Books I Love: By Judy Blume

Judy Blume is one of the most honoured yet most censored authors of books for children and young adults. We had started reading Judy Blume at about the same time that we did Roald Dahl (in the late 80s). Like Dahl, she is known for her children's books rather than her adult novels, and between B, A, and I, we have read and reread most, if not all of them.

Our collection of Judy Blume books (CNB)

The One in the Middle is a Green Kangaroo, Blume's first published book, is about Freddy, a middle child between an older brother and a younger sister, out to prove he is special despite feeling like "the peanut butter part of a sandwich". The Pain and the Great One,  is another picture book about sibling rivalry between an eight-year-old girl and her six-year-old brother. A story book for very young readers is Freckle Juice, about the small-boy adventure of Andrew.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is about Peter Hatcher and his terrible problem - a little brother called Fudge! (This is a first in a five book series "The Fudge Books", of which we only have, and read four). Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great is about Peter's nemesis, the capable Sheila who also has her secret fears. Superfudge has 11-year old Peter who has to deal with his little brother Fudge going to kindergarten in his same school. Fudge-a-mania, sees Peter spending a Summer stuck with his five year old 'human hurricane' of a brother Fudge and Sheila 'the Cootie Queen'. Double Fudge, which we do not have and have yet to read, sees the sibling rivalry between Peter and Fudge continue into a new school year.

Blume has written nine books for the Middle Grade, and I think these are her best stories. 1. Iggie's House is set in the late 60s and Winnie welcomes the first black family at her all-white neighbourhood of Grove Street. 2. Blubber is about under-twelve social dynamics in school; about bullies in 5th grade. 3. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself is about a 5th grader in Miami Beach, 1947. 4. It's not the end of the World is about Karen trying to reconcile her fighting and 'talking about divorce' parents. 5. Are You There God? It's Me Margaret seems to be a favourite of most adolescent girls. 6th grader Margaret talks to God often, about her adolescence and boys. 6. Then Again, Maybe I Won't is about the life of twelve-year old Tony and his newly rich family and their move to an affluent Long Island neighbourhood. 7. Deenie deals with scoliosis and the protagonist Deenie's handle on the brace that she has to wear and her adjustments dealing with friends, including boys. 8. Just as Long as We are Together is the companion book to Here's to You, Rachel Robinson. It is about the two best friends Rachel and Stephanie and a new girl who has moved in. 9. Here's to You, Rachel Robinson is about 7th grade Rachel and her friends Stephanie and Alison. Rachel who strives for perfection in everything she does, needs their help to lighten up.

For what is now categorised as YA or Young Adult books, Blume wrote Forever (1975), a story dealing with first love and teenage sexuality. Despite being the target of censorship, this book won the 1966 ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award for Outstanding Literature for Young Adults. While many of Dahl's books were translated into films, Blume's were mostly failed projects until only recently, when her only other young adult book, Tiger Eyes was made into a movie by her own son. Tiger Eyes is about Davey, who's father was killed, and her friendship with a young man in New Mexico who helps her find the strength to move on.

We have all three of Blume's books for adult readers, which B brought back from the US of A some time ago. I must admit that I have only read one, Wifey. The other two that I have not yet read are Smart Women, (the story of two divorced friends and their two teenaged daughters, and the complex triangle when one falls in love with the other's ex) and Summer Sisters, a novel covering nearly twenty summers in the lives of two friends. I will put them on my list of books to read 2014, because my 2013 list is already full!