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Exploring the Judy Blume Variety: A Deep Dive into a Literary Legacy
Introduction:
Are you ready to embark on a journey through the captivating world of Judy Blume? Beyond the ubiquitous Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, lies a rich and diverse tapestry of stories that have resonated with generations of readers. This comprehensive exploration delves into the remarkable "Judy Blume variety," examining the themes, styles, and enduring impact of her work. We'll uncover the reasons behind her continued popularity, analyze the controversies she sparked, and celebrate the unique literary landscape she crafted for young readers and adults alike. Prepare to revisit beloved classics and discover hidden gems within her extensive bibliography.
1. The Power of Honesty: Tackling Taboo Topics with Sensitivity
Judy Blume's most significant contribution to children's literature is her unflinching honesty. She tackled subjects previously deemed taboo – puberty, divorce, menstruation, death, and sexuality – with a sensitivity and understanding that validated young readers' experiences. Unlike previous children's books that often glossed over or completely ignored these realities, Blume's work provided a safe space for children to process their emotions and understand the complexities of growing up. This honesty wasn't simply about depicting these events; it was about showing the emotional nuances, the fears, the awkwardness, and the eventual acceptance that accompanies such significant life changes. This created a connection with readers that transcended mere entertainment; it was a form of validation and empowerment.
2. Relatable Characters and Everyday Situations:
Blume's characters aren't flawless superheroes; they are flawed, relatable young people grappling with everyday struggles. They make mistakes, experience heartache, and learn from their experiences. This realism resonated deeply with readers who saw reflections of themselves or their friends in Blume's pages. Whether it's the anxieties of a new school year (as seen in Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing), the complexities of friendship (as explored in Forever…), or the challenges of family dynamics (as depicted in It's Not the End of the World), Blume's characters remain undeniably human and incredibly relatable. This relatability is a key element of her enduring appeal.
3. A Spectrum of Genres and Styles: Beyond the "Coming-of-Age" Label:
While often categorized solely as a "coming-of-age" author, Blume's body of work demonstrates remarkable stylistic variety. She masterfully navigates different genres, from the realistic fiction of Deenie to the more humorous narratives in Then Again, Maybe I Won't. She even ventured into young adult fiction with books like Forever…, a novel that explores the complexities of first love and sexual discovery with both frankness and sensitivity. This versatility prevented her from being typecast; her work spanned a spectrum of ages and experiences, ensuring a broad and loyal readership.
4. The Enduring Legacy and Continued Relevance:
Decades after their publication, Blume's books continue to resonate with readers of all ages. This enduring legacy stems from the timeless themes she explores – the universal experiences of childhood, adolescence, and family relationships. Her books aren't merely nostalgic artifacts; they offer valuable insights and remain incredibly relevant in today's world, demonstrating that the anxieties and triumphs of growing up remain consistent across generations. This relevance ensures that her books remain not just in print but also in the hearts and minds of countless readers.
5. Navigating Controversy and Criticism:
Blume's unflinching honesty inevitably led to controversy. Her books were challenged and banned in numerous schools and libraries due to their frank discussions of sensitive subjects. However, these controversies often solidified her position as a vital voice in children's literature, highlighting the need for realistic and honest portrayals of childhood experiences. The resulting debates helped raise awareness of the importance of age-appropriate literature that empowers children to understand and navigate their own lives.
Sample Book Outline: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Introduction: Margaret's anticipation of puberty and her questioning of faith.
Chapter 1-5: Margaret's struggles with growing up, friendships, and the pressure to conform.
Chapter 6-10: Margaret's exploration of religion and her search for identity.
Chapter 11-15: Margaret's experiences with puberty and her changing relationships.
Conclusion: Margaret's acceptance of herself and her evolving faith.
Detailed Explanation of the Outline Points for Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
The introduction sets the stage, introducing Margaret Simon, a young girl on the cusp of puberty who grapples with both physical and spiritual questions. Chapters 1-5 showcase her burgeoning friendships, her attempts to navigate social dynamics, and the awkwardness associated with growing up within a blended family structure. The narrative emphasizes the pressure young girls face to fit in and conform to societal expectations. Chapters 6-10 delve into Margaret's exploration of religion, revealing her internal conflicts and doubts as she seeks answers to life's big questions. Her participation in the religious practices of her friends highlights the diversity of faith and the different ways people find meaning. Chapters 11-15 depict Margaret's physical and emotional journey through puberty, honestly portraying both the discomfort and the eventual acceptance that comes with these significant life changes. The conclusion showcases Margaret's growth and self-acceptance, demonstrating a transition from insecurity to self-awareness and understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. Why are Judy Blume's books still popular today? Her honest portrayal of childhood experiences and relatable characters remain incredibly relevant across generations.
2. What age group are Judy Blume's books best suited for? This varies greatly depending on the specific book, ranging from early elementary to young adult.
3. What are some of the most controversial aspects of Judy Blume's work? Her frank discussions of puberty, sexuality, and divorce often sparked criticism and led to challenges and bans.
4. What awards has Judy Blume won? She has received numerous awards and honors, including the Newbery Honor and the Margaret A. Edwards Award.
5. How many books has Judy Blume written? She has written a substantial number of books for children and young adults throughout her career.
6. Are Judy Blume's books suitable for classroom use? Many educators use her books to initiate discussions on sensitive topics and to promote emotional literacy.
7. What makes Judy Blume's writing style unique? Her ability to blend humor, sensitivity, and realism creates relatable characters and compelling narratives.
8. How did Judy Blume's personal experiences influence her writing? Many of her books draw on her own childhood experiences and observations.
9. Are Judy Blume's books still in print? Yes, many of her books remain widely available in various formats.
Related Articles:
1. The Impact of Judy Blume on Children's Literature: This article explores the long-term effects of her writing on the genre and its evolution.
2. Judy Blume's Controversies and Their Significance: A closer look at the debates surrounding her books and their importance.
3. Analyzing the Themes of Friendship in Judy Blume's Novels: An in-depth analysis of how Blume portrays and explores friendship in her work.
4. The Evolution of Judy Blume's Writing Style: Tracking the stylistic changes and development across her prolific career.
5. Judy Blume and the Representation of Family Dynamics: Examining how Blume depicts different family structures and relationships.
6. A Comparative Analysis of Judy Blume's Most Popular Books: A critical comparison of her most well-known works, analyzing their themes and styles.
7. The Enduring Appeal of Judy Blume's Characters: A closer examination of what makes her characters so relatable and memorable.
8. Judy Blume's Influence on Contemporary Young Adult Literature: Exploring how her work continues to inspire and shape the current landscape.
9. The Legacy of Judy Blume: A Celebration of her Work: A tribute to her contributions and lasting impact on readers of all ages.
| judy blume variety: Places I Never Meant to be Judy Blume, 1999 A collection of short stories accompanied by short essays on censorship by twelve authors whose works have been challenged in the past. |
| judy blume variety: Wifey Judy Blume, 2011-12-01 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... |
| judy blume variety: In the Unlikely Event Judy Blume, 2015-06-02 From the iconic Judy Blume, one of the most beloved authors of our time: the brilliantly reviewed and bestselling adult novel. In this brilliant novel--her first for adults in fifteen years--legendary author Judy Blume takes us back to the 1950s and introduces us to the town of Elizabeth, New Jersey, where she herself grew up. Following three generations of families, friends, and strangers in the town, we watch her newest cast of characters grapple with first love, estranged parents, difficult friendships, familial obligations, divorce, career ambitions, a grandparent's love, a widower's hope, and everything in between. Their warm and resonant stories are set against the backdrop of a real-life tragedy that struck in the early 1950s: a series of three airplanes fell from the sky over a three-month period, leaving the community reeling. Gripping, authentic, and unforgettable, In the Unlikely Event is Blume's most ambitious and accomplished work yet, with all the hallmarks of this beloved author's unparalleled storytelling. |
| judy blume variety: Just as Long as We're Together Judy Blume, 2012-03-21 From the New York Times bestselling author of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and the adult bestseller In the Unlikely Event comes a tale of family, friendship, and pre-teen life like only JUDY BLUME can deliver. The companion to Here’s to You, Rachel Robinson. Can you have more than one best friend? Stephanie’s best friend is Rachel. Since second grade they’ve shared everything, good and bad. But now it’s the start of seventh grade and Alison has just moved to their neighborhood. Stephanie immediately clicks with her—she’s cool and fun and totally humble even though she’s the daughter of a famous actress. Stephanie hopes all three of them can be best friends, but the more she pushes Alison on Rachel, the more Rachel seems to drift away. Is it possible to have two best friends? Or is it true that two’s company, three’s a crowd? “Judy Blume does it again in what may be her best book yet!” –American Bookseller |
| judy blume variety: Forever . . . Judy Blume, 2007-04-24 Two high school seniors believe their love to be so strong that it will last forever. |
| judy blume variety: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Judy Blume, 2014-04-29 Faced with the difficulties of growing up and choosing a religion, a twelve-year-old girl talks over her problems with her own private God. |
| judy blume variety: Superfudge Judy Blume, 2014-03-27 Peter Hatcher's little brother, Fudge, is four. And he's as monstrous as ever! When Fudge discovers that his new baby sister can't play with him, he tries to sell her. When that doesn't work, he tries giving her away. And on his first day at school he kicks his teacher and calls her Rat Face. Can his big brother help him out this time? A new cover edition of book three in this hugely successful series from the bestselling author and household name Judy Blume. |
| judy blume variety: Summer Sisters Judy Blume, 2009-12-16 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • “Summer Sisters is a book to return to again and again.”—Colleen Hoover “As warm as a summer breeze blowing through your hair, as nostalgic as James Taylor singing ‘How Sweet It Is.’ You remember. So does Judy Blume. How sweet it was.”—Chicago Tribune In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard’s world changes forever when Caitlin Somers chooses her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomes Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping her away to vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, an enchanting place where the two friends become “summer sisters.” Now, years later, Vix is working in New York City. Caitlin is getting married on the Vineyard. And the early magic of their long, complicated friendship has faded. But Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor. And Vix knows that she will go—because she wants to understand what happened during that last shattering summer. And, after all these years, she needs to know why her best friend—her summer sister—still has the power to break her heart. |
| judy blume variety: Judy Blume Jen Jones Donatelli, 2007-01-01 A biography of author Judy Blume--Provided by publisher. |
| judy blume variety: Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One Judy Blume, 2008-05-13 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.) |
| judy blume variety: Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) L. C. Rosen, 2018-10-30 Couldn't get enough of Love, Simon or Red, White and Royal Blue? This is the (slightly NSFW) book for you! 'Jack of Hearts might be the most important queer novel of the decade' Gay Times 'Jack of Hearts won my heart' Courtney Act 'This book is filth' Julian Clary --------------- 'My first time getting it in the butt was kind of weird. I think it's going to be weird for everyone's first time, though.' Meet Jack Rothman. He's seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys - sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, 'it could be worse'. He doesn't actually expect that to come true. But after Jack starts writing an online sex advice column, the mysterious love letters he's been getting take a turn for the creepy. Jack's secret admirer knows everything: where he's hanging out, who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating. They claim they love Jack, but not his unashamedly queer lifestyle. They want him to curb his sexuality, or they'll force him. As the pressure mounts, Jack must unmask his stalker before their obsession becomes genuinely dangerous... Praise for Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) 'The affirming, sex-positive, brilliant new book that puts the adult into young adult literature' Attitude 'Humane, sex-positive writing of the funniest, filthiest and most heartening kind' The Guardian |
| judy blume variety: The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo Judy Blume, 2024-11-05 Freddy Dissel has two problems. One is his older brother, Mike. The other is his younger sister, Ellen. That leaves Freddy in the middle, feeling like the peanut butter part of a sandwich, squeezed between two pieces of bread like a great big middle nothing. So when Freddy hears about the school play, he knows it’s his chance to shine—even if the play is being put on by the big kids, and even if Mike says that everybody can jump. But nobody can jump quite as well as Freddy, which makes him the perfect Green Kangaroo—and the star of the show! |
| judy blume variety: Love in Winter Wonderland Abiola Bello, 2023-10-03 The Sun Is Also a Star meets You’ve Got Mail in this YA Christmas love story set in a London Black-owned bookshop. Charming, handsome Trey Anderson balances the pressures of school popularity with a job at his family’s beloved local bookshop, Wonderland. Quirky, creative Ariel Spencer needs tuition for the prestigious art program of her dreams, and an opening at Wonderland is the answer. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of being shut down by a neighborhood gentrifier, they team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline—and embark on a hate-to-love journey that will change them forever. Heartwarming and romantic, this read is the gift that keeps on giving, no matter the season. |
| judy blume variety: Letters to Judy Judy Blume, 1996-10-09 |
| judy blume variety: It's Not the End of the World Judy Blume, 2024-11-05 Karen couldn’t tell Mrs. Singer why she had to take her Viking diorama out of the sixth-grade showcase. She felt like yelling, “To keep my parents from getting divorced!” But she couldn’t say it, and the whole class was looking at her anyway. Karen’s world was ending. Her father had moved out of the house weeks before; now he was going to Las Vegas to get divorced, and her mother was pleased! She had only a few days to get the two of them together in the same room. Maybe, if she could, they would just forget about the divorce. Then the Newman family could be its old self again—maybe. But Karen knew something she didn’t know last winter: that sometimes people who shouldn’t be apart are impossible together. |
| judy blume variety: 10th Grade Joe Weisberg, 2011-10-12 Jeremiah Reskin has big plans for tenth grade—he wants to make some friends and he wants to take a girl’s shirt off. It’s not going too well at first, but when he meets a group of semibohemian outcasts, things start to change. Soon he’s negotiating his way through group back rubs and trying to find the courage to make a move on Renee Shopmaker, the hottest girl in school. At the behest of his composition teacher, Jeremy’s also chronicling everything in his own novel—a disastrously ungrammatical but unflinching look at sophomore year. |
| judy blume variety: Anatomy of a Boyfriend Daria Snadowsky, 2008-09-23 Like [Judy Blume's] Forever, this sensitive, candid novel is sure to find a wide audience among curious teens.--Booklist Before this all happened, the closest I’d ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it’s not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body. Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn’t believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I’d only read about in myGray’s Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love. And then came the fall. Daria Snadowsky‘s unflinching dissection of seventeen-year-old Dominique’s first relationship reveals the ecstasy and the agony of love, and everything in between. [Snadowsky] deals in modern terms with the real issues of discovering sex for the first time . . . in a responsible way.--SLJ |
| judy blume variety: Rory's Promise Michaela Maccoll, Rosemary Nichols, 2014-09-01 Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Books, Best of the Best Missouri State Teachers Association Reading Circle Recommended Book Twelve-year-old orphan Rory Fitzpatrick lives with her younger sister Violet at New York City's Foundling Hospital in the early 1900s. But when Rory discovers that Violet will be sent to the Arizona Territory to be adopted, her world is shattered. Although too old to be adopted herself, Rory—brave and smart—is determined to stay with her sister, even if it means hiding out on a train traveling west. When Rory and Violet arrive in Arizona, everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Will Rory give up? This uplifting novel about the power of faith and the true meaning of family launches the Hidden Histories series, spotlighting little-known tales from America's past, and the children behind those stories. Includes authors' note and further resources. |
| judy blume variety: You Are Awesome Neil Pasricha, 2019-11-05 An instant #1 international bestseller! From Neil Pasricha—New York Times, million-copy bestselling author of The Book of Awesome series and The Happiness Equation, thought leader for the next generation, and one of the most popular TED speakers in the world—comes a revelatory and inspiring book that will change the way we view failure and help us build resilience. Why is life getting harder instead of easier? How do I get back up after life knocks me down? And how do I grow stronger and live more intentionally? We no longer have the tools to handle failure…or even perceived failure. When we fall, we lie on the sidewalk crying. When we spill, we splatter. When we crack, we shatter. We are turning into an army of porcelain dolls. Cell phones show us we’re never good enough. Yesterday’s butterflies are tomorrow’s panic attacks. Record numbers suffer from anxiety, depression, and loneliness. What do we need to learn? RESILIENCE. And we need to learn it fast. Let this #1 international bestseller teach you: -The 2-minute morning practice that helps eliminate stress -What every commencement speech gets wrong -3 questions that help tell yourself a different story -The single word that keeps your options open after failure -Why you need an Untouchable Day (and how to get one) …and much, much more! Because the truth is, you really are awesome. |
| judy blume variety: Teaching Banned Books Pat R. Scales, 2001-06 As a standard-bearer for intellectual freedom, the school librarian is in an ideal position to collaborate with teachers to not only protect the freedom to read but also ensure that valued books with valuable lessons are not quarantined from the readers for whom they were written. |
| judy blume variety: Then Again, Maybe I Won't Judy Blume, 2012-03-21 Ever since his dad got rich from an invention and his family moved to a wealthy neighborhood on Long Island, Tony Miglione’s life has been turned upside down. For starters, there’s his new friend, Joel, who shoplifts. Then there’s Joel’s sixteen-year-old sister, Lisa, who gets undressed every night without pulling down her shades. And there’s Grandma, who won’t come down from her bedroom. On top of all that, Tony has a whole bunch of new questions about growing up. . . . Why couldn’t things have stayed the same? |
| judy blume variety: Damned Chuck Palahniuk, 2011-10-18 Think adolescence is hell? You have no idea... Welcome to Dante's Inferno, by way of The Breakfast Club, from the mind of American fiction's most brilliant troublemaker. Death, like life, is what you make out of it. So says Madison, the whip-tongued 11-year-old narrator of Damned, Chuck Palahniuk's subversive homage to the young adult genre. Madison is abandoned at her Swiss boarding school over Christmas while her parents are off touting their new film projects and adopting more orphans. Over the holidays she dies of a marijuana overdose--and the next thing she knows, she's in Hell. This is the afterlife as only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine it: a twisted inferno inspired by both the most extreme and mundane of human evils, where The English Patient plays on repeat and roaming demons devour sinners limb by limb. However, underneath Madison's sad teenager affect there is still a child struggling to accept not only the events of her dysfunctional life, but also the truth about her death. For Madison, though, a more immediate source of comfort lies in the motley crew of young sinners she meets during her first days in Hell. With the help of Archer, Babette, Leonard, and Patterson, she learns to navigate Hell--and discovers that she'd rather be mortal and deluded and stupid with those she loves than perfect and alone. |
| judy blume variety: A Mango-Shaped Space Wendy Mass, 2008-11-16 An award-winning book from the author of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life and The Candymakers for fans for of Wonder and Counting by Sevens Mia Winchell has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. Forced to reveal her condition, she must look to herself to develop an understanding and appreciation of her gift in this coming-of-age novel. |
| judy blume variety: Meant to Be Lauren Morrill, 2012-11-13 A girl with it all planned out discovers a romance she never expected in this funny debut about a class trip to London that HelloGiggles.com says you’ll love “if you’re into swoony romances with a little bit of history thrown in.” This spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love. Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be. *** Readers of Jennifer E. Smith and Stephanie Perkins will revel in this debate about love ruled by the stars or as a matter of the heart. --Shelf Awareness Fun, fresh and irresistibly romantic. STB (SURE to be) loved! --Sarah Mlynowski “Star-crossed characters, hilarious dialogue, and a perfect London setting. I loved Meant to Be!” –Robin Benway, author of Emmy & Oliver |
| judy blume variety: Tomorrow, Berlin Oscar Coop-Phane, 2015-09 Berlin. A city where nightclubs stay open from Fridaynight til Monday morning. A city with an underbelly as dark and addictive asthe 24-hour drugs, drinking, dancing and sex in filthy toilets that it servesup. Three young men, from different backgrounds, meet here by chance,struggling to find a future and to escape from the past. Tobias was violated asa child and tossed from one city to another by separated parents. Now he's gotAIDS and can find only fleeting happiness with a new lover. Armand fled fromhis middle-class family home to live as a painter and set up house with ahigh-school sweetheart. Tugged between expectations, desire andresponsibilities, he flees to give release his artistic soul. But at what cost?Franz was raised in a good, wealthy German family and believed he was capableof achieving anything he wanted. A job in a nightclub leads him into the Berlinunderworld, where his life takes an unexpected turn and he is threatened withruin. Berlin promises both escape and salvation for these three young men, in astunning coming-of-age story by award-winning author Oscar Coop-Phane. Withgrace and affection, he depicts a cast of flawed characters whose lives spiraldownwards, their lifestyles drawing them into a grimy abyss that threatens toeclipse them. A literary masterpiece, Tomorrow,Berlin is a compelling ode to youth and desire, and a stark reminder thatescape can only ever be an illusion. |
| judy blume variety: Saints and Misfits S. K. Ali, 2017-06-13 Fifteen-year-old Janna Yusuf, a Flannery O'Connor-obsessed book nerd and the daughter of the only divorced mother at their mosque, tries to make sense of the events that follow when her best friend's cousin--a holy star in the Muslim community--attempts to assault her at the end of sophomore year. |
| judy blume variety: Freckle Juice Judy Blume, 2024-11-05 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. |
| judy blume variety: The Elephant's Girl Celesta Rimington, 2021-08-17 A magical adventure for fans of Katherine Applegate and Jennifer Holm about a girl with a mysterious connection to the elephant who saved her life. An elephant never forgets, but Lexington Willow can't remember her past. Swept away by a tornado as a toddler, she was dropped in a nearby Nebraska zoo, where an elephant named Nyah protected her from the storm. With no trace of her family, Lex grew up at the zoo with her foster father, Roger; her best friend, Fisher; and the wind whispering in her ear. Years later, Nyah sends Lex a telepathic image of the woods outside the zoo. Soon, Lex is wrapped up in an adventure involving ghosts, lost treasure, and a puzzle that might be the key to finding her family. Can Lex summon the courage to discover who she really is--and why the tornado brought her here all those years ago? |
| judy blume variety: Anatomy of a Single Girl Daria Snadowsky, 2014-03-11 Sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, in which college pre-med Dominique explores love and lust. |
| judy blume variety: Trust Your Children Mark I. West, 1997 Provides insights into the recent developments that have occurred in the continuing battle over the censorship of children's literature. |
| judy blume variety: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Judy Blume, 2011-12-01 Living with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing smashed potatoes on walls at Hamburger Heaven, or scribbling all over Peter's homework, he's never far from trouble. He's a two-year-old terror who gets away with everything—and Peter's had enough. When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter's pet turtle, it's the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge too long. How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change? |
| judy blume variety: Blueprints for Building Better Girls Elissa Schappell, 2012-07-10 Elissa Schappell, “a diva of the encapsulating phrase, capable of conveying a Pandora’s box of feeling in a single line” (The New York Times Book Review) delivers eight provocative, darkly funny linked stories that map America’s shifting cultural landscape from the late 1970s to the present day. Blueprints for Building Better Girls delves into the lives of an eclectic cast of archetypal female characters—from the high school slut to the good girl, the struggling artist to the college party girl, the wife who yearns for a child to the reluctant mother—mapping America’s shifting cultural landscape from the late 1970s to the present day. Its interconnected stories explore the commonly shared but rarely spoken of experiences that build girls into women and women into wives and mothers. In revealing all their vulnerabilities and twisting our preconceived notions of who they are, Elissa Schappell alters how we think about the nature of female identity and how it evolves. |
| judy blume variety: Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One Judy Blume, 2009-09-02 MEET THE PAIN: My sister's name is Abigail. I call her The Great One because she thinks she's so great. Who cares if she's in third grade and I'm just in first? MEET THE GREAT ONE: My brother's name is Jacob Edward, but everyone calls him Jake. Everyone but me. I call him The Pain because that's what he is. He's a first-grade pain. I'll always know exactly what he's thinking. That's just the way it is. These seven warm-hearted stories will give readers a peek at how a brother and sister relate to each other. |
| judy blume variety: 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up Julia Eccleshare, Quentin Blake, 2009 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up is the perfect introduction to the very best books of childhood: those books that have a special place in the heart of every reader. It introduces a wonderfully rich world of literature to parents and their children, offering both new titles and much-loved classics that many generations have read and enjoyed. From wordless picture books and books introducing the first words and sounds of the alphabet through to hard-hitting and edgy teenage fiction, the titles featured in this book reflect the wealth of reading opportunities for children.Browsing the titles in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up will take you on a journey of discovery into fantasy, adventure, history, contermporary life, and much more. These books will enable you to travel to some of the most famous imaginary worlds such as Narnia, Middle Earth, and Hogwart's School. And the route taken may be pretty strange, too. You may fall down a rabbit hole, as Alice does on her way to Wonderland, or go through the back of a wardrobe to reach the snowy wastes of Narnia. |
| judy blume variety: Blubber Judy Blume, 2024-11-05 “Blubber is a good name for her,” the note from Caroline said about Linda. Jill crumpled it up and left it on the corner of her school desk. She didn’t want to think about Linda or her dumb report on whales just then. Jill wanted to think about Halloween. But Robby grabbed the note and before Linda stopped talking it had gone halfway around the room. There was something about Linda that made a lot of kids in her fifth-grade class want to see how far they could go…but nobody, Jill least of all, expected the fun to end where it did. |
| judy blume variety: Bystander James Preller, 2009-09-29 Eric is the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you're new in town, it's hard to know who to hang out with—and who to avoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular. But something isn't right about Griffin. He always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if Griffin doesn't like you, you'd better watch your back. There might be a target on it. As Eric gets drawn deeper into Griffin's dark world, he begins to see the truth about Griffin: he's a liar, a bully, a thief. Eric wants to break away, do the right thing. But in one shocking moment, he goes from being a bystander . . . to the bully's next victim. This title has Common Core connections. |
| judy blume variety: Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain and the Great One Judy Blume, 2010-06-30 THE PAIN AND the Great One are going places! In these new stories the kids are on the go—the Pain needs a trip to the emergency room; the family goes to the mall and not everyone stays together; the kids visit a county fair and want to ride the Super Slide; and a beach outing includes a boogie board. Lots more action and adventure for the dynamic duo who never stay still. |
| judy blume variety: I, Emma Freke Elizabeth Atkinson, 2013-08-01 I, Emma Freke is a charming search-for-identity story about Emma—the only normal member of her quirky family. While Emma desperately tries to find her niche, she discovers that perhaps it's better to be her own freak than someone else's Freke. |
| judy blume variety: Fudge-a-Mania Judy Blume, 2011-12-01 Part of the classic Fudge series from Judy Blume, bestselling author of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! Peter Hatcher can’t catch a break. His little brother, Fudge—the five-year-old human hurricane—has big plans to marry Peter’s sworn enemy, Sheila Tubman. That alone would be enough to ruin Peter’s summer, but now his parents have decided to rent a summer home next door to Sheila the Cootie Queen’s house. Peter will be trapped with Fudge and Sheila for three whole weeks! “As a kid, Judy Blume was my favorite author, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing was my favorite book.”—Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling Wimpy Kid series Love Fudge, Peter, and Sheila? Read all the books featuring your favorite characters: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great Superfudge Double Fudge |
| judy blume variety: The Yearling Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, 2011-06-28 An American classic—and Pulitzer Prize–winning story—that shows the ultimate bond between child and pet. No novel better epitomizes the love between a child and a pet than The Yearling. Young Jody adopts an orphaned fawn he calls Flag and makes it a part of his family and his best friend. But life in the Florida backwoods is harsh, and so, as his family fights off wolves, bears, and even alligators, and faces failure in their tenuous subsistence farming, Jody must finally part with his dear animal friend. There has been a film and even a musical based on this moving story, a fine work of great American literature. |
