After moving, eight-year-old Mallory struggles with being new at school, especially because her mother is now the music teacher and director of the third grade play.

When Mallory gets the lead in the school play, she cannot understand why her best friend Mary Ann is not just as excited as she is, but eventually she finds out--and learns who her real friends are.

When Mallory cannot decide what to be on Career Day, it makes her feel like she is not good at anything and she ends up telling a lie that quickly gets out of control.

"Mallory is excited about the six-week arts electives program at Fern Falls Elementary--until she gets stuck in her last-choice elective, band. To make matters worse, she is assigned to the tuba, and when she plays, it sound more like passing gas than music. She dreads the showcase at the end of the program. But with some good guidance from her mom and her band teacher, Mallory learns the meaning of "practice makes perfect," and that, in fact, making...