Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan*

Although it took me a few chapters to really get into this book, it slowly became a book that I could recommend.    Ms. Sloan develops a likable, humorous character in Julia.

Julia's mother forces her to audition for the town's summer theater production, The Wizard of Oz.  Her little brother Randy has a beautiful singing voice so for him this is an opportunity.  But Julia?  Her talent is daydreaming and missing Ramon, her dog that just died.  Julia earns a part in the play . . . as a munchkin.  She is short so this role does not surprise her. 
Other surprises await her, though- becoming friends with short adults, meeting an eccentric lonely lady on her street and also forming a bond with the famous director, Shawn Barr.
The final lines in the book summarize it well,
pg. 296
"I grew this summer. 
Not on the outside, but on the inside.
And that's the only place where growing really matters."
*Highly recommend (I loved this book, but am curious if kids would find Julia as humorous and lovable as I did!). 
-Borrowed from the library.
Points to discuss: pet dying, daughter dying from cancer, some cast members drink champagne at a party and Julia takes a sip (She doesn't like it.) , one mention of a cast member smoking, one mention of someone swearing (no actual swear words, though), theater romance drama (nothing inappropriate-just the lead actress dating different people right after each other).