The Stories Julian Tells

The Stories Julian Tells, written by Ann Cameron, was first published in 1981 and is the first of eight books in the Julian’s World series, which explores the adventures of young Julian. Cameron, known for her adeptness in children’s literature, weaves humor and adventure into six tales that impart lessons about growth, imagination, and family dynamics. This collection, which falls within the children’s literature genre, focuses on themes relating to truth and fiction, the role of imagination, and the complexities of sibling relationships. Through Julian’s vivid imagination and relatable experiences, Cameron enriches young readers’ understanding of personal development and the impact of familial bonds.

This guide uses the e-book version of The Stories Julian Tells published by Random House in 1981.

Plot Summaries

The Stories Julian Tells is a collection of six short stories. In the first, “The Pudding Like a Night on the Sea,” Julian and his younger brother, Huey, watch their father, Ralph, make lemon pudding while their mother is out. Despite Ralph’s warning not to touch the pudding, which he made for the boys’ mother, curiosity gets the better of the boys. They sneak tastes and accidentally spill the pudding, leading to a series of cover-ups. Eventually, their actions are discovered, and after a heartfelt lesson about honesty and consequences, the family comes together to make another batch of pudding, which the boys, now chastened, hesitate to taste.

In “Catalog Cats,” Julian tells Huey that a garden catalog will release magical catalog cats that help in the garden, sparking Huey’s vivid dreams about these fantastical helpers. Reality disappoints when the catalog arrives: The pictures display only produce, leading to a tearful misunderstanding. Ralph consoles Huey by creatively suggesting that catalog cats are invisible and work only when they see humans working, restoring Huey’s belief.

The next story, “Our Garden,” follows Julian’s family as they plant a garden. Julian tends the ancient corn he selected to grow, while Huey tends his beans. The garden flourishes, especially Huey’s beans—which form a “house of flowers” (32)—but though the corn grows tall, it’s almost inedible. Through these endeavors, Julian fantasizes about the invisible catalog cats aiding their garden’s growth.

In “Because of Figs,” Ralph gives Julian a fig tree for his fourth birthday. Ralph hopes the tree will grow alongside Julian. After planting it, Julian eagerly awaits his growth, comparing it to the tree’s progress. Impatient, he eats the new leaves that grow on the tree, hoping they’ll help him grow faster. When Ralph expresses concern over the tree and mentions digging it up and replacing it, Julian stops eating the leaves and prays for the tree to grow. The tree finally begins to thrive, mirroring Julian’s realization and acceptance of natural growth processes.

“My Very Strange Teeth” follows Julian’s anxiety and insecurity over a loose tooth, which is complicated by the eruption of a new tooth behind it. Ralph offers several traditional but daunting methods to extract the tooth, which Julian initially entertains but then predictably rejects. His mother recontextualizes his double teeth as a unique trait rather than a “stupid” one, suggesting that they’d be beneficial to cavemen. Embracing this idea, Julian turns his anomaly into a schoolyard attraction but is disappointed when the tooth falls out unexpectedly while he’s eating an apple, ending his brief stint as “cave-boy.”

In the last story, “Gloria Who Might Be My Best Friend,” Julian meets Gloria, a new neighbor, who challenges his reluctance to befriend a girl. Their friendship blossoms as they share personal hobbies and collaborate on a project to make a kite, attaching secret wishes to its tail. Their kite-flying adventure marks Julian’s transformation from loneliness to a meaningful friendship, symbolizing soaring possibilities for new beginnings.