Julian's Glorious Summer

Julian

by Ann Cameron

Bestselling classic The Stories Julian Tells was just the beginning! Get ready for more of Julian's wonderful imagination in the Julian's World chapter book series!   

Julian isn’t afraid of lions or tigers, but he is scared of . . . bicycles?
 
Julian’s friend Gloria has a brand-new bicycle. She makes riding it look easy, but Julian is scared. Bicycles are shiny, whizzing, wobbly things. And he’s not ready to ride one. But he can’t tell Gloria he’s scared, so he tells a fib instead. He almost gets away with it . . . until the fib backfires and he’s got an even bigger problem! 

"This is a perfectly constructed young reader, with neat turns in the plot, a loving family, and engaging dialogue." — Kirkus Reviews A Library of Congress Children's Book of the Year

Genres: Fiction, Childrens

80 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1987

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Ann Cameron grew up in Wisconsin. Today, she and her husband live in Guatemala. From her house she can see a waterfall and three volcanoes. Ann Cameron has been a teacher and an editor as well as a writer.

She says that writing is hardest for her at the beginning of a book. To get started, she follows this important rule for writing: "Apply seat of pants to bottom of chair."

Reviews

[Roya]

جولیان، منم گاهی مثل تو وقتی از یک مسیر و تجربه‌ی جدید می‌ترسم، وانمود می‌کنم که از اون مسیر خوشم نمیاد و نمی‌خوام سمتش برم. گاهی هم خیلی روراستم و اقرار می‌کنم که از این مسیر می‌ترسم و برای همینه که سمتش نمیرم. ولی نمی‌دونم که واقعا چقدر موفق میشم با وجود ترس توی اون مسیرها قدم بذارم. دوست دارم که واقعا انجامش بدم و فرار نکنم ولی گاهی از کنترلم خارج میشه. گاهی واقعا از ته دلم اون تجربه‌ی جدید رو می‌خوام ولی فقط میشینم یه گوشه و زانوهامو از ترس بغل می‌کنم و به کمتر و کمتر قانع میشم. به مسیر نزدیک‌تر، آسون‌تر و کمتر خوشحال‌کننده.
دوست دارم توی این مرحله‌ی جدید از زندگیم به خودم قول بدم که شجاع‌تر باشم و از زمین خوردن و زخمی شدن نترسم. زخم‌ها خوب میشن و خاطره‌ی تجربه‌های جدید می‌مونه. جولیان عزیز، بیا با هم سعی کنیم از زندگی فرار نکنیم. بیا آلبوم‌مون رو از عکس‌های جدید پر کنیم.

[Maughn Gregory]

I'm rereading Ann Cameron's wonderful Julian-Huey-Gloria chapter books, which my daughter read to me about 30 years ago. Funny, heart-warming, and often philosophically whimsical, they are a treasure.

[Mary]

Very funny and cute. Really enjoyed it.

[Lee]

Cute book for younger children.
Teaches several lessons without being overly authoritative.

[William]

Good





That’s all

[Lauren]

One of my favorites as a child. I've loved the name Julian ever since...a tale of a boy who is afraid of learning to ride a bicycle for the first time and whose best friend, Gloria, acquires a beautiful new bicycle at the start of the summer. Julian puts up a front that his Dad has asked him to work all day and night all summer long so that he won't be asked by Gloria to ride her bicycle...he claims that he wants to save up the money he earns by doing jobs around the house for a race car. The story involves comforting family scenes of growing up, especially getting a hot, full of bubbles bath drawn by Julian's mother when he is exhausted and aching from all of the work he's been doing. (I'm a true believer in the magical powers of bubble baths, myself.) I really like the soft lines the illustrator creates throughout the story and was disappointed to see that she wasn't the illustrator for another book in this series that I've picked up--Julian Dream Doctor.

[Jason Dabney]

I really enjoyed reading this book again, especially watching Julian try and deal with his bike problem and how his friend Gloria views him. From this adventure, we see how a small fib over something small can derail an entire summer plan. What really hooked me was how well it captures how children dealing with social dilemmas can sometimes make a mistake that can cause them trouble. I really began to feel for Julian in this adventure and i'm glad he grew as a person because of it. The book has really funny incidents that can engage young readers and enthrall older children alike. It also shows that when dealing with how your friends see you, it really helps to be honest, especially with your parents.

[Elizabeth]

Just read with a third-grade reading group, and we were all laughing out loud.
Written with such voice and humor! Excellent, quick read for the child in all of us.

[Terryann]

i loved this, julian is hilarious. so is his dad. i think kids will really enjoy the book.

[Maria]

Love this series, wish she had written more. My 5 year old son couldn't get enough and still talks about Julian.

[Elizabeth]

This was a sweet book about a boy that tells not-quiet-the-truth stories.