Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Ever since I read Counting by 7s, the story of a young girl on the Autism spectrum who suddenly loses her parents in a car crash, I knew I would love Holly Goldberg Sloan forever. She is on my favorite authors list, and I try to stay up-to-date on what she is publishing. So, when I heard about this new book coming out, I had to grab it. 

Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

I love books that help children see their unique qualities. Many times, we think of "unique qualities" as being exceptional intelligence, creativity, a specialized skill, or a devote interest in a topic. However, our physical characteristics can also be unique qualities. This is the main idea in Wonder by R.J. Palacio (another amazing book, if you haven't picked it up). 

In this book, we meet Julia, a preteen who is tiny, miniscule, height challenged...you get the idea (don't say the dreaded "s" word here, aka "short"). Her least favorite word is short because she feels it describes her and is the first thing people notice about her. At under 5-feet, she certainly is shorter than the other kids at school. Now, it is summer and Julia doesn't have big plans. Her mother, however, does have plans for her. Her mother sets Julia and her brother to audition for the local university's summer production of The Wizard of Oz. They are casting for - you guessed it - munchkins! 

Julia is not excited to audition but her brother is super excited. Surprisingly, both Julia and her brother are chosen, so they now have daily rehearsals. Her mother is excited that both kids will have an activity to keep them busy, but Julia isn't so sure. At first rehearsals are just the children. Soon though, professional actors show up to round out the munchkin cast and play the other roles. Julia meets a woman, who appears to be very short, named Olive. She is playing one of the adult munchkins and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. 

One day, the director announces that they need a few cast members to audition for the role of flying monkeys. Olive suggests that Julia audition but that means she would have to fly across the stage, hanging from a rope. That sounds scary! 

This is one of the most charming books I've ever read. The characters are incredibly enduring and likable. Julia learns there is more to her than being short and she takes on leadership roles over the summer. She finds a mentor who can help her be comfortable in her skin. And, she even struggles with orthodontics - oh, the joys of being a preteen. :) 

Once again, this book is a perfect read-aloud. I especially like the connections to other literature - The Wizard of Oz - and bringing that older text to a new generation of readers. The two books would make an excellent book pairing. This is also a book kids can read independently. It is a perfect book for any child who can read a chapter-length book. It is charming and the content would be appropriate for even young readers. 

Another 5/5 star book from Dr. Hodges Reads!