Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume [Paperback]

Jennifer OConnell (Author), Meg Cabot (Author), Beth Kendrick (Author), Julie Kenner (Author), Cara Lockwood (Author), Stacey Ballis (Author), Megan Crane (Author), Laura Caldwell (Author), Melissa Senate (Author), Stephanie Lessing (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2009

"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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This collection of 24 essays edited by O'Connell (Plan B) pays tribute to the influence of Judy Blume and her work about coming-of-age as a girl in America. In each piece, the writer reveals what O'Connell calls her "Judy Blume moment," telling a heartfelt and revealing story that reflects the same social awkwardness and true-to-life experiences Blume conveys in her novels, from menstruation to childhood bullying to masturbation. In "Cry, Linda, Cry," Meg Cabot recalls how Blume's book Blubber taught her how to laugh at herself, while also giving her the courage to stand up to schoolgirl bullies. Likewise, Stephanie Lessing, in "The One That Got Away," reflects on Blume's It's Not the End of the World, explaining the solace she found in its understanding of what it's like when parents divorce. Readers who similarly found solace and support in Blume's work should relate easily to these writers through the Blumian characters and themes they evoke. Writing in the spirit of Blume, these women present their experiences as a series of personal truths: "girl moments. Woman moments, Human moments." (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

"I remember how painful it was to be invisible to those other kids. And I think of Judy Blume, whose . . . name will always mean friendship to me," writes Berta Platas. "She allowed me to save myself," says Meg Cabot. In stories contributed by many well-known female writers, this anthology pays homage to the "guru" of adolescent experience. Many nostalgic selections speak about the crucial comfort that a Blume novel brought during an author's teens, soothing worries about body image, parental divorce, friendship scuffles, sex, and masturbation. Also striking are the many essays about "Judy Blume moments" in adult life. For one author, rereading Forever helped her reenter the dating world as a single thirtysomething. Another contributor remembers the teenage reassurance she'd found in Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, when, after childbirth and breast-feeding, she once again suffered from "boob drama." Funny, poignant, honest, and reverential, these stories will resonate strongly with the legions of readers who, like the authors, are grateful and lifelong Blume devotees. Engberg, Gillian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Gallery Books; Reprint edition (April 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439102651
• ISBN-13: 978-1439102657
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #521,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 9, 2007

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume (Hardcover)

Judy Blume is one of the most beloved and well-known authors of our time. She has written countless stories for pre-teens, teens, and adults alike, and millions of readers have been charmed by her lovable characters and easy-to-relate-to storylines.

In EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME, twenty-four of the most popular female authors today, including Megan McCafferty, Jennifer O'Connell, Megan Crane, Cara Lockwood, and Meg Cabot, contribute essays relating their own experiences with Judy Blume.

Covering everything from their own "Judy Blume moments" to hiding under the covers with Forever . . ., these stories are intensely personal recollections that offer an insight into the influence that Judy Blume's works have had on everyone who reads them.

As a Judy Blume fan myself, I really loved reading this book, and it brought to mind my own memories of reading her novels. Whether you just want to know more about some of your favorite authors today, or, like me, you grew up with Blume and her characters, this book is well worth reading and you definitely don't want to miss it.

Reviewed by: Andie Z.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Are you there Judy?? It's me Laura, June 23, 2007

By 

L. Often "Love to read" (Worcester, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume (Hardcover)

This book was a great trip down memory lane - and yes, I too wish I could have contributed an essay. It was great to read how Judy affected other girl's lives just like she helped me through so many issues. I would have loved to see some more diverse essays though- too much Forever and Are you there God- no Tiger Eyes which was one of my favorites. (I think it got a slight mention in the essay about mothers.) Anyway, well worth the read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A nostalgic treat!, June 19, 2007

By 

Stacey Ballis "Stacey Ballis" (Chicago,IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume (Hardcover)

Okay, I love this book, and not just because I'm in it! My fellow contributors took me on a wonderful ride back through my young adulthood, and made me laugh, cry, cringe and commiserate. If the best thing one can say about having a chapter in an anthology is that the rest of the essays make you wish you had written them, then I can make that admission. I am honored to be a part of it.