Julia spends a lot of time looking up. But please don't call her short; she is boycotting that word. She's not allowed to boycott the local theater production of The Wizard of Oz, however. Her mother insisted that she audition, and now she has been cast as a Munchkin - even though she can't dance or carry a tune. Her summer is not starting well.
But then, unexpectedly, Julia begins to see her world - and herself - in a different way. She is inspired by the show's always enthusiastic director, and she becomes friendly with two women unlike any she has ever met: Olive, and adult with dwarfism who doesn't let her size define her; and Mrs. Chang, a neighbor whose incredible artistry helps Julia to see herself as an artist. She soon realizes that "this is going to be the summer when the little people call the shots."
With its humor, insite, and terrifically quirky cast of characters, including the unforgettable Julia Marks, this novel is a heartwarming, joyous story of self-discovery and the role models who forever change us.
