Book Review: "Adventure Is Out There!" is a Joyful Journey Back into the World of "Up"

Liz Braswell has once again brought a new heartwarming joy to existing Disney stories with her latest ‘Twisted Tale’ Adventure is Out There! Readers jump back into the world of Up with Carl and Ellie as they chart a course through their childhood into their young adult lives. 

Anyone who loves Pixar movies will know the story of Carl and Ellie from Up. The film was brilliant, the characters were incredible, the narrative was filled with themes of adventure and reconciling with old age and mourning the loss of loved ones. Up is Carl’s story, now we get Ellie’s in Braswell’s exciting new book. 

Readers are transported back to the world of Bloomington, where young Carl and Ellie meet and become the best of friends. Their initial meeting is shown on screen, but the book allows readers a chance to see the weeks, months, and years after their first encounter. They hang out together. They explore the city and the nearby fields and cheer on the exploits of the heroic adventurer Charles Muntz. As the years pass, Ellie manages to gain an internship at the local zoo, and while she learns much from the venerable Margaret Klein who is the Head Keeper at the Bloomington Zoo, Ellie is stuck in a world that is recovering from World War II, and the push back on women in the workforce. Her own mentor Margaret is pushed out of her job for a returning soldier. 

In the meantime, Carl and Ellie enjoy the adventures they have, feelings start to develop, and neither is sure how to process or vocalize them.

When Ellie gets a chance to go on an adventure which brings her to a familiar place, she is with a group of people that could ultimately get her killed. Ellie’s quick thinking and daring to seek adventure is what will save the day, with some help from Margaret and Carl back home. 

Up is a film that holds a special place in my heart. It is the story of growing old, growing young, finding relevance, and remembering those who you have lost. The film also reminds us to appreciate the joys we have and not to forget that just because you don’t venture into the wilds of the Amazon doesn’t mean you can’t have an adventure in your backyard. I love Up. It will forever have a place on my top ten list of films. What it does not need is a movie sequel.

Thank god for the printed word and for Liz Braswell with her unique ability to dive into someone else’s world and to make it new. I was intrigued by the concept of the book, and by the time I was on page twenty, I knew that Adventure Is Out There! would have a special place on my bookshelf.

Everything in the book is familiar to fans of the original story, but the focus on Ellie and letting her story take center stage is what makes the book so special and allows Braswell the chance to place her own creative flair on well-known characters. She gives Ellie a life that is only seen in pictures and manages to tell a heartwarming passionate adventure of a young girl who just wants to do so much. 

It’s hard not to cheer for Ellie, because Ellie is everyone who has ever had a dream of doing big things by breaking out of the smalltown world. Bloomington is a wonderous place in the pre and postwar world, and while we see through Braswell that this is a nice town, life is not easy for Ellie.

There is motivation for her interests. Besides being curious and adventurous, the Ellie on the page is a girl who comes from the large McGill family that have little and may not be able to offer much in the future. Ellie wants to break the McGill mold. She has no desire to be stuck in her town, missing the possibility of her dreams. What gets to the emotional heartstrings of this reader, much like the montage scene at the start of Up, is when Ellie reflects on how busy, distracted, or tired her parents are. 

Ellie McGill has a nice family, but her parents can’t keep pace with their curious child, especially when they have so many other children to raise. Ellie is lonely and thankfully she meets a kindred soul like Carl. They share so much, but while Ellie is outgoing, Carl is reserved. She might be looking for that equal to match her enthusiasm, but Carl is looking for the person who will help him break out of his shadow. 

When Ellie decides to set out on her adventure outside of Bloomington, we see a dramatic shift in the narrative which allows Ellie to shine. Forever and always it is Ellie and Carl, but with her being a part of the expedition that eventually brings her to a familiar place, this is where Braswell allows us to see a whole new world on the page. 

Taking creative liberties, and narrative leaps, readers get a fantastic voyage of a young girl who wants to see the world. Readers are reminded that sometimes you must take a leap of faith and do the impossible things, even if you don’t know how to do them. 

Liz Braswell has built a beautiful story of adventure that everyone will love.