Short

Julia and her brother Randy face a summer of change when their parents inherit a ramshackle mansion in New Jersey. For Julia, who stands at only four feet and a half inch tall at age eleven, the move means leaving behind her gymnastics team and confronting new anxieties about her height. The siblings discover their late great-aunt's connections to a renowned vaudeville theater circuit, uncovering a history of performers and entertainers who once graced its stage. Julia begins exploring both the mansion's past and her own place in her family's story while navigating new friendships and challenges. Her journey involves learning about proportionate dwarfism, meeting others with similar experiences, and finding ways to pursue her passion for performing despite her insecurities. She must also reckon with complicated family dynamics as her parents work to restore the old mansion. The novel examines themes of self-acceptance, family legacy, and the universal experience of feeling different while weaving together historical elements about vaudeville entertainment and medical understanding of height differences. Through Julia's perspective, the story presents coming-of-age challenges that will resonate with many young readers.

Reviews indicate Short resonates with middle-grade readers who deal with height-related insecurity. The book's portrayal of Julia's struggles with self-acceptance and competitive dance feels authentic to readers. Readers appreciated: - Realistic family dynamics, especially sibling relationships - Integration of competitive dance details - The message that personal growth matters more than physical appearance - Inclusion of diverse supporting characters Common criticisms: - Plot feels predictable - Some dance terminology confuses non-dancers - Resolution wraps up too neatly - Side characters could use more development Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (240+ ratings) Sample reader feedback: "My 11-year-old daughter saw herself in Julia's story and it helped her cope with being the shortest in her class" - Amazon review "The dance competition scenes capture the intensity perfectly" - Goodreads review "Would have liked more complexity in the ending" - Goodreads review

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🏀 The novel's main character, Julia, tries out for her school's basketball team - despite being under five feet tall - making her a foot shorter than most of her competitors. 📝 Author Elizabeth Holmes drew inspiration from her own experiences as a short person, though she never played competitive basketball like her protagonist. 💫 The book addresses not only physical differences but also explores themes of friendship, family dynamics, and self-acceptance that resonate with middle-grade readers. 🏆 The novel was selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, recognizing its exceptional quality for young readers. 🎭 The story uniquely weaves elements of theater and basketball together, as Julia pursues both passions despite facing height-related challenges in both activities.