swamp. The swamp is very dear to her heart; not only do her grandparents and uncles live there, but Elsie has spent the last several summers with her grandparents. As the story begins, Elsie Mae is mailing a letter to the White House because she has heard about a canal project that would cut right through her beloved swamp. Elsie Mae is determined to do something about this, and fervently hopes that her letter will reach President Roosevelt’s desk.

The summer starts out well enough- Elsie’s Uncle Owen presents her with a dog, something she has always wanted. Elsie is looking forward to spending the summer becoming acquainted with the dog, but she faces two obstacles: the arrival of her cousin Henry James (who wants to be a preacher when he grows up) and the news that there are no good hog bandits on the loose in the Okefenokee.

Elsie Mae sees a new opportunity; if she can catch the hog bandits, then that might attract enough attention to stop the canal from being built. She will not be alone in her efforts- she’ll have her trusty dog Huck to help, and Henry James might prove useful as well- as long as he can stop preaching and shouting Hallelujah for a minute to listen to her.

I read this book with my three girls who are ten, eight, and eight. They looked forward to reading every night, and laughed at the funny parts and gasped with shock at the surprises. They especially enjoyed Henry’s tendency to say, “Lord have mercy!”

As a parent, I appreciated the lessons conveyed in this book about what it means to be a hero and the motivations of our actions. At first, Elsie Mae is annoyed by Henry James’s warnings about being prideful and that “pride goeth before the fall”, but she reluctantly sees his point. On that note, it’s wonderful that Elsie Mae also learns acceptance; at first she is annoyed by her cousin, but she learns to value him for who he is, and she encourages him to pursue his own goals.

I would absolutely recommend Elsie Mae Has Something to Say to middle grade readers. Elsie is very much a real child- she doesn’t always do what she is supposed to, and Henry is a nice foil for her- the voice of reason, so to speak. This is an adventure story, and there is also an element of mystery as well. As an adult reader, I noticed some clues fairly early, but my girls didn’t figure it out until some of the more obvious clues.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I purchased our own copy of this book as well as the audio companion because I know it’s going to be a family favorite!

I liked the premise of this story-a girl loves her unique home so much that wants to save it, so she writes to the president. I also liked the mystery parts, which had some nice red herrings to make you think the mystery was solved, but it really wasn't. I didn't like the way the dialogue was written- the "ya'll git over here" and "whut did ya do that fer?" really grated on me. I also found the Henry James bible thumping character repulsive so it was hard to get to like him. Not my favorite story.

This was a really wonderful story about Elsie Mae and Henry James. They became fast friends when they got stuck together for a summer and end up having a great adventure and a great time.

I think that this story has all of the marks of a good story. Good characters, conflicting thoughts about things, and a clear moral to it. It is something that will teach people a lot and will also let them see something that would not be a part of their lives at all.

This was a wonderful story and I really enjoyed it a lot!

Loved this story of Elsie mae's summer in the swamp staying with her grandparents and solving a mystery with her cousin. Absolutely charming. Recommend for your 8-12 year old

Maybe I didn't give this book enough of a chance, but I gave it 100 pages, and I still wasn't engaged enough to really want to continue. Given that this is a book for children, that isn't a good sign. Not only that, but I was loathe to even think about having to read it. I give up on books when it feels like the reading of them is work.
It isn't that the book doesn't have some good qualities. It does. I like that Elsie Mae has goals and actively tries to make a difference. Elsie Mae, her cousin, Henry James, and the other characters are interesting. I appreciated learning about the Okefenoke Swamp.
I wish this book had appealed more to me, but it just didn't.

This little book was absolutely phenomenal! Set in the 1930s, this book explores a place that we rarely see in kidlit, as well as a group of people we also rarely read about. For some folks the swamp was, and is, a way of life. It was wonderful to see that culture brought to life through Ellie Mae, who is spending the summer with her grandparents in the Okefenokee Swamp that straddles the Florida-Georgia line. It's a tale about a young girl who wants a dog and gets one, and who spends her summer dreaming of being a hero.

Ultimately she gets her wish twice over, but in doing so she learns lessons about humility and selfishness. There are also wonderful lessons that are taught through her cousin, Henry James, and his traveling preacher parents. Not everything is what it seems at face value, and not everyone who claims to be doing good truly is doing good.

I just really loved this, and I love Nancy Cavanaugh's writing style! I can't wait to read more of her work!

Being the youngest of 7 children means Elsie Mae doesn't get many things all to herself - attention, recognition, etc. What she does get is the privilege of spending the summers with her grandparents and uncles in the Okefenokee Swamp. That is, until her cousin Henry James shows up to steal even that. But Elsie Mae has some plans. First, she has written to President Roosevelt to try and save the swamp from developers. Then she plans to find the thieves who are stealing the neighbor's hogs. Maybe then she can get some recognition. With the help of her new dog Huck and her cousin Elsie Mae embarks on a grand adventure but sometimes when you get what you wish for it comes with consequences you never intended.

This was a clever story. I liked the historical aspect and Elsie Mae and Henry's growing friendship.

It is 1933 and Elsie Mae is hoping that what she has to say will make her a hero and bring her some notoriety. Everything she thinks and does is in that pursuit because she is sure that only then will she finally be noticed by her family.

Elsie is a girl who loves and respects the Okefenokee Swamp, and her grandparents and uncles who call it home. The descriptions of life in The Swamp are pure magic and if you close your eyes you can see and hear the sounds and calls inherent in nature. She wants to save this magical place where she has spent the past six summers from the bulldozers which are threatening the way of life who inhabit the Swamp.

While the book is definitely written for a young audience it should not be overlooked by adults. There are so many important messages and moral attributes that are seamlessly woven into the story. It was a fun, humorous and interesting read.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for an ARC

*Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* 'Elsie Mae Has Something to Say' is a sweet story about a young girl growing up in the 1930s in Georgia, United States. As another reviewer commented, it is somewhat reminiscent of the children's novel 'Because of Winn-Dixie,' though in my opinion the storyline of 'Elsie Ma' has more meat to it. The plot revolves around our young hero, Elsie Mae who spends each summer staying with her grandparents on Honey Island in the Okefenokee Swamp. When she arrives this time, she finds a few surprises in store for her, including that she is to be joined by her cousin Henry James (yes, that name constantly made me think of 'Portrait of a Lady') and that the swampers' hogs keep disappearing overnight. An unlikely pair, Elsie May and Henry James team up to solve the mystery of who is responsible for the hog thefts. It was an enjoyable read, but I do wonder if Australian (and perhaps British) children will struggle with some of the dialogue in the book, as it is quite colloquial. For example - tarnation, gators, kilt (not the clothing kind), dandy, preacher, orneriness and so on. Stronger readers will be able to make it out from the context, but others may require adult guidance.

3.5/5 rating.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Elsie Mae Has Something to Say" is about a little girl who spends her summers at her grandparents house who live on a swamp that is in the process of being sold to a shipping company. Elsie Mae takes it upon herself to write a letter to the President to save her family home.

This book was really enjoyable. I really liked the two main characters especially Henry James; he was adorable! It was predictable in parts and a bit repetitive, but it's middle grade, and I think not only kids will enjoy this book but adults too; not only for learning about an actual time in history, but of all the great themes of friendship, faith, and meaning of home.

"Now that I had experience being a hero, as good as it felt, it didn't seem all that important to be one anymore."


WooOOAaaAHHhh!!!!

I am amazed at this book.


First of all, the theme and the moral of this book is my favorite thing here. It's mostly about being yourself and fitting in, in a world that pushes you to do otherwise. It's about finding yourself, finding a place (or a person) to call home, hope and friendship.

The plot may not be for me but I have to commend it because it is very unique, which also makes it very intriguing. It would be a very good read for middle grade readers, and as well as for people who are looking for a young, easy, unique read.


The character depth and the character development are uh-mai-zing. You can see just how Elsie Mae's view and perspective of everything changed from the very first page.

This made reading the last few chapters a bit nostalgic feeling.


I have to keep saying unique because that is what this is. It just really is so very unique.


This book is something that I needed in my life right now and I definitely recommend to every teenager out there in the world who could possibly be reading this.



P.S.
Henry and Huch <33 (they are too pure for this world)

Cute little book about a young girl finding her way in the 1930s. Recommended for upper elementary school. I think as long as they have a little background on history, these readers will really enjoy the characters and moral situations.

I generally enjoy historical fiction but for some reason, I could not get into this story. It was something about the way the author tried to write southern dialect as super uneducated that just irked me and I ended up DNFing this book half-way through.

I found this book to be charming. It was nice to learn about an area that I knew nothing about before reading this book. The characters were delightful and I enjoyed the book. Thanks NetGalley and Jabberwocky!

A great historical fiction piece that will captivate readers of all ages. Prepare to be transported to a swamp filled with mystery and excitement!

Elsie Mae is something to say, and she says it with a southern twang. I so enjoy books that use the vernacular of the time. It immerses you in the period like nothing else. Elsie lives near the Okefenokee Swamp in the 1930's and writes a letter to the President of the United States to try and stop a canal that would divide it. That's pretty much the main plot, but not the best part of the book for me. I felt like the reader was given a little window into the past. You can picture Elsie and her entire way of life through the friendly humorous tone of the writing. The scene where she and Henry steal a Bible so that she can be baptized and then rip a page out in the process made me laugh out loud. The kids face bad guys and solve a mystery before the end of the story. Although I haven't read this out loud yet, I am chomping at the bit. (As Elsie Mae would say) I'm hoping that we meet these characters again in a sequel.

I read a DRC of Elsie Mae Has Something to Say in exchange for an

This is one of those books that I would call a real gem, I loved it from page one, not so much a page turner its a cosy mystery that ambled a long in a good way that will hold your attention right till the last page and leave you feeling satisfied. The story is told by Elsie Mae who is spending the summer with her grandma and grandpa in there swampland home, which is under threat from a shipping company wanting to develop but not if Elsie Mae can help it.
I have been given a free copy of this book from Netgalley for a honest review.

The thing about good historical fiction is it shows you something in a way you were not familiar with. A historical event seen from a different perspective. Writing good historical fiction is hard, because you have to make sure you got the things in the right order, that the things that your protagonist did were in line with the times, and you have to make the story interesting enough that the reader wonders what will happen next, despite them knowing that this all happened a long time ago.

This book did none of these things. This book was based on a slight historical fact, and as the author explained in the end piece she took quite a bit of liberty with the time line and the event. This made the story unsupensiful, and rather odd.

So, three stars for writing a cute book about life in the Okefenokee Swamp, and having a slight mystery in it, but I think it was unnecessary, really, to have the historical event, the saving of the swamp to make it a national monument, thrown in, since it happened over several years, and it has nothing to do with one little girl.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Elsie Mae Has Something to Say takes the reader right into the heart of the Okefenokee Swamp in the early 1930s. This book sent me to the internet several times to find out more about the Okefenokee. I noticed the time difference (book set in 1933, but protected status given in 1937), so I appreciated the note from the author at the end of the book, explaining why she chose to set the book in 1933. Elsie Mae Has Something to Say should spark interesting discussions and will appeal to middle school readers.