Product Description
Fans young and old will laugh out loud at the irrepressible witof Peter Hatcher, the hilarious antics of mischievous Fudge, andthe unbreakable confidence of know-it-all Sheila Tubman in JudyBlume’s five Fudge books, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, OtherwiseKnown as Sheila the Great, Superfudge, Fudge-a-Mania,and Double Fudge. Now all packaged together for the very firsttime, this collection of Fudge books will please lifelong fans andentice a whole new generation of Blume readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

My seven-year-old son loved these
It's true these books have been modified from the originals... but who cares?

My son just finished the entire set, and he loved them.The many adventures of Fudge set him laughing, and he related to the tales of being a big brother.I had no idea he would enjoy these so much, but he did, and it was really fun reading them together.Oddly enough, he never once commented about any changes from the original versions.

There are a few things in the books that might be issues for some, like a chapter that gives away that Santa Claus isn't real, and a fair bit of name-calling ("stupid").However, these are easy to skip over, unless you feel doing so would ruin the story.

Fudge-tastic
Remembering my own enjoyment of this series, I purchased the Fudge set for my daughter.She loved them. Judy Blume perfectly captures everyday kids' lives.She realistically portrays their thought processes, fears, motivations, and conflicts while always making the reader smile.Her endings are satisfying to kids because there is resolution to life's little problems.This set of books is suitable for the younger child, since the issues that the characters confront are all G-rated.

Changes ????? Are you KIDDING ???
I was almost going to purchase these sets since I loved these classics and wanted to share them with my kids, but I think I will just stop by the used book store and get the originals...I want the "real deal" when it comes to MY Judy Blume books...Very disappointed to hear that these classics have been "sold out" to modern times....:(

Gift quality
The perfect gift for the third or fourth grade girl.We've given away as well as lent quite a few of her books and they're always well received and enjoyed.This author is tried and true and really understands kids.

stop griping and enjoy the book!
Many people have called attention to certain changed aspects of the book to reflect a modern audience.I don't find this detracts at all.We are buying these books for our children, not for ourselves.Frankly, the children do not notice anything. I bought this for my brother who is in 3rd grade, and he absolutely loved it, next to Diary of the Wimpy Kid.He did not complain about the contemporary references.If he enjoyed it, then Judy Blume still has the power to entrance children, whatever CD, cassette or whatever it references.Fudge is a great, down-to-earth series, like Diary, that pulls kids away from television and the computer: this is an incentive to buy this for any child, in itself. ... Read more

Product Description
This set includes Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.; Blubber; Iggie's House; and Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Still the best
I read all these books when I was younger, and I have to say, they still hold up.Blume writes honestly, openly and humorously about things we've all dealt with -- growing up, family problems, moving to a new town, and making (and breaking) friendships.I'm also amazed by how timeless these books are; if you didn't know they were written in the 1970s, it would be hard to guess.I highly, highly recommend these for pre-teens, teens, and nostalgic adults!

THE VERY BEST OF BLUME
This set of Judy Blume books is number one in my opinion.My granddaughter was very excited to receive this set.I wish it was a set of hardcover books but she's enjoying reading them. I wouldn't hesitate buying any of Judy Blume's books for a teenage girl.Great reading and many wonderful lessons to be learned.

For Young girls
I thought that Judy Blume is a great writer, I loved her style, and the first time I read one of her books was: "Dear God, it's me margaret" Judy put into words all the stuff that some parents find hard to discuss with their kids. Positive note and tone in the boook, realistic, and about loving yourself and loving life, those are the messages I would want my children to carry with them.I loved this boxed set, and so does my daughter.

Classics that every tween should read
I bought these books on a whim - I was feeling very nostalgic for the stuff I used to read years ago when I first went to high school. Brilliant, just as good as I remember them to be. Love Judy Blume.

great boxset of judy blume for the pre-adolescent girl!
Obviously, Judy Blume has tons of books out that are for both young girls and boys as well as some books for older girls but this is a PERFECT boxset for a girl aged 9-13. I got it for my 12-year-old cousin for Christmas and she's read 3 of the 4 books already...and it's only 2 weeks after Christmas! ... Read more

Product Description
The perfect chapter book!

The Pain and the Great One hardly agree on anything. But deep down, they know they can count on each other, especially at school, where it often takes two to figure things out. Like when that first baby tooth falls out on the school bus. Or when an unwanted visitor on Bring Your Pet to School Day needs to be caught. Or worst of all, when a scary bully says you’re burnt toast. On days like these it can feel good not to go it alone. (And don’t forget Fluzzy the cat, who knows a thing or two himself.)


A Parents’ Choice Recommended Award Winner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume
Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One is by far the best book that I have ever read. I really think that you should read it. And if you do, I hope that feel the same way I do about this wonderful, wonderful book.

i love this book
this is a great book for kids judy blume is an amazing author fit to write this book. nobody could have done it better than her i give it 2 thums up....

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Jake, also known as The Pain to his big sister, has plenty to deal with at school. From the bully who steals his magnifying glass to the disastrous Bring Your Pet to School Day, navigating the first grade is no simple matter. Luckily his big sister, Abigail The Great One, has been through it all before. When she's not too busy being great, she lends a helping hand, and in the process, she finds that even third graders need a little help now and then.

Judy Blume has the absolute greatest knack for illustrating real problems kids face every day -- the ones most adults blow off or overlook. Blume dissects and magnifies kid issues, bringing to light exactly why The Great One wants to change her name and why The Pain is so distraught about the loss of his toy elephant. No problem is too small to be important to the main characters.

Take real kid voices and real kid problems, add in Blume's classic humor and anecdotes, and you have a formula for success. What a fun companion to SOUPY SATURDAYS WITH THE PAIN & THE GREAT ONE.

With seven brand-new stories, this book has excellent read aloud or read alone appeal!

Reviewed by:Julie M. Prince ... Read more

Product Description
In this new bind-up, Judy Blume's two stories about three best friends will reach a new set of girls. Stephanie, Rachel and Alison know there will be plenty of family issues, broken hearts, and tough school assignments as they make their way through junior high. But with a good pair of friends, a girl can do anything. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

fabulous
judy blume transformed regular 7 th graders' minds, and turned their thoughts into a book. amazing

the best book i have ever read
these books are interesting funny and realistic jut as long as were together was the better one of the two. i have read this book probably forty times since i first read it first in paper back. i would most definatly suggest it for girls

Beautiful Reading
My granddaughter just loves this double book.I personally was a little disappointed that it stated "set" so I expected 2 individual books, not a combined book.But as long as she is happy, I'm happy.

Couldn't put it down!
I bought this book for my 11 year old daughter who is an avid reader. She read this book cover to cover in just a few days, and now wants to know when the next one is coming out. I did not read it myself, but my daughter's enthusiasm is enough for me to recommend it! I loved Judy Blume books when I was growing up, and I'm so glad she's still writing.

More Than One BFF
More Than One BFF
REVIEWED BY: SAPNA SHARMA
Has your friendship with someone ever slowly faded away?If so, you have a lot in common with Rachel and Stephanie in "Just As Long As We're Together" by Judy Blume.In colonial decorated Palfrey's Pond, it is just two weeks before school starts and Rachel and Steph's friendship is tested when a popular French girl, Alison, moves in.I myself have had a similar experience in elementary school where my friendship slowly drifted away.Considering the thousands of other writers who wrote this same topic, Judy Blume does a descent job on keeping it unique."Just As Long As We're Friends" hit a rough start, but slowly progressed throughout the book.
So in this book, Rachel and Steph are best friends.They've always been there with each other through good and bad times.Then, their friendship is challenged when Alison, the adopted French girl, moves in the area.Stephanie then begins to ask herself: Is it possible to have two best friends?At first, it is not, because she and Rachel had trouble telling secrets to two different people.Later, she realizes that with all the twists and turns in her life, she needs Rachel and Alison.The setting could have been better described, but Stephanie's thoughts are shown the entire time.
I would say that middle schoolers would enjoy this book the most.The characters are all in middle school (7th grade) and deal with the problems that teens deal with on a daily basis.The author does a good job on keeping the audience in mind.The book has a strong realistic fiction genre.They show Stephanie going through the difficulties and perks of being as American teen.From family, to friends, to boys, they show Stephanie trying to master it all.
Another popular book that focuses on the same idea is "The Clique".Well, if you like "The Clique", then I wouldn't suggest this book.Judy Blume writes about three innocent girls going to a friendly school."The Clique" is about stuck up rich girls with an exclusive group of friends.
The strength of this book will probably be how the author shows the transformation of the friendship of Rachel and Steph before and after Alison arrived.Before Alison, Rachel was Steph's only best friend.Yet, when Alison moves in, Steph is slowly pulled away from Rachel.I would have to say the biggest strength was how the author didn't make a "happily ever after" end, and kept it realistic.The biggest weakness would have to be the lack of detail.The author could have described the setting and characters image better.Another weakness was how the author flip flopped from one subject to another within pages.
Ultimately, the book is not bad.It started of slow, and kept getting better throughout.As the story moved along, the personality of the characters and the setting of the story began to shine through.
... Read more

Product Description

There's a first for everything.

When you build up something in your mind -- really imagine it, wish for it -- sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn't live up to your expectations.

True love is nothing like that.

Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can't get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven't been together all that long, they know it's serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom.

But it's senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big "first": a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

book quality
in all the years i've been ordering books from amazon, i was so disappointed to get this book made with cheap 'newspaper' quality paper.i bought two, one for my daughter and one to gift and i'm embarrassed to gift ... not the cost, but the quality.it's so cheaply made, it must have cost a nickle to reproduce.i am seriously considering going to local vendors only and avoiding amazon all together.

Good book, bad ending
It was a good book, I finished it the day I got it...however I feel like the author ran out of ideas at the ending. It was really disappointing. I still recommend this book, just expected a better end to it.

So true.
i read this book when i was about 14. I read it all in about 3 hours. Girls believe in the fairy tale stories of love, but this story is the real deal. It has loves ups and downs and all arounds. It takes you to places where love is also important - the bedroom. It's a sweet book and i was probably interested in it so much because i was experiencing my feelings of love in my personal life while i read this book, and there was alot of sex in the book honestly, HUMAHUMA. I was young a didn't know what was hitting me and this helped. I guess Judy Blume told me how love was before it hit me. Thanks for covering that JUDY!

Good for information, not so much for emotion
This book dates from the 1970s when it was pretty hard for teens to get any information whatsoever about sex and sexual relationships - no Internet then, and parents and school officials were even more reluctant to talk about it than they are now.As most people know by now, the book is about two nice, normal older teenagers who meet at a party, date, fall in love and eventually find themselves wanting to have a sexual relationship with each other.The sex scenes are described in detail but in an informational, not a dramatic, scary or otherwise "weird" way.At the time the teens are having sex, they truly think they will be together forever, but later events cast doubt on their promise.

A couple of things should be noted:First of all, these are older teens, on the verge of going off to college and generally becoming adults.Second, although they keep their relationship pretty private, they have families who are not too concerned about whether they're having sex with each other, i.e. they don't really have to sneak around or worry about whether Daddy will be mad or Mother will disapprove, if they find out.Third, the decision to have sex is presented as not having too many consequences.No one gets pregnant, gets an STD, gets ostracized at school, gets jealous, gets too obsessed with sex, or gets dumped immediately after having sex.One character does get a little too attached, but the way it's presented, that's fairly minor - that person just needs to move on with their life and likely that will happen.

On the one hand, I can understand why all these issues were left out.The focus of this book is on presenting a sexual relationship that wasn't accompanied by a horrible tragedy or "punishment" for the people involved, so that teens could just focus on what a "normal" relationship was like, sexually and a little bit emotionally.Many if not most or all of the books prior to this time that involved teen sex had something terrible happening to the teens as a result, such as an unwanted pregnancy, ostracism or even death.It was a relief when this book came out that someone was presenting a view of teen sex divorced from the "drama".

On the other hand, it's highly unlikely that everyone's first teen sexual relationship would go as smoothly as it's portrayed in the book. This book is sort of like "Barbie and Ken Have Sex".The teens in the book don't have any big problems or issues or insecurities in their lives; they don't have disapproving families and they really love each other so it's not a case of someone just being hot for someone else.I'm sure there are relationships like the one in "Forever" but I'm equally sure there are ones that are more like "The Story of a Girl" by Sara Zarr, or like the ill-fated teen couple who seek an abortion in "My Darling, My Hamburger, or like numerous other books where sex doesn't go along like peaches and pie.Furthermore, one character ends up being very upset by the relationship in "Forever" and the book just kind of pushes that aside as a personal-growth moment.I would have found this book more realistic if it had contained a few stories to contrast with the main characters, to show that not every sexual relationship goes along as smoothly as theirs generally does, and also if it dealt a little more realistically with the emotional impact that can happen when one person changes their mind about "forever".

It's still an OK book to read, but aside from the physical descriptions of what happens between the couple, I didn't find it particularly realistic when I first read it in the early 1980s, and I don't find it that realistic now.I did hear that the author has added a section to the book addressing AIDS (a disease which emerged some years after the book was published), and I think that's a good addition although I have not read it.

One of My Favorite Books
What can I say? This is a great book for teens, and young adults. I really enjoyed reading this book. This book is easy to read, and a fast read too. This is a book you will not want to put down. You will learn a lot of things from this book. I wish Judy Blume was my grandma. This is my new favorite book. ... Read more

Product Description
Jill goes along with the rest of the fifth-grade class in tormenting a classmate and then finds out what it's like when she, too, becomes a target. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (113)

the horrible truth of bullying
Jill is a typical fifth grade girl who finds herself caught up in the cruel bullying of Linda (whom the class dubs "Blubber") through her fear of the bossy, cool Wendy. There is something about Linda that just makes everyone want to pick on her, according to Jill. Meanwhile, Jill also eggs her mean neighbor on Halloween, because he deserves it. What will happen when Jill finds herself in Linda's place? Will the fifth grade class learn their lesson? Blume perfectly captures the voice, mind, and motivation (a shallow sense of right and wrong, of little true motivation, a lack of empathy or consequence) of fifth graders, along with their characters, and the horrific world of bullying and victimization. Grade: A-

A Challenge for Some Parents
Jill is in the fifth grade; she's a good student who talks too much and at the wrong time in class. She's working hard to break her nail-biting habit, and she deplores her younger brother's annoying habit of constantly quoting from the Guinness Book of Records. At school, she follows the lead of the class bully in repeatedly humiliating a chubby classmate, nicknaming her Blubber. Jill and her best friend, Tracy, put rotten eggs in a neighbor's mail box at Halloween because they think he's an old grouch.

Children's books are typically morality tales; that's why we know at the outset that Jill is going to triumph in her struggle with nail-biting, that she is going to develop a loving appreciation of her brother, she will realize the harm of her bullying and apologize and become friends with her besieged classmate, and that she and Tracy will discover their grouchy neighbor is a kind old man who still grieves for the loss of his beloved wife. But that's not what happens.

Maybe it's because Judy Blume's story formula imitates reality, or maybe it's because this story is reality (based on a true incident in her daughter's fifth-grade class), but the story does not unfold as the expected morality tale. Jill does free herself from her unhealthy relationship with Wendy, the class bully, but she chews off all her fingernails in the process. She and Tracy do have to make amends to their grouchy neighbor, and in the process Jill's father discovers that their neighbor really is a mean-spirited child hater. And Jill and the rest of her classmates eventually do stop harassing Linda ("Blubber"), but no one apologizes to the girl who seems always to be wearing a kick-me sign.

Blume's characters take some getting used to -- a mother who sneaks cigarettes while she's trying to stop smoking, a father who yells at the top of his lungs to get obedience, and children who are allowed to use bad language at home, with the off-hand warning that they need to use good sense about using it in public. So maybe the moral in Blume's books is that something is always going wrong and something is always going right, life goes on, and we usually learn something from our mistakes. Whatever her message, children of all ages have been flocking to her books since the first one was published in 1969.

I really don't get it.
Realistic? Sure, in the sense that bullying is a guaranteed phenomenon when you force a group of immature people to be together with little guidance or oversight. (Not that the reminder has done any good -- the compulsory institutionalization of children in the name of "education" is a hazing of sorts that our society seems perfectly happy to keep in place.) And yet unrealistic -- the book (and Blume's style of writing in general) reminds me of the after-school specials I grew up with -- which dealt with valid issues and situations, yet with characters and motivations that I could not relate to because they were such awful caricatures and stereotypes. It was compelling in the way that a train wreck is compelling, but I always felt depressed and sickened afterwards. None of it helped me deal better with my own struggles; it did not make me feel less alone; there was nothing in the least edifying about it. It just made me feel icky.

A previous commenter wondered whether it might actually be fuel for bullies-in-making. While what people do with a work is not necessarily an indictment of the work itself, in this case the fact is that it reads almost purely as an observational study with little self-analysis or moralizing message implied (and it's arguable whether there is actually any,) so of course there are people for whom it's going to be easy to see it as a primer. This was actually just my experience in middle school -- the bullies thought it fantastic fodder -- and I wouldn't be surprised if it has been much used in this way. People seem to think the book is valuable simply because it *describes* bullying, as if it's something we're all unaware of and need to be enlightened about. But we already know it happens, and children see it around them and experience it first-hand. The book adds no insight, so I don't know what the point of it is, except as titillating melodrama. I'd honestly be interested to hear from anyone who it helped to either not bully or to recover from the bullying, because I am just not seeing what it is about the book that would accomplish that.

Bullying 101
Blubber is a story of fifth grade! It teaches you all the ups and downs from bullying to losing your best friend! The information in this book is real life. Nothing is fake! Since I am in school I think about these things!

Blubber is a book of pure intelligence! Jill, Tracy, and Wendy all bully a new girl at their school. They bully Linda to tears! Just because she is fat! But after Jill and Tracy had their fun they learned from the best. Linda started to give them a taste of their own medicine! She showed them what it feels like to be bullied!

Jill who was a really popular girl was made fun of! Linda had the nickname of "Blubber!" But Jill was given the name "Big Baby!" The story perfectly blends with the fifth grade feeling! Jill was bully and Linda was the victim. But then the story totally turned around! Linda moved up and became both popular and a bully! Both characters have been on the place of the bully and the victim!

The book is great and you should read it!

Bullying 101
Blubber is a story of fifth grade! It teaches you all the ups and downs from bullying to losing your best friend! The information in this book is real life. Nothing is fake! Since I am in school I think about these things!

Blubber is a book of pure intelligence! Jill and her friend Tracy bully a new girl at their school. They bully Linda to tears! Just because she is fat!But after Jill and Tracy had their fun they learned from the best. Linda started to give them a taste of their own medicine! She showed them what it feels like to be bullied!

Jill who was a really popular girl was made fun of! Linda had the nickname of "Blubber!" But Jill was given the name "Big Baby!" The story perfectly blends with the sixth grade feeling! Jill was bully and Linda was the victim. But then the story totally turned around! Linda moved up and became both popular and a bully! Both characters have been on the place of the bully and the victim!

The book is great and you should read it!

Thanks for reading,
Chelsea ... Read more

Product Description
Fans young and old will laugh out loud at theirrepressible wit of peter Hatcher, the hilarious anticsof mischievous Fudge, and the unbreakable confidenceof know-it-all sheila tubman in Judy blume’s fiveFudge books. brand-new covers adorn these perennialfavorites, and will entice a whole new generation ofFudge—and Judy blume—fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
Judy Blume
Sheila Tub manis not quite sure , she scare of spiders.Whenherformally decidesto leave of the city,she wants to somewhere elsefor summer vacation.Her parentssaid theygonna a beautiful part.

Her parents said that she have to know how to swim, sheila said that she don'twant to learn how to swim.They went totoa housewhere they are gonna leaveand then they found one.Then they found one that haves enough rooms for everyone and she don't want to get a room clouse to her brotherthe her brother said i found oneand shesaid i don't want the oneis uglyand her brother saidthe one is the only one that i see that is not clouse to my room.

I recommendthisbook Because is good, and you learn from it and is goodto learn someones story , and also you learn words that you never heard beforeor you do but you don't knowwhat they meanthats why i recommendto people want to learn from it andif you likeityou may recommend to another persons that you think that theywell read itand learn from it......

sheila tubman or SHEILA THE GREAT
How many of us have often thought the same thing? That we are one person to ourselves but to everyone else we are someone else? I read this book for the first time probably twenty years ago. I just recently re-read it, and it hasn't changed. Sheila brings out the truth in us all, how we hide behind our fears and pretend to be tough when we really aren't.

After hearing about Sheila from Peter Hatcher's point of view, it was great to see Sheila's view. Some say the book doesn't fit chronologically with the Fudge books, but I think that it would fit in after Superfudge and before Fudge-a-Mania.

Everyone has a little Sheila in them, whether they want to admit it or not.

Great book, but I miss the Hatchers
I'm reading the Fudge series to my son at night, and I just finished reading Sheila the great to him.First, let me say this book is great.It diggs deep into a character, sheila, from the first book(tales of a forth grade nothing), and gives you a lot of insight about her.I enjoyed the change of scenery from NYC to Tarrytown, which is a great change of pace.I enjoyed reading about her family and the cast of characters that fill the book.Honestly everything about the book is great.

Here's the ONE thing about it though,

No Hatchers, No Peter No Fudge.Now I'm not saying that I was falsly led to believe that they would be in this book, What I am saying is that I missed them.This is a book in the Fudge series where Fudge isn't found one page, not one.It's a great book for sure, but if you enjoy reading about Peter and Fudge, skip this one.

Great Book
This is trulyoneof the best books I've ever read. It has great AR points and book levels. It also has active characters. I liked this book because of the details. The characters include Sheila,Libby,Mom,Dad and her friend Mouse. Her
family goes on a vacation to one of her dad's coworkers house while her dad's coworker's family went to England. She meets her
friend Mouse that lives down the street. Her parents tell her she is going to go to swimming lessons. She didn't want to
go to swimming lessons because she thinks she is going to drown. Please read this book.

Great!
I've hated all of the Judy Blume books. They're weird :(
But I love this one! It's awesome :) ... Read more

Product Description

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, thesmell of rain, and things that are pink. She's just moved from NewYork City to Farbrook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with hernew friends -- Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secretclub to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting theirfirst periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

But none of them canbelieve Margaret doesn't have a religion, and that she isn't joiningthe Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don't know is thatMargaret has her own special relationship with God. She can talk toGod about everything -- family, friends, even Philip Leroy, thebest-looking boy in sixth grade.

Margaret is funny and real. Asyou read her story, you'll know why this book has been the favorite ofmillions of readers. It's as if Margaret is talking right to you,sharing her secrets with a friend.Amazon.com Review
If anyone tried to determine the most common rite of passagefor preteen girls in North America, a girl's first reading of AreYou There God? It's Me, Margaret would rank near the top of thelist. Judy Blume and her character Margaret Simon were the first tosay out loud (and in a book even) that it is normal for girls towonder when they are ever going to fill out their trainingbras. Puberty is a curious and annoying time. Girls' bodies begin todo freakish things--or, as in Margaret's case, they don't do freakishthings nearly as fast as girls wish they would. Adolescents are oftenso relieved to discover that someone understands their body-angst thatthey miss one of the book's deeper explorations: a young person'srelationship with God. Margaret has a very private relationship withGod, and it's only after she moves to New Jersey and hangs out with anew friend that she discovers that it might be weird to talk to Godwithout a priest or a rabbi to mediate. Margaret just wants to fit in!Who is God, and where is He when she needs Him? She begins to lookinto the cups of her training bra for answers ... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (369)

Thought for a Pre teen
I ordered this book for my preteen grand daughter because she is starting to ask questions.Her mother and I had heard of Judy Blume and thought it might be a book she would enjoy[she is a READER] and learn from.
The service was great! 2 days!

Loved It
I read this book when I was yonger and it helped to understand changes in my body,as well as develope a love of reading so I bought this new and improved copy for my daughter.She doesn't really like reading, but she found the book interesting and read it really fast.I recommend!

My daughter loved it!
My daughter was so excited to receive this book.My daughter had a lot of questions about her developing body, and this book helped her know that she was not alone.We have had "the talk" and discussions about puberty, but this book helped her understand the emotions she was having.We also liked that Margaret prayed when she had a problem to ask for guidance.Though, anyone would enjoy it regardless of religion.I remember reading it as a kid, and it is a great coming of age story.We will pass it on to my other daughter when she is old enough.

Needs an update to be Relevant in 2010
I remember reading this when I was a young girl. It was out of date at the time. I didn't know what a sanitary napkin belt was. I was disappointed when I read it that it had not been updated. It spoke about albums and sanitary napkin belts.

It could easily be updated to be relevant today.
The characters are richly portrayed. It took me back to that time when my body underwent those confusing changes.

Trials and Tribulations of Female Puberty
I read the book before I gave it to my turning-13-year-old granddaughter, who hasn't had her first period yet.Basied on her developing figure, and her mood changes, this event will happen within the year.I loved the book.I hope she likes it. ... Read more

Product Description

Awkward, sweet, passionate, innocent, secretive . . .

Do you remember your first time?

Katherine and Michael won't ever forget theirs. They were seniors in high school. Totally crazy for each other, they thought they had found the one. It was first love, and it was perfect: long talks on the phone, ski trips, and double dates when they simply couldn't wait to be alone.

But was Katherine and Michael's relationship the love of a lifetime, or merely the beginning of a lifetime of love?

Relive the memories in this new edition of Judy Blume's classic and beloved novel. Fall in love all over again with Forever . . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good for information, not so much for emotion
This book dates from the 1970s when it was pretty hard for teens to get any information whatsoever about sex and sexual relationships - no Internet then, and parents and school officials were even more reluctant to talk about it than they are now. As most people know by now, the book is about two nice, normal older teenagers who meet at a party, date, fall in love and eventually find themselves wanting to have a sexual relationship with each other. The sex scenes are described in detail but in an informational, not a dramatic, scary or otherwise "weird" way. At the time the teens are having sex, they truly think they will be together forever, but later events cast doubt on their promise.

A couple of things should be noted: First of all, these are older teens, on the verge of going off to college and generally becoming adults. Second, although they keep their relationship pretty private, they have families who are not too concerned about whether they're having sex with each other, i.e. they don't really have to sneak around or worry about whether Daddy will be mad or Mother will disapprove, if they find out. Third, the decision to have sex is presented as not having too many consequences. No one gets pregnant, gets an STD, gets ostracized at school, gets jealous, gets too obsessed with sex, or gets dumped immediately after having sex. One character does get a little too attached, but the way it's presented, that's fairly minor - that person just needs to move on with their life and likely that will happen.

On the one hand, I can understand why all these issues were left out. The focus of this book is on presenting a sexual relationship that wasn't accompanied by a horrible tragedy or "punishment" for the people involved, so that teens could just focus on what a "normal" relationship was like, sexually and a little bit emotionally. Many if not most or all of the books prior to this time that involved teen sex had something terrible happening to the teens as a result, such as an unwanted pregnancy, ostracism or even death. It was a relief when this book came out that someone was presenting a view of teen sex divorced from the "drama".

On the other hand, it's highly unlikely that everyone's first teen sexual relationship would go as smoothly as it's portrayed in the book. This book is sort of like "Barbie and Ken Have Sex". The teens in the book don't have any big problems or issues or insecurities in their lives; they don't have disapproving families and they really love each other so it's not a case of someone just being hot for someone else. I'm sure there are relationships like the one in "Forever" but I'm equally sure there are ones that are more like "The Story of a Girl" by Sara Zarr, or like the ill-fated teen couple who seek an abortion in "My Darling, My Hamburger, or like numerous other books where sex doesn't go along like peaches and pie. Furthermore, one character ends up being very upset by the relationship in "Forever" and the book just kind of pushes that aside as a personal-growth moment. I would have found this book more realistic if it had contained a few stories to contrast with the main characters, to show that not every sexual relationship goes along as smoothly as theirs generally does, and also if it dealt a little more realistically with the emotional impact that can happen when one person changes their mind about "forever".

It's still an OK book to read, but aside from the physical descriptions of what happens between the couple, I didn't find it particularly realistic when I first read it in the early 1980s, and I don't find it that realistic now. I did hear that the author has added a section to the book addressing AIDS (a disease which emerged some years after the book was published), and I think that's a good addition although I have not read it.

Never a dull moment!
So before Forever, I wasn't an avid reader. I think it speaks volumes that someone who doesn't usually read novels was totally captivated by this one! I have gone on to read other good works (Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, Bram Stoker's Dracula, the Dark Warrior series by Alexis Morgan) but none has had the effect on me that Blume's Forever has. Maybe a love story like this one which engages the reader to the point of living Katherine's life with Michael is simply relevant to everyone that's ever been in love. Still, there are no moments- once you pick this up- that you ever want to put it down.

Great Coming of Age Story
This is the first coming of age story I read as a child. I was 12 in the 7th grade when I read it. I'm in my 30's now but, I still remember reading it and not being able to put it down.

Excellent Read
I didn't know of this Judy Blume book until I was an adult.I love Judy Blume's books, so I ordered this one."Forever" follows a female high school senior who falls in love and begins exploring her sexual side.But will their relationship survive after high school graduation?

My 6th grade birthday party
I remember having a slumber party for my birthday and all of us girls taking turns reading from this book. It was one of the best nights of my life. As we shared our experiences as pre-teens, we peered into what was to come in the safety of my home.

Judy Blume has accompanied me through the stages of life and I thank her for it. I recommend all of her books! ... Read more

Product Description
Two is a crowd when Peter and his four-year-old brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. Fudge is actually a tiny terror in disguise, causing mischief everywhere he goes.Amazon.com Review
Passed on from babysitters to their young charges, from bigsisters to little brothers, and from parents to children, Tales ofa Fourth Grade Nothing and its cousins (Superfudge, Fudge-a-mania, andOtherwise Known asSheila the Great) have entertained children since they firstappeared in the early 1970s. The books follow Peter Hatcher, hislittle brother Fudgie, baby sister Tootsie, their neighbor SheilaTubman, various pets, and minor characters through New York City andon treks to suburbs and camps.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is the first of theseentertaining yarns. Peter, because he's the oldest, must deal withFudgie's disgusting cuteness, his constant meddling with Peter'sstuff, and other grave offenses, one of which is almost too much tobear. All these incidents are presented with the unfailing ear andbig-hearted humor of the masterful Judy Blume. Though some of herbooks for older kids have aroused controversy, the Hatcher brothersand their adventures remain above the fray, where theybelong. (Peter's in fourth grade, so the book is suitable for kidsages 8 and older.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (204)

Review of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
In Judy Blume's novel, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Dell, 1972), nine-year-old Peter Hatcher faces the biggest challenge of his life: dealing with his little brother, Fudge. Whether he is ruining Peter's homework or swallowing his pet turtle, Fudge is always finding new ways to annoy his brother. To make matters worse, Fudge rarely gets punished for his mistakes and is constantly stealing the spotlight away from Peter. Next to Fudge, Peter feels just like "a fourth grade nothing." But as the book goes on, Peter discovers that he is anything but nothing. The book will appeal to children, especially those dealing with younger brothers and sisters. Peter Hatcher is the typical fourth grade "everyman" who children will identify with and respect, almost as though he was a real kid and their friend.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Everybody
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, published by Dell in 1972, brings us into nine-year-old Peter Hatcher's world, which is simultaneously being destroyed by his younger brother, Farley Drexel Hatcher: alias--Fudge.Fudge is the sort of younger brother who enjoys mayhem, whether that be eating his mother's roses or "flying" off the jungle gym, and Peter is sick of it.Through Peter's eyes, the reader is able to wholly experience the anger, confusion, and sense of growth that comes with being an older sibling.Realistic conflicts and emotions that lend themselves to humor provide Peter's voice with a sense of authenticity.Blume peppers the story with an air of familiarity, leaving behind the feel of having stayed up all night laughing with a dear friend.

Nothing Pleases More than Judy Blume
Reading "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" by Judy Blume as an adult is like being reunited with a dear childhood friend. Although it's been twenty years since I last read this little gem, the characters and stories are so vividly painted that it feels like only yesterday. "Tales" follows the misadventures of a funny fourth grader named Peter Hatcher. Peter lives in New York City with a traditional nuclear family. However, the poor kid is saddled with a devil of a younger brother named Fudge. How Fudge came to be called this isn't clear, but it fits him perfectly. At every exploit you want to call out "oh fudge" in lieu of harsher expletives. Nothing of Peter's is sacred with Fudge around, not even his homework or pet turtle. I experienced dread throughout the entire book just knowing that something awful was going to happen to that turtle. And, unfortunately, my dread was justified in the end.

Written in a first person narrative, the voice is pitch perfect and the intimate perspective allows us to empathize with Peter, whether we share his experiences or not. Throughout my childhood I always longed for a sibling. But this book made me very grateful to be an only child. Originally published by Scholastic in 1972, the book includes a few dated elements, but the story and main character are so fresh and relevant that I doubt today's kids will care.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
This is a funny story about Peter and his little brother Fudge.Fudge is a trouble-maker.He does all kinds of crazy things.My favorite part is when he smears mashed potatoes all over the wall at the restaurant.That was pretty funny.I don't like it when he swallows Peter's turtle, Dribble.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to laugh and has a little brother that can be a pest like I do!

The best book i have read!!!!
This book is about a boy named Peter Hatcher and his little brother Fudge. Fudge is always causing troubles. In the beginning Peter wins a turtle at a birthday party. He named it Dribble. Peter doesn't allow Fudge to touch or even look at his turtle. I had a lot of favorite parts, one of them is when Fudge was acting like a dog and he didn't want to eat his food. His father said "Eat it or wear it". So his father took Fudge to the bathroom and dumped the cereal over his head. Another of my favorite parts is when Peter and his friends were at the park and Peter's mother told them to take care of Fudge for a moment. Fudge thought he was a bird. So he tried to fly but he fell on the floor. He was bleeding a lot. He had lost his two front teeth. From that day Peter started calling him Fang. Another part that i liked is when Fudge turned 3 years old and he had a birthday party in their apartment. The kids wanted to see Dribble, so Peter showed them Dribble. Fudge's friend Jennie, made a puddle on the rug. That was very funny. I didn't like when Fudge ruined Peter's poster, a very important homework that he was doing with his classmates friends. I also didn't like when Fudge ate Dribble, and Fudge went to the hospital. It was a sad part because that made Peter sad and upset at the same time. Dribble died after that. At the end when they returned from the hospital, Peter's parents had presents for Fudge, but Peter got a better present. He got a dog that he named Turtle.
I liked this book because it is really funny. I am related to it a lot. This book is like me and my little brother Sammy. I think everybody will like it too. ... Read more

Product Description
When Deenie finds out that she has scoliosis, she’s scared. When she sees the brace for the first time, she wants to scream.

But the words won’t come out. And Deenie, beautiful Deenie, who everyone says should be a model, is stuck wearing a brace from her neck to her hips. For four years—or longer. She never worried about how she looked before—how will she ever face the hard times ahead?


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (108)

From Selfish to Selfless
Deenie is a wonderful story that all young girls SHOULD read.It is a story of a young girl whose mother raised her telling her she belonged on the cover of magazines.She was destined to be a model and her sister was the smart one.Although Deenie does not appear to be mean to others, she certainly does not go out of her way to be nice to people that are "beneathe her."While in the process of trying to become a model, it is noted that she has scoliosis.This news is very heartbreaking for Deenie, but almost more so for her mother.She is placed in a Milwaukee Brace and needs to wear it for four years in order to treat and fix her spine issues.During the time of her transition to wearing the brace Deenie starts to see people in a different light.She starts to see more of the person behind the disability, rather then always the negative.

My daughter is only 10, so I'm not quite ready for her to read about masterbation or making out with boys (which or both talked about fairly modestly in the book).I do, however, plan to have her read it in another year or two so she can get the main concepts that Judy Blume tries to convey.Seeing past the disability or the thing that makes someone different and really looking at the person behind the disability is an invaluable lesson for all preteens and teens to learn.

By Kerri J. Busteed
Author of Will's First Hunt [[...] Will's First Hunt]]

Body Image and Gaining Independance in Blume's DEENIE
Dear Readers,

Today I finished reading DEENIE by Judy Blume. In the story, beautiful 13-year-old Deenie's mother wants her to become a model. Deenie isn't too hot on the idea, but she doesn't despise it either. She goes along with her mother's wishes only to please her. All these dreams come to a crashing halt when Deenie gets diagnosed with scoliosis. What's worse, her doctor tells her the best way to treat her spine is to put her in a Milwaukee brace for four years. Deenie takes the news hard, but it seems like her mother takes it even worse. The rest of the book explores how Deenie copes with this new change in her life.

I would recommend this book to girls between the ages of 12-16. It addresses issues that concern girls in that age group. This book changed my perception of scoliosis. Prior to reading this book, I thought the brace was only worn for a few weeks or maybe a few monthes. I had no idea it was worn for years. My heart goes out to anyone who has had to cope with this adjustment. In my opinion, the most important part of this book is when Deenie accepts that this temporary problem will lead to a long-term solution and handles it with grace and maturity.

~Miss L

A timeless book about a serious subject told by a 13-year-old
I picked up this book because it's commonly a "banned book", and I have to read a selection of those for a childrens/teens writing course I am taking to polish up my writing for publication.

Judy Blume is one of my favorite authors. From her popular "Fudge" series, to "Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret," she has a fresh way of writing about teenagers and the struggles they go through.

"Deenie" is one such teenager. She's a 7th-grade teenager who loves to hang out with her friends, has a crush on a boy named Buddy, and isn't quite sure how to stand up to her selfish, domineering mother when she insists on taking Deenie to modeling interviews each Saturday when she's rather go to the mall with her friends.
Pretty typical teenager, huh?

However, she is also nervous and unsure (and a bit cruel) in her dealings with the handicapped. For example, one of the girls in her gym class has bad eczema rashes (that are NOT catching), yet Deenie privately calls her "The Creeping Crud" and is afraid to hold her hands in modern dance, and runs to wash her hands several times if she does.

So, it's a bit ironic that she almost become "one of them" when she gets diagnosed with "adolescent idiopathic scoliosis".
What that jumble of words means is that is that she has a case of teenage scoliosis (it progress rapidly during growth spurts) and they have no idea why she got it, especially since there is no sign of it either on her mothers side or her father's.

She ends up having to wear an uncomfortable-sounding metal-and-plastic brace of sorts that is supposed to correct the curvature of her spine while she's a teenager and hopefully prevent the need for surgery to correct it when she gets older. The brace, called a Milwaukee Brace, goes from a sort of metal collar around her neck, to the base of her spine, and she has to wear it for 23 hours, 365 days a week (unless she's swimming or bathing); and that includes sleeping.

This book is often classified as a "banned book," because it deals frankly (yet a little vaguely) on the topic of masturbation.
Deenie sometimes "touches her special place" when she's feeling scared and can't sleep. Then, in sex ed at school, the topic comes up again, and the teacher explains that is normal and not dangerous if young boys and girls do it.

Personally, I don't see what all the hoopla is about. This book was written for teenagers to show them that it is normal to feel scared, unsure about growing up or to have hormones and want to kiss the opposite sex. However, it was written at a time when all that sort of talk was taboo, I guess, and this book is frequently pulled from libraries and reading lists because some parents can't look past those bits, and see the character of Deenie as being a frightened teenager who has to deal with a monumental change.
This book is written for 10-14 year-old kids and it's not really for anyone younger.
However, I would have no problem letting my daughter read this and discuss its content with me when she becomes a teenager.
A great book; no wonder is a classic, even if it was originally written in 1971!

Deenie helped me while in the hospital
I read this book 29 years ago on the recommendation of my doctor. I was 10 years old and in NYU hospital ready to under go scoliosis surgery.I had worn an ugly, bulky brace from my chin to me hips for 8 months but ended up needing the surgery. It was great to read a book that struck such a chord at a hard time. It was good to know that I wasn't the only kid going through such a thing. If you know a kid who has scoliosis, this is a great book. How often, at that age (9 - 13) do we actually get to read a book that could be written about us and what we are actually going through at that moment?

A heartwarming tale of love and well Deenie (Deenie by Judy Blume)
Deenie was an awesome book by Judy Blume because it had regular teenage feelings but more importantly, Deenie had scoliosis, which is the curve of the spine. She must wear a Millwakee brace for 4 years to correct her curve. I have scoliosis too, and I was glad to see a famous author had written about it. It was a very heartwarming book and you really got to know Deenie. I would defenitly recomend it for readers of all ages who need a little inspiration in their lives.

P.S. It's a very quick and easy read, but still has a rich plot and juicy descriptions.Deenie ... Read more

Product Description
Fans young and old will laugh out loud at theirrepressible wit of peter Hatcher, the hilarious anticsof mischievous Fudge, and the unbreakable confidenceof know-it-all sheila tubman in Judy blume’s fiveFudge books. brand-new covers adorn these perennialfavorites, and will entice a whole new generation ofFudge—and Judy blume—fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (119)

Old Memories New Laughs
My son and I read a chapter each night at bed time. We laugh at all of Fudge's antics. I remember reading these books when I was his same age and the stories remain timeless. It's a fun read for my 4th grader who pretends to not want to read.

Love it!
I read it when I was in elementary school and loved the book.I have now had the opportunity to read with my children.Its still just as cute a book now as it was twenty years ago for me as well as my kids.

Loved it
Super Fudge is a fantastic book about a kid named Peter he is an intelligent boy. His parents give him big news. That news is he his getting a new baby sister or brother and his parents have not told him for nine months. He aches to find out if it is going to end up like is brother Fudge. Fudge is a pane in the butt. Fudge is his nickname. Fudge hopes it ends up like him.Peter always says Fudge is dumb, but fudge tells him no I'm not hu mommy that is what he always says. The baby is a girl and end up almost like fudge. I will give this book a 5. If you want to read this book you would need to like comedy this book is hilarious!! If you want to read more go read the book it is fantastic. You should read the Judy Blume series. I love reading this book. Super Fudge a fantastic book.

Love the book but hated the Santa chapter
As some other readers have commented - one has to beware of reading this to a 5 year old, or in the case of my daughter, an 8 year old.Thank God I didn't let her read it and was able to 'edit' that Chapter quite severely to protect the two of them.What a surprise to take a full frontal assault on Santa in such an otherwise incredible series.I didn't get the joke I guess.Destroying a young child's fantasy life is hardly appropriate material.I see the age recommendation is 9 and up, but still, that's an awfully young age to expose adult viewpoints on Christmas in my view.At least in this context it was.

WARNING!!!MAJOR SANTA SPOILER
Thank God I was doing the reading and was able to filter out the offending paragraphs. This book will otherwise spoil your child's Christmas. ... Read more

Product Description
How can you be best friends with someone who keeps secrets from you—important secrets?

Stephanie’s best friend is Rachel. Since second grade they’ve shared everything, good and bad. Now, as they start seventh grade, Stephanie meets Alison, who has just moved to their neighborhood. Stephanie hopes all three of them can be best friends, because she really likes Alison. But is it possible to have two best friends? Or is it true that two’s company, three’s a crowd?


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (110)

The Best Book I Ever Read
The best book I ever read was //Just As Long As We're Together//. It's about these three best friends who experience some girl problems. Everything is going fine until they start to have secrets between each other. That's when a big fight starts. Oops, I forgot to tell you these three friends were: Stephanie, Rachel ,and Alison. They live in a small town next to their school. Like I said, they got into this big fight. Well... will they work it out or will they choose sides and never be friends again?

I love this book! It's my favorite and when I was reading it I was on my tippy toes just waiting to finish it. I like this book because it's got lots of drama! I mean, if it's not worrying about what's going to happen the next day, it's telling juicy secrets to your friends. I could read this book a million times and never get bored of it. Would I recommend it? Sure! Just not to the boys because I think they will get bored. Anyways I loved this book so read it!

Reviewed by Juliana McCrary--Mr. Sheehan, Art Freiler School

Couldn't put it down!
I read this book when I was 9 and I absolutely loved it.I did a book report about it and everyone in my class loved the story too.I've read many of Judy Blume's books and I could easily say this one is my favorite. I could relate to the character of Rachel because I too have felt singled out by my friends (not really FRIENDS).This book is great for ages 8 to 13.

Simply the best.
I read this book so dang many times in my early teen years that the cover of the book finally gave up and fell off.I of course still kept it- it's worth a hundred reads.Great story of 3 best friends, the boys they crush on, and their coming into womanhood.Buy it for your daughter or granddaughter.

great mother-daughter read
i devoured all of the judy blume books i could when i was a child. this one, "just as long as we're together," came out long after i was a young girl. now, i get the pleasure of reading anew! my 9.5 year old and i read this, and now we're reading the companion book, "here's to you, rachel robinson." tweens and young teens wrestle with precisely the issues that blume shares in this engaging story about stephanie and her two best friends.

as we're continuing with "rachel robinson," i'm wondering why blume never completed the trilogy with a story about third best friend, alison? but don't let that stop you from reading this one. it's a keeper and led us to lots of discussions about friends and frank topics which parents and children really ought to talk about together.

Break Up
Do you like realistic fiction books? Do you like happy endings? If you answered yes to these questions, then you need to read Just As Long As We're Together.
Just As Long As We're Together is about three friends. Rachel and Stephanie were friends since second grade and now they are off to seventh grade. Alison, a new girl in the neighborhood, joins Rachel and Stephanie and they become the threesome. The three of them do everything together, until the big fight between Rachel and Stephanie. Rachel and Stephanie keep secrets from each other and that causes the fight. Rachel plays with Stacey Green, another friend. Alison and Stephanie play together. Will the fight end? Read Just As Long As We're Together to find out what happens to Rachel and Stephanie.
Judy Blume is telling us that friendship should never end.Even if you never see your friend again, you should never lose relationship.
I like how Judy Blume expresses the feelings of the three friends. She uses great detail in this book. I have read a lot of her books, but this one is one of Judy Blume's best novels. ... Read more

Product Description
Davey has never felt so alone in her life. Her father is dead—shot in a holdup—and now her mother is moving the family to New Mexico to try to recover.

Climbing in the Los Alamos canyon, Davey meets the mysterious Wolf, who can read Davey’s “sad eyes.” Wolf is the only person who seems to understand the rage and fear Davey feels.

Slowly, with Wolf’s help, Davey realizes that she must get on with her life. But when will she be ready to leave the past behind and move toward the future? Will she ever stop hurting?


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (82)

Exceptional and Touching
I read this because it's on the ALA's list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books (1990-2000) and I'm slowly working my way though the list.This is one of the few Judy Blume books I managed to miss when I was younger and I have to say, I'm quite surprised that it's on this list at all.I found absolutely nothing objectionable about the book at all.I agree that the subject matter might be unpleasant to some, but for anyone who's experienced (or might experience) the sudden (and possibly violent) loss of a loved one (and everyone does at some point in their lives) this book is an exceptional read.Not only does it deal with one families struggle to deal with the sudden, violent death of their father/husband it also deals with other types of loss and grief issues.Included in this book are the difficulty of being childless for a couple that wants children (the aunt and uncle), Wolf's experiences with the inevitable loss of his father to cancer, Jane's drinking to cope with the intense and often unrealistic expectations of her family and her own fears about wanting to live her own life but being afraid to at the same time.Tiger Eyes manages to convey an intensity of emotion with regards to each family members fear, grief, anger, and depression...and manages to do it without being depressing or having the main character wallow in it.The struggles of Davey and her Mother are very real, they "feel" authentic, you get a depth of emotion in the reading and I think that is what makes this an excellent book.I think it's a shame anyone would try to censor this, to pretend that death doesn't occur or that there aren't difficult issues in families that lead to children and/or parents making bad/self-destructive choices.I think it's a very good thing that there are books like this that allow readers to enjoy a good story and realize that we are each human and must come to terms with our problems as best we can.I give Tiger Eyes five stars and two thumbs up...highly recommended!!

Tiger Eyes Review by Megan
Tiger Eye is a heartfelt and touching story. It all starts out with the death of Davey's father who is killed in the hold-up of his store. Because of his death the story includes many thoughtshots and descriptions to show what the characters are feeling. The story goes on with Davey and her family's struggles and how they compinsate the death of their dad.This story is a great read because the characters and storylines are believable and realistic.I wouldn't recommend this book to people who do not like sappy endings because even though this book is good it can still be a tad predictable. Even with it faults I throughly enjoyed it and hope you do to.

A little nostolgia
Most of this story is set in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where I lived for part of my childhood. Judy Blume does a great job of describing the scenery: the blue skies, the pine trees, the Aspen trees, the canyons.Most of her description of the town is pretty accurate too... the names of streets, the approximate layout of buildings in the "downtown" area.I enjoyed her descriptions of the different cliques of people in the high school: the coneheads, jocks, stomps, and loadies.She also nicely describes the main tourist area of Santa Fe (a nearby town), and briefly mentions the Albuquerque hot-air balloon Festival.

The main character, Davis (or Davey), is a girl who joins the "Candy Stripers" (high school student assistants) at the hospital.The Los Alamos hospital did indeed have that program available.Overall, the book is easy to read and shows how Davis learns to cope with the death of her father.The book uses the "first person" perspective (which I found a bit annoying) and has very short sentences so it should be readable by anyone from the 4th grade and up.

--Lynellen.com

La vida es una buena aventura!!!
What an awesome book! I can't give it enough praise. Even though it's a
kids' book, I loved it. I'm just a kid at heart.

When Davey's father dies suddenly, in a convenience store robbery, Davey's mother has trouble adjusting to her life in Atlantic City. So she accepts an invitation from Aunt Bitsy and Uncle Walter
to stay with them for a while. Davey is reluctant to go, but life moves on, in New Mexico. And Davey finds out that life is a good adventure,
wherever she is.

I give this book five stars. It's the best book I've read by Ms. Blume.

Tiger Eyes
Tiger Eyes is one of my favorite books that I had read. It was about a girl named Davey and her life after her father died. Her father died by getting shot 6 times in the chest during a robbery. It was hard for Davey and her family to recover from his lost so Davey and her mother moved to New Mexico to live with her relatives. Davey lived with her aunt and uncle for a while but she didnt like it because they were too overprotected. They didnt let her do many things that she wanted to do. For example, when she wanted to learn how to ski her aunt and uncle said that she shouldnt or she will get hurt to much. She wanted to go to Drivers Ed but they said it wasnt safe and told her to stay out of the canyon because she could get hurt by a rock.It was hard for Davey to move on after her father died but even though she was forbidden to stay out of the canyon she still went there. It was her place to relax and be by herself. While she was in the caves she met a wolf. The wolf ended up becoming one of her friends because she was able to tell him anything and what was wrong and because the wolf understood how she felt.Davey had a best friend who was an alcoholic so she was always afraid hoping she wouldnt get hurt. It took time for Davey to move on but it took her time to realize that she should move on with her life for the better. The main characters in the book were Davey, Her aunt and uncle named Bitsy and Walter the wolf and Daveys mom, Gwen. The main place took place in Lost Alamos Canyons and in New Mexico such as her aunts and uncles house.

The style of the book was like any ordinary book. Events were separated by chapters and what happened in each event was separated in paragraphs. Reading the book you could feel and understand how Davey feels and you could experience yourself in her shoes and what she goes through. You could feel what Davey had to put up with. You could tell by the words she uses and how they describe how she feels.



Before I read this book I thought it was about a girl whose father died and when his father died she met a tiger and the tiger was his dad. After I read the book I liked it a lot because I was able to relate to it in a way. I was able to relate to it because Davey lost someone she loved. I didnt lose my dad from a death but I lost him because of a divorce between my parents. It was hard for me to accept the fact that my parents were going to get a divorce and there was nothing I could do about it. After Daveys lost she moved to New Mexico and lives with her aunt and uncle. While my parents get a divorce I had to move and live with my mom. It took time for me to get over the divorce and my dad leaving us because it felt that it didnt matter.




This book made me realize that there is a time in life that it is hard for someone to get over a loss in your life and you have to move on for the better. It made me realize that when you lose someone you cant force yourself to get over it fast and you cant really realize how much you lost someone until you really lose them. Just like Davey she had a help of a wolf but in reality wolves cant talk so to me, it means that you should be there for someone and make them feel and know that you care about them and you would do anything for them to make them feel better. When you lose someone its better to tell someone how you feel because keeping it inside bottled up doesnt help anything. Losing someone hurts but you have to remember that you got your friends and your family supporting you 101% of the way.
... Read more

Product Description
Fans young and old will laugh out loud at theirrepressible wit of peter Hatcher, the hilarious anticsof mischievous Fudge, and the unbreakable confidenceof know-it-all sheila tubman in Judy blume’s fiveFudge books. brand-new covers adorn these perennialfavorites, and will entice a whole new generation ofFudge—and Judy blume—fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fudge-A-Mania
Fudge is back. This time he is five (I think). This book pretty much picks up where the last one left off (which is a great thing about the Fudge books). Peter and his family are going to Maine for a vacation with the Tubmans. Peter doesn't know how he will survive going on vacation with Sheila. But with a fudge, there's a way :). As always, there is plenty of entertainment with the Hatchers, Tubmans, and anyone else who happens in Fudge's path.

I was in fifth grade when I first read this book. That was about seventeen years ago. In fact, it may have been the first Fudge book that I read. I love how even though the different Fudge books are written about ten years apart, they don't lack in keeping up in where the last one left off (which shows what a great author Judy Blume is). I don't think I would ever be able to do that, even with re-reading the book before writing it, I think it would be hard to pick up where leaving off.

There are lots of surprises in this book, and if you are a Fudge and Peter fan, you won't be dissapointed!

love Judy Blume
My girls read and re-read all their Judy Blume books. They have all of them.

by Andrea
This book is about Fudge getting married and he is only five years old.There is lots of wacky stuff in this book like when they lose their bird. I think you should read this book because it's funny.One of the funny parts was when Fudge always sings stuff and says, "I'm getting married!"

lots of fun
My nine-year-old loved this book, and has loved several in this series. Ms. Blume has a way of relating to the tween reader in a way that is funny and understanding at the same time. Excellent read.

entertaining
Even as an adult, you will enjoy reading through this book and appreciating all the witty humor associated with this five year old and all that comes his way!
Blume is an excellent writer. Like most of her books, this book is packed with dialogue and never a dull moment with five year old Fudge!
... Read more

Product Description

More than anything in the world, Andrew wants freckles. His classmate Nicky has freckles -- they cover his face, his ears, and the whole back of his neck. (Once sitting behind him in class, Andrew counted eighty-six of them, and that was just a start!

One day after school, Andrew screws up enough courage to ask Nicky where he got his freckles. And, as luck would have it, who should overhear him but giggling, teasing Sharon (who makes frog faces at everybody!)

Sharon offers Andrew her secret freckle juice recipe -- for fifty cents.

That's a lot of money to Andrew -- five whole weeks allowance! He spends a sleepless night, torn between his desire for freckles and his reluctance to part with such a substantial sum of money. Finally, the freckles win, and Andrew decides to accept Sharon's offer.

After school, Andrew rushes home (with the recipe tucked into his shoe for safekeeping). He carefully begins to mix the strange combination of ingredients -- and immediately runs into some unforeseen problems.

How Andrew finally manages to achieve a temporary set of freckles -- and then isn't sure he really wants them -- makes a warm and hilarious story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Jenna's and Willow's Review
This story was pretty cool.I liked it when Andrew puts freckles ALL over his face.I also liked it when the little girl did the frog face.Then the little girl tells Nickie that she has a secret formula for getting the freckles off his face.It isn't really a secret formula.She is trying to trick him.Ever child needs to read this book.

Freckle Juice
Freckle Juice was hilarious.This book was required reading for my daughter before starting the new school year.She wanted to immediately try to make freckle juice as soon as she finished reading the book.It provided a great lesson in learning along with being fun.

My 7 year old son howled with laughter
Since his big brother had to do some summer reading - I ordered a few books for the little guy to keep up his skills.He read Superfudge a few months ago, so I charged him with reading Freckle Juice, all by himself.I told him that if he could answer 5 questions when he was done, that the last pudding pop was all his.

Never one to back down from a challenge when a pudding pop is on the line, the little guy sat down on the family room floor and started reading.As I made dinner I could hear him howling with laughter as he read.

He came running out and told me that "Andrew wanted freckles so he gave a nasty girl in his class 50 cents to buy a freckle juice formula.When he drank it he turned Green because it was so gross.Then he used a marker an put freckles all over himself, but his teacher gave him a secret formula to make them go away. I think it was just soap"

He got his pudding pop - and I even threw in a lifesaver since I was so impressed as his ability to remember fine details from the book (he could list ALL of the ingredients in the freckle juice and remembered the names of every character in the book).

Is there any great moral?In our house it's an important one - Don't blindly listen to some kid in your class.If he had read this before then we may not have suffered through the "Penny Incident" a few months ago.

This is just a cute little book that 2nd-3rd graders can easily read by themselves.There was only one word in the whole book that he needed help with.

Highly recommended for moving your kids out of the baby books and into "Chapter Books" as he likes to call them.

4-M Class Review
Dear Reader,

For the past few weeks, our class has been reading the book by Judy Blume, called Freckle Juice. This was a really good book about a boy named Andrew who wanted Freckles. His classmate Sharon gave him a recipe for freckles. Will Sharon's recipe work? Will Andrew ever get his freckles? You'll have to read the book to find out!
I recommend this book to 1st through 4th grade. For 1st graders, this is an easy way to start on a chapter book. For 4th graders, it is a nice short book that you can finish quickly. We thought that the jokes and humor in this book were appropriate for 1st through 4th graders. There are great vocabulary words in this book. This book also teaches a good lesson to it's readers. The moral of the story is, like yourself for you who you are, and to be yourself and not anyone else.
We think this book could be improved by making Andrew less gullible. The recipe for freckle juice was also a little disgusting, so we thought we could change the ingredients. For 4th graders, we thought one more chapter would be necessary to develop the plot a little more.

We hope you enjoy this book. Happy Reading! If you like this book, you could try other Judy Blume books like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, all the Fudge books, and more!!!!!

Another great Judy Blume story!
Weekly Reader Book tells the "hilarious tale of a boy who wants one thing more than anything else-freckles!"Forty pages of fun!

... Read more

Product Description
No writer captures the seasons of our lives better than Judy Blume.  Now, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wifey and Smart Women, comes an extraordinary novel of reminiscence and awakening--an unforgettable story of two women, two families, and the friendships that shape a lifetime.

When Victoria Leonard answers the phone in her Manhattan office, Caitlin's voice catches her by surprise.  Vix hasn't talked to her oldest friend in months.  Caitlin's news takes her breath away--and Vix is transported back in time, back to the moment she and Caitlin Somers first met, back to the casual betrayals and whispered confessions of their long, complicated friendship, back to the magical island where two friends became summer sisters.

Caitlin dazzled Vix from the start, sweeping her into the heart of the unruly Somers family, into a world of privilege, adventure, and sexual daring.  Vix's bond with her summer family forever reshapes her ties to her own, opening doors to opportunities she had never imagined--until the summer she falls passionately in love.  Then, in one shattering moment on a moonswept Vineyard beach, everything changes, exposing a dark undercurrent in her extraordinary friendship with Caitlin that will haunt them through the years.

As their story carries us from Santa Fe to Martha's Vineyard, from New York to Venice, we come to know the men and women who shape their lives.  And as we follow the two women on the paths they each choose, we wait for the inevitable reckoning to be made in the fine spaces between friendship and betrayal, between love and freedom.

Summer Sisters is a riveting exploration of the choices that define our lives, of friendship and love, of the families we are born into and those we struggle to create.  For every woman who has ever had a friend too dangerous to forgive and too essential to forget, Summer Sisters will glue you to every page, reading and remembering.

Judy Blume's twenty-one books have sold over sixty-five million copies worldwide and have been translated into twenty languages.  She spends summers on Martha's Vineyard with her family.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
Judy Blume first won legions of fans with such young adult classics as Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and Forever, in which she tackles the cultural hot button of teenage sexuality. In Summer Sisters, her third novel for adults, the author again explores the ramifications of love--and lust--on two friends. Initially, the differences between Caitlin Somers and Victoria Leonard (or "Vix," as Caitlin christens her) draw them together: privileged Caitlin is wild and outspoken, beautiful but emotionally fragile, while working-class Vix is shy, reserved, and plain in comparison. After Caitlin selects Vix to accompany her to her father's home in Martha's Vineyard for the summer, the two become inextricably connected as "summer sisters."

On the Vineyard, Vix and Caitlin first find love, then sex--and lots of it. Yet Blume soon moves beyond hot fun in the summer sun, tracing the romantic and familialtravails of the two from pre-adolescence to adulthood. Solid Vix evolves into Victoria, an equally solid, Harvard-educated, Manhattan public-relations exec. Unpredictable Caitlin opts out of college and travels to Europe, where she has a string of short-lived affairs with a series of intriguing (in every sense of the word) foreigners. It is only after she returns to the Vineyard that Caitlin does the unthinkable, forever changing both her friendship with Vix and their lives. Blume once again proves herself a master of the female psyche, and Summer Sisters is likely to entertain both her postadolescent and more mature readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1154)

too much information
The concept behind this story is a good one---a relationship between 2 young girls as they grow into adults.But, the writer went into too much detail when describing love scenes.It would make a much better read to leave something to my own imagination.After I finished this book, I threw it into the garbage since I did not want to pass it on, or re-read.

A great Lifetime Movie, a disappointing book
I actually found this book at the train station and read it in an afternoon.Definitely a sort of fun fluff read that allows you to wallow a little in nostalgia, due to lots of the action taking place in the late 70s and early 80s. There's plenty of sex in the book so that's fun too. As I was reading the book, I was thinking what a fantastic Lifetime Movie it would make.

As a book though, it's pretty disappointing.I would argue that NONE of the characters are fully developed - they're all caricatures of people. Vix's family in New Mexico is particularly embarrassing - a mother named Tawny? (Who runs away from the family OF COURSE.) A second wife with red hair "who's a bit chunky"? (Of course she is.)A sister who's a single mother living in a trailer park?These characters are only brought out to contrast with the caricatures of the rich in the book- the eccentric old lady (The Countess), the hot and wild yet totally un-maternal mom Phoebe (and later Caitlin), and of course, the poor little rich girl (Caitlin).

The ending of this book drove home the fact that none of these characters really had any depth. We see Caitlin growing up a bit when she cares for her dying friends (another cliche - gay men who inevitably catch AIDS), but then she abandons her daughter?

I felt when I finished this book that Judy had delivered a very clear conservative message: being "boring" like Vix will lead to success, happiness and love (in a very yuppie, NYC media sort of way), while being wild and 'free' will lead to loneliness and misery (and death). Perhaps Judy had a hot mess of a friend in junior high she always secretly hated.

I loved Judy's books as a kid and I will admit that this is a page-turner in that summer fluff kind of way.But I'm an adult now and this book is disappointing.Perhaps Judy should stick to YA fiction.

Disappointed
Judy Blume was one of my favorite authors growing up. I've read all her books, "Are You There God", "Forever", etc. so I high hopes for this one. I struggled through the first 100 hundred pages, finding the story incredibly boring, and almost gave up finishing it. I wish I did. The end was rushed, the characters were so-so and the constant point of views were extremely annoying! (Jodi Picoult can get away with something like that, not Blume) The only good thing was that I wasted an afternoon curled up with my dog.

A Good Read of the Moment, Not Very Memorable
This book was admittedly a page-turner throughout, I was very interested in the characters and what happens to them. Trouble is nothing much happens to them, at least in print. Apparently there are events happening which are vaguely talked about, but not depicted, which really limits the storyline. The constant switching around to show everyone's private thoughts was at times confusing and annoying. The plot was initially intesting, but led up to a very vague ending. Ultimately, I was left dissatified. The characters however, were well written, and I wishs something more had been done with them.

A great coming-of-age novel
A number of the reviews for this book decry it as trash. While it certainly has more "adult" content than much of Judy Blume's oeuvre, it is hardly trashy. The book recounts the tale of the friendship between two girls: wealthy, wild, and beautiful Caitlin Somers, and her "summer sister," Victoria "Vix" Leonard, a smart, quiet girl from a working class family. Vix is enraptured by Caitlin's life and family, and the two girls grow up together during summers on Martha's Vineyard, forging a relationship that neither time nor seeming betrayal can end.

I read this novel for the first time as a rather impressionable fourteen year old, so perhaps much of my adoration for this book is nostalgia. I believe there's more to it than that, however. Blume's characters are real, believable and relatable. Blume sets the saga of Caitlin and Vix's friendship alongside an entrancing picaresque of island life. Yes, there is sex in the novel, but it is deftly woven into the larger story of trying to find yourself while growing up, laced with all the uncertainties of being seventeen and in love for the first time. What is more, Blume doesn't give the reader an easy ending, choosing rather to leave things frustratingly ambiguous in a way that aptly mirrors the tenure of the girls' friendship.

It may not be "high" literature, but it's definitely worth a read, especially for summertime. ... Read more

Product Description
With more than four million copies sold, Wifey is Judy Blume's hilarious, moving tale of a woman who trades in her conventional wifely duties for her wildest fantasies-and learns a lot about life along the way.

Sandy Pressman is a nice suburban wife whose boredom is getting the best of her. She could be making friends at the club, like her husband keeps encouraging her to do.

Or working on her golf game.
Or getting her hair done.

But for some reason, these things don't interest her as much as the naked man on the motorcycle... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (106)

Book review for Wifey (book club book)
Wifey by Judy Blume.This book was a book club selection.Several of the women had read the book in their younger years and were disappointed with the writing and plot development by such a good writer.I found it interesting and certainly worth a read.

An annoying read
I read Judy Blume's Summer Sisters as a teenager and loved it and loved her other works throughout my childhood.Now as an adult I found her book Wifey terribly disappointing.The main character and I suppose protagonist is anything but.Sandy is an extremely weak and annoying woman.I understand that the story is set in a different time period where the world was quite a different place, but I just wanted her to snap out of it and stop being so weak.Usually I pass my books onto my friends and family to read.I will not do so with this book.

Awesome Book
I had read this book over 20 years ago when I was in my teens.I wanted to re-read it wondering if I would perceive things differently now then back then.Boy did I ever -- Still don't understand how this book got in my hands back then and why my mom did not say anything LOL Way to grown up of a book for a teenager

Highly enjoyable, compelling and socially-reflective novel.
A very enjoyable, often hilariously funny novel. The protagonist is a bit of a pushover despite her personal development during the story, but the writing and meat of the novel are wonderful. I read with glee, and found myself reacting strongly to Blume's vivid characters. I hated Norman at first glimpse (stabbing him greatly appealed), but somehow came to pity him by the end of the story. While I sympathised with San, she also annoyed me and eventually rather disappointed me; I liked her, but couldn't really respect her. Other characters were similarly flawed and oh so real.

Though marketed as sexy/racy/erotic, I think this novel is much more about human nature and the upper-middle-class 70s society portrayed. Fundamentally, about the choices we make and why we make them, and the subtext of thought and fantasy that underlies daily life. The ending was, in a way, so banal that it shocked me; it felt mildly anticlimactic, but on further reflection, true to life and rather hopeful. I'm left most of all with the value and importance of self-awareness and acceptance.

A page turner, even if the main character ticked me off
I was going to give this book three stars due to my frustration with the main character.Part of me feels a lot of empathy for her, and part of me thinks she's an idealistic, oversexed witch!However, I am giving the book four stars because the reality was that I couldn't put this book down and I was very curious to see what happened next.I tore through it in about two days.I even had my husband read parts for tips on how to NOT act towards me! ... Read more

Product Description
Karen Newman has decided she’ll never get married. Just look at her parents. All they do is fight. And now Karen’s dad has moved out of the house and he and her mom are talking about divorce. Her older brother has locked himself away in his room, her little sister is a mess, and she can’t bring herself to talk about any of it with her best friend. She’s never felt so alone. Yet in spite of everything Karen is sure she can set things right again if only she can get her parents together in the same room. Or will her fantasy backfire?


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

For children... it IS the end of their world.
Judy Blume was highly controversial in her day, allegedly for bringing to light the perils and trials that mid-twentieth century children had to cope with.Critics, however, missed the larger significance:Blume was often an apologist for the inflictors of these perils and trials and an usher of the Brave New World.

That's a shame, because the subject matter of this book, a young girl caught off-guard by the sudden news of her parents' divorce, could be quite interesting.Karen's reactions to the news, and those of her siblings, were basically realistic, but Blume has never been particularly successful at fully capturing the heightened emotions of children's inner battles.A girl at an age as tender and transitional as Karen's (eleven or twelve, sixth year of primary school after Kindergarten) would, unless she were particularly strong or heroic, be devastated by this... and Karen is not.Yet there is nothing that suggests Karen is a particularly strong or heroic girl.

Neither, however, is anyone else in the book.The mother must have been nursing a tranq addiction.The book asks us to believe that neither parent was cheating, but I don't know what else it could have been:they weren't alcoholics, they weren't in any apparent financial trouble... why were they constantly at each other's throats?The baby sister is an annoying brat.Karen's older brother is still in mid-adolescence and scarcely stable enough to demonstrate any sort of heroism.The mother clearly needs to get away from her more mature older sister, on whom she has always leaned.

Karen's friends come closest to playing hero, but Debbie is only a sideline comforter and Val is postmodern nonsense:she serves nothing except to resign Karen to the fact that the divorce will happen and it's nothing to worry about.And the end, when Karen loses any sort of familiar place due to her parents' petty selfishness... is there any sort of humanity in this entire world?

Karen's world was indeed ending, and it is difficult to respect a little girl who seems not to care.Her parents must have been far worse than even this book suggests!But Blume is a typical postmodern writer, incapable of seeing the good in humanity and opposing tragic destruction with acts of redemption:the ending celebrates the evil of the perpetrators not for itself, but for the new opportunities it opens up for a Brave New World!Even "War of the Roses," which depicted humans destroying themselves by their own seedy nature, made it a point to depict the oscillating and often unexpectedly-located line between good and evil.

Yes, real humans are cruel, but there are real good people and there are real heros.Children need that sort of inspiration.Conservatives who complained about the sexual content of "Deenie" or other select Blume books have totally missed the point:the real danger posed to children, by Blume's entire corpus, lies not in the frank treatment of difficult issues, but rather in the fact that literature is supposed to reflect the ideals of our culture, and such self-celebration of mediocrity sets incredibly low standards.

doesnt get old...
i was looking for all of my old books and found that someone gave away ITS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD... well i re-bought it and re read it and i liked it alot. i remembered everything about the book as i read it, it can deffently be read more then once...

Love this book.
I have read many Judy Blume books, I grew up with them. I have purchased this for my 14 year old daughter - I guess I'm sharing the magic.

It's Not the End of the World
_It's Not the End of the World_, by Judy Blume, shows how Karen, a girl with divorced parents, or soon to be divorced parents, feels like it is the end of the world. By the end of the book, Karen accepts the fact that her parents would get a divorce. This book is filled with sad and interesting parts.Karen tries her best to get her parents back together, but most of her plans didnt work out the way she wanted it to.Judy Blume writes in such a great way that I thought that this book was a five star book.

Still Good, Even After All These Years
This book was witten in the early 70s, back when there were no cell phones and divorce laws were different.But, everything the family goes through holds true to today because feelings are timeless.

Karen Newman, the main character of the book is in sixth grade when her parents separate, and eventually divorce.She goes through a whole range of emotions from anger to sadness and hate to love, high hopes and hopelessness, as most families experience during a divorce.She also desperately wants to do whatever she can to get her parents back together.

Being so true to life, at least for me, is what makes this book so good.Karen is a very believable character, as well as the conflicts in this book.Judy Blume wasn't afraid to show how strong the emotions can get, even to the point of parents acting no better than a two year old.I would like to think that divorced parents can all be calm, and make things good for their children.But, knowing first hand from my own parents, I know that it's just not always so.

Karen's brother Jeff is also very true-to-life to me, and seems like a very real 14-year old boy.

I don't want to give away anything more about the book, so suffice to say I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to young and older alike.It would help anyone who has or who is going through divorce, as well as anyone who would like to read a story about a character who prevails. ... Read more

Product Description

"I wonder if Judy Blume really knows how many girls' lives she affected. I wonder if she knows that at least one of her books made a grown woman finally feel like she'd been a normal girl all along. . . ."

-- FROM

Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from

Judy Blume

Whether laughing to tears reading Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great or clamoring for more unmistakable "me too!" moments in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, girls all over the world have been touched by Judy Blume's poignant coming-of-age stories. Now, in this anthology of essays, twenty-four notable female authors write straight from the heart about the unforgettable novels that left an indelible mark on their childhoods and still influence them today. After growing up from Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing into Smart Women, these writers pay tribute, through their reflections and most cherished memories, to one of the most beloved authors of all time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Judy Blume Knows Girls
The title says it all. There aren't too many women out here that do not agree. At least one of her books made a girl feel normal. You may have even thought that Judy Blume was writing about you through at least one of her characters.

Over twenty of the most popular female authors pay tribute to Judy Blume by offering their personal experiences. This collection of 24 essays will bring up memories of how Judy Blume had an effect on your childhood growing up. The common books discussed were "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret," "Forever," "Deenie," and my personal favorite "Just As Long As We're Together."

I remember wishing for a bigger bust-size just like Margaret. "I must, I must, I must increase my bust" was a daily chant. And I remember the time in the 4th grade when my best friend felt jealous because I befriended someone else. Our confrontation was almost identical to Stephanie and Rachel's.

"You can have more than one best friend at a time."
"No, you can't."
"Why not?"
"Because best means best."

In the end, we came to a compromise. We're still true friends to this very day.

Judy Blume had a story for everything a girl could possibly go through: religion, parents divorcing, friendships, relationships, sexual desires, and more. Her coming-of-age stories helped us through those times. Even now as an adult, I think back to the lessons she taught me. I agree 110% that everything I needed to know about being a girl I learned from Judy Blume.

February 14, 2010

L Marie

Beware the mediocre "Chick Lit" parade of writers
The first half of the book is good. The rest of the book suffers from a lack of editing. The essays expand from succinct and meaningful to all out therapy sessions with lesser-known authors who are (not surprisingly) all divorced after boring the reader with 20 pages recapturing their youth, how their parents messed them up, and how that ultimately contributed to divorce(s). Oddly enough, most of these authors write "Chick lit"*. Go figure.

This would have been much better as a slim 100 pager instead of adding the subpar essays to make it have a thicker presence on the book shelf.

I guess it's one saving grace is it allowed me to compile a list of Judy Blume books I missed in my youth so I can read them as an adult.


*Intentional quotations.I do not consider anything of the "Chick Lit" genre to be anything even close to literature.In fact, I'm renaming the genre Female Narcissist Pulp Fiction.

Judy Blume strikes again
Judy Blume has been an author whom I have read since I was a teenager (I am now 55). I purchased this book for my neighbor and best friend's daughter and highly recommend it to all mothers of teenage girls.

Chick lit true confessions more than Judy Blume admiration!
This book did something surprising to me---it made me feel very old!I am not really VERY old yet, although my teenager might think so, but I guess I am old enough so the Chick Lit style of writing doesn't really appeal to me.Most of the essays here are written in that style---they are very centered on the feelings and experiences of the writer, and most of the writers seem convinced that their own thoughts and feelings and childhood family are quite fascinating.Almost every essay follows the same path---telling about a childhood experience and then telling how they read a Judy Blume book and it made them realize they weren't alone in what they were feeling.

My friends and I read plenty of Judy Blume growing up too, and I admire her as a writer.However, we didn't really read her because she mirrored our own lives.Her characters live in a pretty small world, really---suburban,fairly well-to-do families.It's the world she herself knows, and she writes about it very, very well.It didn't really interact much with the world we lived in, in rural Maine, mostly in families that struggled with money.Although of course some issues of childhood are universal, I think the book would have been more powerful if we heard from some authors who lived a life UNLIKE those of the characters in Blume's books.Maybe that is what I find I don't like about chick lit type books also.Although they probably don't think so, the writers and the characters usually share membership in a pretty exclusive club---suburban or urban professionals or the children of such!

I don't meant to knock this book.I think if I had lived that life or if I lived it now, and if a Judy Blume book had been a real guide to life for me, I would love reading about others like myself.And if you did, you probably will enjoy this book a great deal.

Judy knew best
When I felt that wave of nostalgia that hit me when I spotted Judy Blume's name scripted in girly letters in on the front cover, I knew this book was a must read. And, reading the essays written by the 20-to-40-something female authors in this book, I remembered just how much Judy Blume's own books were must reads for navigating the perpetual perplexities of puberty.

More than just a trip down memory lane, these essays depict how Judy's fictional stories comforted so many of us during the real-life struggles of adolescence. A common thread in these essays is that reading Judy's books as teens allowed the authors to feel less alone in their overwhelming confusion surrounding their changing bodies, friendships, family dynamics, identities, and overall place in their ever-changing worlds. Returning to these books decades later, these authors can appreciate Judy's wisdom, advice, and insight at a completely different level. It turns out that "Judy's Blume moments" are Forever...
... Read more