Sixth grade is proving to be less than dreamy: Julia Gillian's new homeroom teacher is serious about school work and has the class "controlling for variables." Julia Gillian has been paired for the Reading Extravaganza with Fergus Cannon, whose distaste for reading rivals her own. Worst of all, her beloved dog, Bigfoot, is getting old. Soon, Julia Gillian will learn that no matter how hard she tries to control for variables and keep her lifelong companion safe, she cannot prevent the inevitable. Luckily, her bounty of steadfast friends and family see her through the toughest time of her life.