Move from the inside.” When the day comes for the youngsters to go out into the world, they scatter, all except Appleblossom, Antonio, and Amlet (for “Hamlet”), who decide to stick together. Holly Goldberg Sloan has published seven books for young adults including Best-seller 'Counting by 7s', 'To Night Owl From Dog Fish' with co-author Meg Wolitzer, and 'The Elephant in the Room, her most recent. “But you need to feel more like a snake in your body. “Your tail looks believable,” Mama Possum tells Appleblossom, who is attempting to impersonate a reptile. In this particular fictive world are newly born protagonist Appleblossom and her twelve siblings (all with names beginning with A, as is the tradition for a possum mother’s first litter), eager to discover how to find food, to prepare for such enemies as “hairies” (dogs) and “monsters” (people), and-most of all-to develop their acting abilities. DOWNLOAD CHAPTER 1 PURCHASE Synopsis Julia is very short for her age and this is the summer she gets cast as a munchkin in a production of The Wizard of Oz. And that’s the only place where growing really matters. But such is the case for the thespian marsupials in Sloan’s (Counting by 7s, rev. Short By Holly Goldberg Sloan I grew this summer. Readers will root for Julia as she stumbles through her time on the stage, but never gives up and emerges triumphant by the end.Ĭons: For all the director was supposed to be so creative, it sounded like his production of The Wizard of Oz was a carbon copy of the movie.Did you know that possums have Shakespeare, Chekhov, and theater of every sort in their blood? Me either. Pros: A heartwarming, funny story by the author of Counting by 7’s. By the end of the play’s run, Julia is seeing herself in a whole new way, embracing who she is with a newfound confidence.

And Julia reaches out to an elderly neighbor, who turns out to have a surprising talent for the theater and some wisdom to share as well. The director, Shawn Barr, sees something special in Julia, and gives her an additional role as a winged monkey. A little person, Olive becomes a friend and mentor, pairing with Julia in the role of lead dancer for the munchkins. Much to her surprise, she gets the part of a munchkin, and her summer quickly takes a surprising new turn. When her mom drags her to an audition for a local production of The Wizard of Oz, Julia is sure that the only member of the family to be cast in the play will be her talented younger brother. Our new book club selection is a funny and heartwarming story from Holly Goldberg Sloan, the bestselling author of Counting by 7s. Her beloved dog has recently died, and she’s feeling at loose ends as the summer begins. Unusually short for her age, she daydreams a lot in school and hasn’t been particularly successful in extracurriculars like soccer and piano. Holly Goldberg Sloan is the author of seven books for young readers, which have been translated. Summary: Julia is a girl who doesn’t think of herself as very talented.

Short book holly goldberg sloan