Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Memorable Quotes: 

"...the idea that there was a person and in the beginning this person had an idea and this person wrote it down, and that led to this day..."

"...two things happening in any situation:  What we see, and what we don't see.  But what we don't see we can feel--if we are paying attention."

"Mrs. Chang says that you are judged often in life before you're ready.  She's not talking about spelling tests, but I understand."

"He sees a different me than other people.'
"I grew this summer.  Not on the outside, but on the inside.  And that's the only place where growing really matters."

Recommended for students who enjoy realistic fiction, who do not always feel that they "fit in", and/or feel that they are different from their peers

First of all, can I just say how much I want Julia, the main character of Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan, to be a student in my fourth grade classroom?  I have fallen in love with this character and didn't want the story to end.  I want to know what happens not only in the immediate future but throughout her life.

Julia is a little person who is forced to audition for a local production of "The Wizard of Oz" because her younger brother wants to do so.  Not only does Julia get a role in the play, she also begins to figure out her role in life.  

In a world where tolerance is no longer enough, where our differences must be celebrated, Short gives us insight into Julia's world.  Her hopes, her fears, her goals, her dreams belong to all of us. 

With only four days remaining in this school year, I can not wait to share this with my students next year.