Julia Gillian (and the Quest for Joy)

As the new school year begins, Julia feels that it isn't starting off very well. Learning to play the trumpet is harder than she expected. Her best friend, Bonwit Keller, seems to be avoiding her and never wants to spend time together. An eccentric lunch monitor seems to love to terrorize her. When Julia starts telling lies to cover for her shortfalls, she ends up getting tangled up. With everything happening and her world falling down around her, Julia wonders where she can find joy. Will she ever find a happy medium in her life? Will Julia figure out what's eating at her best friend, or will she lose him forever? JULIA GILLIAN (AND THE QUEST FOR JOY) is a great book. The characters are well-developed, memorable, and humorous. The plot moves along at a good pace and holds the reader's interest. The illustrations interspersed throughout the book complement the text well and add a unique element to the story. Readers who like realistic fiction and friendship stories will all enjoy this book. Reviewed by: Kira M

This was a gift that I got for my niece, who's 11. She read it cover to cover while staying with me. She liked it enough that a)she read it instead of watching tv, talking on the phone b) she gave it a big thumbs up when i asked for her reaction. I read some of it in the store before I got it and loved the way the story reminded me much of my own childhood and the things that go with it. very good choice; glad i got it!

Alison McGhee's JULIA GILLIAN AND THE QUEST FOR JOY tells of a new school year and a best friend who no longer wishes to be best friends. Julia finds life in general harder, and a new lunch monitor is overly strict to top it all off. Black and white illustrations by Drazen Kozjan enhance the story of a girl's tumultuous year. A fine pick for libraries seeking easier stories for elementary-level readers past the picturebook age.