Elvis Presley

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Pub Date 12 Jul 2022 | Archive Date 09 Jun 2022

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Description

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Elvis was born into poverty in North Mississippi, a place where opportunities were a rare thing to see. Still, he felt that someday, somehow, something amazing would happen. When he sang in a school talent show, he realized that singing was all he wanted to do with his life.

He had just finished high school when he plucked up the courage and walked through the doors of Sun Studios, ready to record his first song. After this came hit after hit, and he popularized a new genre of music that mixed all kinds of different styles. That genre was Rock 'n' Roll, and it would take the world by storm!

All the great artists that came after him still look up to little Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, the unique and irreplaceable artist who changed the course of music history. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the music legend’s life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.
 
Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Elvis was born into poverty...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780711270879
PRICE $15.99 (USD)
PAGES 32

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)

Average rating from 72 members


Featured Reviews

My kids and I really enjoyed this Little People, Big Dreams addition! While Elvis had a very troubled life, the book definitely focused on the less complicated aspects and his music, which given the nature of his troubles, was desirable to make it age appropriate. I do like how they identified his inspiration for his musical style. The illustrations were also really fun and engaging too!

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Interesting children's book about the life of Elvis Presley with terrific illustrations to engage little ones.

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I am a massive Elvis fan and this was definitely the most child-friendly version of the story of Elvis. I will definitely be buying this for my baby.

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This children's biography tells the story of one of the most iconic figures in music. Showing Elvis's early life to some of his biggest musical achievements this is a really nice book.
Great for an Elvis fan, but also one children will enjoy because of the colourful illustrations and easy to read words.

I've not had a chance before to read one of this series so I'm glad this one about Elvis Presley has been my first one.

Enjoyable read.

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Elvis Presley, coming out May 17, 2022. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

First of all, I grew up listening to Elvis Presley albums from my dad. I love hearing stories about him.

The illustrations were so colorful and fun! I loved that they depicted different moments in Elvis’ life. I’ve seen all his movies, so it was fun to see the little posters. I loved it had references to a lot of his songs that changed music. Hopefully this book helps young children today learn about who Elvis was and how he’s contributed to Rock and Roll.

It’s a short book, but contains a lot of information. It touches on the racial strife at the time Elvis grew up. It talks about how Elvis wanted his music to be enjoyed by all people. It shows some of his accomplishments and how he’s touched future singers and songwriters. I enjoyed the brief biography and timeline at the end. It’s important for kids to see what he actually looked like and his life story. I would say it would be appropriate for a first or second grade reading level.

I definitely loved this book!

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Another addition to the wonderful little people, big dreams series, none other than the King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis. This book covers everything from his humble beginning to his army days to his rise to fame, Vegara touches on Presley's beliefs including his fight for civil rights and support Martin Luther King Jr.

Although I feel they could have included more of his rise to fame, but they do talk about how unique Elvis' style was. His combination of blues and country, his 8 year acting career, his lifetime achievement award at 36 years old.
Elvis made sure no song was black or white, he made music history and so many artists have Elvis to thank.

Music can be colour blind.

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I read with my service dog before bed,

He is a huge Elvis fan since a pup was the only music that could be played. He Loved the book, and plan to add it it his physical shelf he is building. His mommy gonna buy it for him.

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I got this book for my seven year old daughter who loves the little people big dreams series. Just like the others in the series this one doesn’t disappoint. Beautifully illustrated and presented in a child friendly way. My seven year old was thrilled reading it. Five stars.

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This time the Little Person with a Big Dream is Elvis Presley. How did this musical icon find his way? In this title, kids will have the chance to find out. As always, in this fine series, there are some additional resources at the end of the book.

Readers watch as young Elvis, who was born in a shack, becomes interested in music. With talent and perseverance, Elvis became the “King” of Rock and Roll, a new musical style. For it was Elvis who joined country music and blues in a new way that became known by that iconic term.

Elvis had a huge following for all of his performing talents including acting. Readers also learn that Elvis was loyal to his country and served in the armed forces. His dream brought him all the way from that shack to Graceland.

Many thanks to Quarto-Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

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What a cute way for early readers to learn about Elvis Presley! Great illustrations to keep readers engaged. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

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Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing for an advance digital galley in exchange for my honest review.

Elvis is an interesting addition to the Little People, Big Dreams series. His life was not exactly that of a role model, from addiction to dating a fourteen year old. But he is a famous public figure, with a hugely notable music career and he has been made child-friendly enough for the purpose of the picture book.

The illustrations are beautiful and I can see budding musicians gravitating to the famous name.

I do wish that the story spoke more about the singers who Elvis drew inspiration from. There’s something not quite right about saying Elvis made music that was colourblind, when it was very possible he was just popularizing and whitewashing music that black musicians invented. There’s certainly two sides to the coin.

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As a primary music educator, I recommend this biography introducing our youth to the King of Rock ‘N Roll. From his humble beginnings to his army days and rise to fame, the colorful illustrations bring the story to life. As an extension activity, I would recommend playing some of his hits that are mentioned in the biography while students complete a coloring sheet.

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What do you consider a treasure? For each of us, it’s something different. For Elvis Presley, a little boy who was raised in a poor family, he treasured music.

Due to where he lived, The King of Rock ‘n Roll was exposed to all sorts of music from an early age. When he relaxed with his guitar after school, he mixed all the genres he’d heard during the day, together, making his own unique style. It wasn’t until he won a school talent show, that Elvis realized he could perform his music. When he was a teenager, he focused on blending Blues and Country music and recorded his first song, thereby introducing people to ‘rock and roll.’ Emboldened by his acting success, Elvis felt comfortable adding his signature moves while he was on stage … the rest is history!

Statistics and fame aside, Elvis is known for showing the world that music can be colour blind.

Did you know Elvis was a twin? His brother, Jesse, died at birth.

This is a worthy read about a little boy who began with nothing but a love for music and used this treasure to build his success upon. The text is simplistic and easy for children to read and the illustrations by Ana Albero are superb.

I was gifted this advance copy by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

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What a short and sweet book to introduce Elvis to young kids!

I had a lot of fun reading this short story about Elvis! I enjoyed the vibrant pictures and the details that went into the various outfits Elvis dazzled in. This book would be a good tool to use in early elementary classrooms to help introduce the idea of individuality and standing up for what you believe in, even if not everybody is on your side. It would also be cool to showcase some of his music after reading this story, too!

Vegara also touches upon Elvis' personal beliefs and trials, including his fight for civil rights and support Martin Luther King Jr. The overview of Elvis' life in the story wasn't just limited to his musical achievements but more. I would love to share Elvis' story with my students using this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

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We own a lot of these books and this one didn’t disappoint! I can absolutely see myself reading this one to my young boys. I’m glad the book focused on the more positive aspects of Elvis and I felt I even learned a thing or two as a parent reading. Will buy when it’s available in stores.

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Thanks to Quarto / Frances Lincoln and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Elvis is so cool his music is still incredible and he’s still beloved by many, me included. I’m so glad to have read this book on him. He was a trendsetter and did what he wanted to do regardless of other thoughts on it. He was different to anyone of his time and even to our time now too.

I do feel like this book could have had a little more detail on his life pre his career but it was still a really good biography book with lots of information, it’s a good depiction of how his career took off quickly and how people responded to his unique style too. How he rose to his fame and became the star of music and screen with all his hard work.

I loved the adorable illustration in this one, they were really so cute and always add so much to the story, I love seeing them in these books, seeing the inspiring people in different ages within the illustrations. Kids would love looking at them.

I love these books and I love that they focus on so many different people. Such an inspiring and great series on some of the greatest people that went for their dreams, made them come true and had an impact in the world.

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Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books.

Can’t Help Falling in love with Little People Big Dreams: Elvis!!

I simply adore the Little People Big Dreams series. I am always on the lookout for the newest addition in the series. When I saw Elvis on the ARC reading list I jumped for joy. The illustrations of Elvis and his life got me “All Shook Up: for sure, just as cute as he was. The simple version of his life’s story made it clear to young readers the positive impact that Elvis had, and still has, on the music world. It is important to continue teaching younger generations about important historical figures like Elvis.

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In this house we are big Elvis fans (we even have an Elvis Christmas tree) so this was a no brainer!

We love these books so much. They give just enough information to start a conversation with little ones. And the illustrations are so cute and accurate.

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Elvis Presley is the newest lead in this latest edition of the Little People, BIG DREAMS series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. This series is such a delight and the perfect way to educate not just kids but everyone about historic and cultural icons.

Elvis Presley was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. This book follows Presley as he records "That's All Right" at Sun Studios to joining the army and being deemed the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Ana Albero illustrates this installment and does a fantastic job. Albero's art style was so captivating and her art definitely further helped tell Presley's story. I love collecting these books and am so thrilled to add this one to the rest of my collection.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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A fun and brief biography of Elvis' life and career that is a wonderful starting point for younger fans. Sharing details about Elvis' childhood and his love for different people and different music, the book highlights some of his career's most pivotal moments in a way that is easy to understand by children and opens the door for any reader to explore this cultural icon even further. Perfect reading for children with a simple yet informative account of Elvis' impact on music and culture.

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For it's appeal across a broad range of ages, children of all ages and adults, this is one of my favorite series! Every time I read one of the little people begged dreams books I learned something new. So fun to read these with my grandkids, and look up additional information like an Elvis Presley video clip. And I love the time lines in the back of the book.

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Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. I've read a handful of books from this series on NetGalley. I don't know anything much about Elvis Presley's life, so I can't attest to the factual nature of this children's nonfiction book. What I can say is that it seems 1) age appropriate, 2) well-rounded attempt to portray a huge amount of information in a short space, 3) really cute graphics -- I like the consistent style which is eye catching, notable (you'd know this is part of the series immediately), etc.

I think overall, another good addition to the range of figures in this series of children's nonfiction biographies.

PS -- loved the elton john graphic. Super cute and made me smile.

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As usual a great addition to the Little People BIG DREAMS series from Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara! I think the book does a good job of glossing over the troublesome parts of Presley's life. This will be a fun one to read along with his music in the background. The illustrations are fittingly more colorful than some of the other ones in the series.

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I am a huge fan of this bookseries and I like some of Elvis songs so I am very happy that I got the chance to read this book.

The pictures in the book are very well done and it was intresting to learn a little bit more about the King of Rock.

If you are unsure if you should read this book for your kid or not based on his history with addiction I can reasure you that it isn't mentioned in the book so it is very child proof.

I hope this book will come out in Swedish one day so I can buy it to my daughters collection :)

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Whenever I hear the name Elvis Presley, my thoughts go to my mother, whose own mother forbade her from hanging up an Elvis in her room in the early 80s, saying "take the dead man off the wall!" Elvis has held a fascination for people of all ages, even long after his premature passing, and rightly so. This book is a cute reminder of why that is. Once again, the love and detail put in each illustration is marvelous! Leaf through this, you will love it.

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The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
These stories are very short, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This one here is about the great Rock ‘n’ Roll legend Elvis Presley. He was a very talented man and he had the courage to go out there and surprise the world with a whole new music genre that smoothed out any kind of differences among people. Children will be inspired by his story, for sure!

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I have bought a number of these Little People Big Dreams books for my own children and we have shared a number of them at my school too.
This one tells the story of Elvis Presley, from his humble beginnings to being a global superstar.
A lovely read.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy.

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Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara has once again done a great job with the new addition to the Little People, Big Dreams series, with this Elvis Presley kid's book. Perfect for any young music lover, and a great addition to add to a music unit study for kids. Great for read-aloud time and you won't get tired of reading any of the books in this series, because the author makes it fun and enjoyable with useful, easy-to-understand facts that children can comprehend.

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An adorable picture book about Elvis Presley's childhood and musical contributions. I enjoyed learning about his life. Parents and grandparents will enjoy reading this to their children. A wonderful addition to the series!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

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Elvis is my all time favourite musician and reading about him in this book was very interesting experience.
Undoubtedly this is the best series out there for children .A must have series for little curious minds.

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Little People Big Dreams is adding another fantastic title to the series. We're big fans of Elvis, and this title is a perfect introduction to the King of Rock 'n' Roll for little ones. The illustrations are a wonderful tribute to Elvis's many iconic outfits, and he seems to be dancing off the page with hip shakes and jiggling legs. The book doesn't mention his struggles with addiction, but instead focuses on how Elvis drew inspiration from different music genres, mixing elements from country and blues to create his own sound.

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Great book really good illustrations. I love these books so informative. And I love elvis too. Really enjoyed it and will be buying a hardback for our collection.

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I will continue to read and recommend all of the Little People, Big Dreams books! Honestly, I really didn't know that much about Elvis' life prior to reading this book, and this was a great introduction.

Thank you so much to Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of Elvis Presley.

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This was a perfect introduction to Elvis for young people and the difference he made.

I learnt a lot from this that I didn’t know. I particularly liked the recommendations where you can learn more at the end.

The pictures of Elton John and the Beatles got a little giggle out of me.

I adore that these books are being made for children to show them historical figures and the changes they made

I am glad it didn’t shy away from sad elements either such as the losses he experienced and his premature death.

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Another beautiful addition! I didn't know much about Elvis Presley except that he's super famous. I got to know him more as a person and as a singer by reading this book. His fiery passion for music brought changes in the world and established the fact that music has no colour. The illustrations are nicely done. Recommend it!

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I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Sanchez Vegara never disappoints. Her biography of Elvis Presley is the latest in her Little People; Big Dreams series. Readers meet Elvis as a young boy and learn how he became interested in mixing different musical sounds. They see him grow and watch as Rock and Roll is born. From here, the author takes readers through his well known career until his death at age 42. The timeline included at the end offers more information for younger readers. The detailed illustrations support the text and offer readers a view of who Elvis was.

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A short, colourful biography of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. I knew very little about Elvis going into this and enjoyed learning a little about his life. For example, I didn’t realise that taking race out of music was so important to him, or that he had featured in so many movies.

These biographies are age appropriate; inspiring and interesting, but not overwhelming. They have bright, beautiful illustrations, striking covers, and look great on a shelf together. I love the diversity of the people featured in this series. Artists, athletes, authors, activists, actors, explorers, entertainers, musicians, and scientists.

Thank you NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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What an addition to the phenomenal - Little People, Big Dreams award winning series!

The bright pictures and carefully chosen words introduce the younger generation to a musical icon.
The reader learns about Elvis as a young boy who was introduced to music, his draft to the army and then how he successfully changed the world with his music and movies.

This is a must read and will be definitely added to my collection.

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Elvis Presley is an Icon. His name is known the world over. He is still considered the King of Rock and Roll even though sadly he left us in 1977. He was one of a kind, so unique and talented that people just loved him. It is amazing how music has the ability to change people. For all our children today, that music is their passion, Elvis is someone to admire and encourage them to dream big. Many of these children will grow up to be in the music industry and this is a remarkable book for them to read at a young age.

I loved the Illustrations, too. They brought Elvis’ Extraordinary Personality Out and it leapt from the page. I love the illustration showing the Glamorous and Jeweled Outfits Elvis Wore. He was known for his over the top style and loved for it. He would come out in his Jumpsuits, Shake his Hips, Sing and it was a sensation.

Some facts I did not know were that Elvis really enjoyed many types of music, especially mixing country and the blues. Country was considered White Music and The Blues was done by Black Artists, yet Elvis never saw it that way. At 13 years old, his family moved to Memphis. Elvis would listen at the clubs on Beale Street, whose name is famous because of the book by James Baldwin. So, Elvis knew of discrimination against black people, but decided he wanted to be part of that music scene, too. He never considered a song ‘black’ or ‘white’, just a song to be heard. When Elvis was on a TV Show, he ended with his song, ‘If I Can Dream’ which was a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. A great message for all to learn.

Thank you NetGalley, Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for a copy of this book. I am always happy to read it and leave my review.

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Obviously I know who Elvis Presley is, but I didn't know a great deal about his life - childhood or the older years.
This book has given me a simple time line of his life, that I understood and enjoyed learning about.
These books are meant for kids but I genuinely love reading them myself!
Great book, even better series

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Fantastic story and illustrations- as always!
We own multiple from this series and each one is adored.
This book will be a fantastic addition to that collection.

I read this book to my children (7 & 4yrs) and they loved it. There were many opportunities for further learning.
We researched what a shack was, had more discussions around segregation and the war, we watched videos of Elvis's performances and listened to Elvis's songs.
It opened lines of discussion on different genres of music and then listening to see if we could hear the influences in his music.
These books are always a very good resource for sparking educational lines of interest and as a homeschooling family we love utilising them for social studies topics.

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This was cute, and I loved how it addressed racial divide issues, and the role they played in Elvis’ music. Though the drawings were not my favorite, they were very captivating and moved the story forward.

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This series of books is one of my favourites for the kids (and myself!). Another beautifully illustrated account of a life of a famous person, this time "The King" Elvis Presley. The book covers the main points of Elvis' life, with important reference to the fact that his music encompassed different ciultures, bringing elements from both Black and White music to mainstream audiences.
I always love with these books that there are the additional pages at the end which give the rundown of the person's life for the adult/older child reading it, with actual pictures from their life. It is a wonderful addition to an already gorgeous;y accessible book.

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This series has the best illustrations and has the ability to make nonfiction biography accessible to older children. Each one tells the uniq story of an individual and doesn't leave our the important details. The books pull from an interesting and accessible place which would be these ideal for an elementary classroom.

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I love the Little People, Big Dreams series and this is a great addition to the collection. Some of the more difficult aspects of Elvis's life are glossed over, but overall it's a great introduction to his life.

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I love the little people big dreams series. I am from Memphis, and it's always nice to see your city represented in books, even when it's with the popular Elvis. These are all great for children and adults alike.

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

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This is a very cute book. I loved the illustrations. I did feel like there could be more information added but I loved it. As a big Elvis fan, we will have to add this to our shelves.

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