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Original poster

Judy Blume

27 replies

Belo · 23/07/2012 21:24

My almost 10 year old dd1 (going into year 5) in Sept is desperate to get some Judy Blume books from the library. I'm sure I was a lot older (secondary school) when I compulsively read all of her books. From my distant recollection (more years than I care to calculate!) they are all about boyfriends and not really suitable for a quite innocent, still childlike, girl. Am I right? Or, have the years made me remember them as more 'exciting' then they actually are?

As some background, Dd1s favourite writer is Jacqueline Wilson.

Any Judy Blume views gratefully received!

OP posts:
laracroft2001 · 23/07/2012 21:27

Hi... This may or may not help but I read just Blume before I started high school (this was around 13/14 years ago). The one that's a bit more risqué is Forever - thats the one with the sex (but it's dealt with in a very age sensitive way iyswim, the rest are pretty innocent iirc

ChessieFL · 23/07/2012 21:28

Some of her books (e.g. Forever) are definitely for older teenagers. However some are aimed at younger readers and are more innocent. Start her with 'Starring Sally J Freedman As Herself'. I will come back when I can remember some of her other 'younger' books!

Seona1973 · 23/07/2012 21:29

she seems to write for a range of ages

www.judyblume.com/kids.php

IHeartKingThistle · 23/07/2012 21:30

yy Forever is the only really racy one. Some are definitely for younger girls - I think Are you there God? It's me Margaret' possibly?

However, at least one has reference to that old America sanitary towel/hooks/belt thing - freaked me right out as a kid until I realised we don't do that any more!

IHeartKingThistle · 23/07/2012 21:31

American, not America!

RackandRuin · 23/07/2012 21:31

From what I remember ( and it was a long time ago) I read books like blubber and are you there god? before I went to high school.

I loved judy Blume.

RandomMess · 23/07/2012 21:32

"Superfudge" is one aimed at younger readers.

ChessieFL · 23/07/2012 21:34

Blubber is another more innocent one. Also 'Tales of a 4th grade Nothing' and the Superfudge series. 'It's not the end of the world' doesn't have any sex in - it looks at divorce from the POV of a girl aged about 12. 'Are you there God, it's me Margaret' also good and 'Deenie' which is about a girl who has to wear a back brace and how she copes with it. They sound quite depressing when I write about them like that but they're not really, they end up with positive messages!

SilentMammoth · 23/07/2012 21:40

"starring sally j " really has some very adult themes, albeit handled very appropriately and sensitively iyswim? I recently came across my old copy and re read it and was a bit suprised at some of the subject matter.

ChessieFL · 23/07/2012 21:43

Silent - it is a while since I read it so perhaps my memory has faded! I seemed to remember that the heroine was aged about 10?

ImpatientOne · 23/07/2012 21:46

I started reading them at the end of primary school and had 'grown out' of them by about 13/14 I think.

Then I started on Mills & Boon Grin Blush Wink

MoonHare · 23/07/2012 21:47

I loved Judy Blume as a child too. I was 11/12 when I read most of them.

As I recall many are about girls/boys of that age and would be suitable for your daughter. I would be happy for my DDs to read any of the following at 10yrs; Tales of a 4th grade nothing, Are you there god it's me Margaret (this has got to be essential reading for any 10/11 year old girl I think! All about wishing for your periods to start), Otherwise known as sheila the great, Blubber (about bullying).

I would say you might want her to wait a year or two before reading Tiger Eyes and Deenie. As others have said Forever is for older readers, I was 13/14 when I read it.

They were a little old fashioned in their references when I read them in the mid 1980s, so for many readers these days I suppose they may seem hopelessly out of date. Never the less I kept all my copies and still have them ready to dust off when my two DDs are old enough.

frankie4 · 23/07/2012 21:50

I love Judy Blume books, most of them are fine for a 10 year old. I don't have dd's but my ds age 10 has read super fudge and tales of a 4th grade nothing. Sheila the great is also fine for a 10 year old.

SilentMammoth · 23/07/2012 21:59

Yes, she is about ten but some of the background stuff is quite adult. Not least of all the aftermath of ww2 on the jewish community. Very interesting bit about a local teenager being essentially declared dead by her family due to a mixed relationship.

SilentMammoth · 23/07/2012 22:00

I suppose what I am saying is that our could trigger some ratherdeep questions

CrocodileDundee · 23/07/2012 22:05

I loved Judy Blume when I was younger. Last year when DD was 10 I bought her a couple and she loved them, she has read them all except Forever and the ones for much younger children.

She has even emailed Judy Blume and asked her to write more as she loved then all so much. She got a reply back, a proper one. My 11 year old self was very jealous!! Grin

She also likes Jacqueline Wilson, Cathy Cassidy and Jean Ure

PrincessOfChina · 23/07/2012 22:09

If she tries Judy Blume and likes, can I also recommend Paula Danziger. Wonderful books.

I read Forever when I was 12, all the other well before then - final year of Primary School. That was about 20 years ago and I'm sure kids are more savvy nowadays.

Original poster
Belo · 24/07/2012 08:41

Thank you for all of your comments. Reading the comments about particular books has made them come back to me. I think Forever must have been the one that was sticking in my mind and made a big impression on me as a young teenager. ImpatientOne I also went on to read Mills & Boon after it!

I've just ordered the 1st of the Fudge books as a starting point. I'm also going to go and look at some Paula Danzinger, Cathy Cassidy and Jean Ure books. I'm hoping for a lot of reading this summer!

OP posts:
Tigresswoods · 24/07/2012 08:43

Paula Danziger is quite similar too.

kalidasa · 24/07/2012 09:00

Maybe also the 'Anastasia' books by Lois Lowry. Very funny.

Agree about Paula Danziger as well as all the 'younger' ones by Judy Blume.

ImpatientOne · 24/07/2012 09:08

phew nice to know I'm not alone Grin

ChessieFL · 24/07/2012 12:28

I also loved Paula Danziger and the Anastasia books!!!

Haven't read them for years - might have to go shopping and keep them for me DD when she is older!

mmmerangue · 30/07/2012 11:28

I have a book called 'Letters to Judy' which is fan mail sent to her by readers (mainly americans) and having read those letters and how they have changed the lives of so many kids, I don't think you should worry about her reading about 'unsavoury' subjects. If anything they can help prepare her for all the troubles of puberty/high school etc.

Deenie is one I had forgotten, god I cried and cried at that when I was about 11-12!

Dancergirl · 01/08/2012 22:58

Love, love, love JB!!

Read them over and over again as a child.

I would recommend:

Starring Sally J Freedman as herself (my fave!)
Are you there God its me Margaret
Tales of a 4th grade nothing
Superfudge
Otherwise known as Sheila the great
Blubber
Iggie's House

Tiger Eyes is v sad, too old for her at the moment. And Deenie deals with masturbation so you may want to consider if that's suitable for her or not.

quirrelquarrel · 09/08/2012 10:00

I read all of them age 6+, loved them. And I was a v. innocent little girl!

I liked Letters to Judy too :-)