So far, fifth grade at Lake Harriet Elementary School is not exactly a thing of joy. Julia Gillian's best friend, Bonwit Keller, is keeping a secret from her. Trumpet lessons with Mr. Mixler, her favorite teacher, are much harder than expected. And most upsetting of all, the kind lunch lady has been replaced by a tyrant known as the Dumpling Man. Where is the joy? Amidst all this, Julia Gillian starts keeping secrets of her own--secrets that feel an awful lot like lies. To set things right, she will have to learn a little bit about friendship and honesty.PRAISE FOR JULIA GILLIAN (AND THE ART OF KNOWING):* "Julia Gillian is acutely conscious of achieving a new maturity that allows her to question authority and to assert herself -- not bad for a nine-year old." -- School Library Journal (starred review)"McGhee's story will ring true true to young readers dealing with their own fears." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"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." -- Publishers Weekly"Lively ink-and-pencil drawings show Julia making her rounds, wearing a fierce raccoon mask for courage and realizing that, while life doesn't always turn out the way she wants it to, that's okay." -- The Horn Book Read Less