Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing) by Alison McGhee

Publishers Weekly

McGhee's (Someday) utterly likable title character, nine-year-old Julia Gillian, is good at a number of things: making papier-mâché masks with her own special recipe for flour and water paste, and knowing what her aging St. Bernard, Bigfoot, is trying to say. She has also mastered "the Art of Knowing," the ability to predict the daily routines of those around her. But during her summer break, her teacher parents are busy studying, and are unable to participate in the usual family visits to the water park or dinners at the Quang Restaurant. Ever resourceful, Julia Gillian walks around their Minneapolis neighborhood with Bigfoot, trying to add to her list of accomplishments as she interacts with neighbors and storekeepers. However, "it seemed to be getting harder to master the things she wanted to master. Was this, too, something that happened when you got older?'" And then there is the matter of "the green book" that her parents want her to finish reading. Her Art of Knowing has made Julia Gillian think that the book, about a dog just one year older than Bigfoot, might end unhappily, and the thought of finishing it scares her. Although at times her voice reads a little young, Julia Gillian's fears and their ultimate resolution are very relatable. The book is well paced, laced with line drawings that capture Julia Gillian's slightly whimsical personality, and overall as satisfying as the strawberry bubble tea served at the Quang Restaurant. Ages 9-12. (June)

Children's Literature

Julia Gillian has been enjoying her summer break by admiring her list of accomplishments. Her proudest accomplishment is her grasp of the Art of Knowing. This art is Julia's ability to predict outcomes based on her observations, such as what will be shown in a window display or where her parents are in their daily routine. The Art of Knowing provides Julia with stability and comfort during her everyday life. But when she starts to read a new book, her observation skills point in the direction of an unhappy ending. Now she must decide whether to set the book aside and never finish it or to continue reading even if her worst fears are confirmed. She looks toward family and friends to help her choose, but she realizes it is ultimately her choice. The book has a nice pace and creates a pleasant world but seems to come to a resolution quickly. Reviewer: Renee Farrah

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5

Julia Gillian, 10, prides herself on knowing about a lot of things in this novel (Scholastic, 2008) by Alison McGhee. Her parents, distressed that she is not an avid reader, insist that she finish reading the dreaded "green book" that she knows will end sadly with the death of an old dog. Since her own dog, Bigfoot, is getting on in years, it frightens Julia that the book won't have a happy conclusion. With the help of a neighbor, Julia learns that everyone has fears and her own can be overcome. The girl's interactions with neighbors and storeowners comprise most of the action. Julia Gillian's character is a bit arch, and she is able to overcome her fears a bit too suddenly. Narrator Emily Bauer is adept at sounding exactly like a young girl. She captures the fear, defiance, sadness, and eventual acceptance that Julia Gillian experiences. Her skillful narration makes the listening experience more satisfying than reading the book.-B. Allison Gray, Santa Barbara City Library, CA

Kirkus Reviews

Nine-year-old Julia Gillian goes out of her way to avoid unhappy endings. Fortunately there's a lot for Julia Gillian to be happy about, including her growing list of such personal accomplishments as making papier-mache masks, spreading her gum evenly across her top row of teeth and her skill at the "art of knowing." Julia Gillian lives in a south Minneapolis apartment with her good-natured schoolteacher parents and her beloved St. Bernard, Bigfoot. Normally they spend summer vacations doing special things like visiting the water park and picnicking at Lake Harriet Rose Garden, but this summer her parents are busy studying, leaving Julia Gillian on her own. Even though she loves walking Bigfoot and visiting her neighbors, the resourceful Julia Gillian can't help thinking about the book with the unhappy ending she's afraid to finish. Decorated with Kozjan's swiftly drawn vignettes, the straightforward text, packed with daily details, seems directly descended from Beverly Cleary's works. A fresh, winsome heroine learns a lesson about facing her fears in this first of an anticipated series. (Fiction. 7-10)

Product Details

• ISBN: 0545033489
  
• ISBN-13: 9780545033480
• Format: Hardcover, 288pp
• Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
• Pub. Date: June 2008
• Sales Rank: 142,877
• Age Range: 9 to 12
• Series: Julia Gillian Series