Books with author Susan McAliley

Ivy Ling feels unlucky. Her best friend, Julie Albright, has moved away, her mom is super busy with law school, and Ivy has to go to Chinese school every Saturday. Worst of all, Ivy learns that the annual Ling family reunion is scheduled for the same day as the All-City gymnastics tournament, for which Ivy has been practicing for months. When Ivy's parents tell her she has to decide which event to attend, she despairs--how can she please both her gymnastics coach and her family? Gradually Ivy realizes that she can make her own luck--and make a decision that's right for her.

Julie is enjoying working on her school project, "The Story of My Life," until she comes to the part about "The Worst Thing That Ever Happened." That would be her parents' divorce, and she doesn't want to tell her class about that. Julie tries to find a different "Worst Thing" to tell about--and after her big basketball game ends badly, she thinks maybe she's found the solution to her problem. But as her parents and sister rally around her, Julie finds herself thinking about her family in a new, and more hopeful, way.

Julie is sent to school detention for passing a note to a deaf girl to tell her what the teacher is saying. Indignant, she decides to run for student body president and try to change the detention system. But no fifth grader has ever run before, and the other student are put off by the detention issue and her connection with the deaf girl. With persistence and creative campaigning, Julie wins the students over--and wins the election without compromising her principles.