Discovering Grandma Lou's mysterious "bucket list" of things that she wants to do in her lifetime, Judy Moody is inspired to create a list of her own goals, from learning to do a cartwheel to visiting Antarctica.

When a third grade classmate gets her picture in the paper for winning a spelling bee, Judy is determined to find a way to become famous herself.

After learning about the American Revolution on a family trip to Boston, Judy Moody makes her own Declaration of Independence and tries to prove that she is responsible enough to have more freedoms, such as a larger allowance and her own bathroom.