It's 1976 and the entire country is celebrating America's 200th birthday. Julie joins her cousins on a pioneer-style wagon train in honor of the Bicentennial. The journey is filled with adventures, challenges, and self-discovery as Julie faces her fears to make an important contribution to her country's birthday. The "Looking back" section provides additional information about Bicentennial celebrations in the United States.

Julies family is invited to her best friend family's house for New Year but she if afraid internal family fighting will wreck her plans.

“A small child muses about the future as Mom guides the bedtime routine…Winning text and illustrations for bedtime.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “The whimsical pictures fill every page with happiness and variety as Chen presents exuberant ideas for the big dreams and wishes of childhood.” —Booklist “As a mother helps her young son get ready for bed…Mom assures him that the future is wide open, and ‘No matter what, I will always be there for you.’” —Publishers Weekly A little boy shares with his mom his dreams of what he might be when he grows up in this tender picture book from Julie Chen the host of Big Brother and formerly the host of The Talk and New York Times bestselling artist and Caldecott Honor recipient Diane Goode. One night while getting ready for bed a little boy starts to wonder what will life be like when he grows up. He could be a painter, a musician, a mountain climber, a mayor… He tells his mother all about his big ideas…and all of the other things he wants to do. But when will he grow up? And why does it take so long?

Country music singer Julie Roberts is no stranger to overcoming hard times through determination, hard work, and strength. Having escaped the emotional residue of her alcoholic father’s actions and insults, Julie moved from South Carolina to Nashville, Tennessee, to attend Belmont University and work as a receptionist at Mercury Records—all while secretly pursuing her dream of becoming a singer. Filling her nights with music and booking shows at obscure venues, the one requirement when Julie was hired at Universal Music Group was that she not be an aspiring singer. Yet, despite her best efforts to keep quiet, Julie knew God had placed music within her as a child and that it was bound to come out sooner or later. Raw, honest, and sometimes painful, Julie’s lyrics resonated quickly with country music fans, and her emotion-soaked debut album—a reflection of her own painful past—was an instant success. Just as Julie’s dreams were coming true, her life began to unravel. Soon, she was battling debilitating physical illness, the rising waters of Nashville’s hundred-year flood, and a stalled career. Instead of succumbing to despair, Julie proved miraculously resilient—taking the steps she needed to face adversity head on and rebuild her life through her characteristic optimism, hard work, and faith. Journey with Julie as she walks through the highs and lows of her career, the personal struggles she’s endured, the lessons she’s learned, and her sense of purpose as she rebuilds her singing career and contributes her voice to the work of supporting others with multiple sclerosis. Julie’s courage combined with her joyful personality and love for God will encourage readers in a uniquely powerful way.

Julie feels it was unfair that she was sent to detention because she was helping her friend Joy who is deaf and she decides to run for student body president so she can change the detention system.

Julie is enjoying working on her autobiography project for school--until she has to write about the worst moment of her life. That would be her parents divorce, and she doesnt want to share that with her class. The Looking Back section explores school life in the 1970s. Illustrations.

C.1 COUNTY FUNDS. PENWORTHY. 01-09-2008. $13.99.