New Girl in Town: Meet Julie by Megan McDonald

The 1970's were a time of transition in the United States, and all that change comes down on Julie Albright in the fall of 1974. Her parents have decided to divorce, which means that instead of starting fourth grade with her best friend Ivy Ling, Julie is moving across San Francisco to live with her mom in an apartment above her shop, Gladrags. Julie is leaving behind her rabbit Nutmeg and her familiar house and neighborhood around Sierra Vista Elementary. Although she can see Ivy when she visits her pilot father two weekends a month, Julie has to face the first day of school alone.

Her first day at Jack London Elementary is scary. Her teacher, who proclaims that she must be called Ms. Hunter, is very strict, the principal seems always to be stalking the halls for rule breakers, and three snooty girls in her class whisper loudly that her parents are divorced. The only person who seems friendly is a boy named T.J., who mentions the upcoming tryouts for the school basketball team. But when Julie tries to sign up, the testy buzz-cut coach cuts her off with a brusque "No girls! In this gym, I'm the law!"

Inspired by a street activist she meets gathering signatures for a petition, Julie decides to fight for her right to play basketball under the recently passed Title IX law. Despite Ivy's reluctance to help, Julie manages to present the coach with her filled petition, only to watch him wad up the sheets and toss them into his wastebasket. At the end of the school day, Julie, with the help of T.J., goes through the custodian's trash bag, finds the crumpled petition, and bravely takes it to Principal Sanchez himself, who surprisingly approves her request and applauds her courage.

With a nostalgic background of Viet Nam vets, Beetles tunes, handmade appleseed jewelry and blue-jean handbags, Julie brings the 'seventies to life again in this new series. Like the 1905 American Girl Samantha in the early days of women's suffrage, Julie, inspired by her entrepreneur mom and her sports-loving sister, begins to find a new way to become a woman in her own turbulent times.

As in all American Girl books, an illustrated appendix documents life in the 1970's with photos of artifacts, events, and people from the period, including early groundbreakers Billy Jean King, Sally Ride, and Gloria Steinem and, more importantly, three young girls who first broke the gender line in youth league baseball and basketball.

Also available in the Julie series are Julie Tells Her Story, Good Luck, Ivy, Happy New Year, Julie, Julie and the Eagles, Julie's Journey, and Changes for Julie. Author Megan McDonald is also the creator of the popular Judy Moody series of beginning chapter books.