Ash McNulty, a "gifted and talented" fifth grader, harbors a secret that could shatter her academic reputation and crush her parents' expectations. Eleven-year-old Ash spends most of her day in a special class with a few other advanced students. As the end of fifth grade approaches, everyone believes she's poised for junior high success. But Ash is struggling to keep pace with her exceptional classmates, and asking for help risks exposing the truth: maybe she's not as smart or special as they think. Winning the Quiz Bowl could prove Ash still belongs on top, and a lucky break could seal her victory. But when her "lucky break" backfires, Ash must confront everything she thought she knew about school, friends, and achievement in Golden Ticket , a thought-provoking middle grade novel by Kate Egan. Exploring themes of friendship, academic anxiety, and the pressure to be exceptional, Golden Ticket follows Ash's journey as she navigates the challenges of being labeled "gifted," learns to ask for help, and discovers the true meaning of success.