Customer Reviews

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

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3 star:		(1)
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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.

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.

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.

This book features a wide variety of young adult and chick lit authors paying tribute to Judy Blume in different ways. The authors range in age from late 20's to late 40's, and each of the 24 essays is unique. The idea was to write something along the theme of the book's title, but surprisingly, many different approaches were taken. Some of the contributers wrote about incidents in their lives and compared them to events in Judy Blume books. Others described how reading a particular JB book had made a difference in their lives, or helped them in some adolescent situation. Still others analyzed elements of JB books heavily and only briefly compared them to their own childhoods or lives.

Among the essays, JB's novels "Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret", "Forever", and "Deenie" seem to be discussed more often than others. Some get only a few mentions, and others, such as "Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great" are virtually overlooked. JB fans of my generation will be pleased to know "Just as Long as We're Together" is featured in several essays.

This collection of essays is sure to please fans of chick lit and/or fans of Judy Blume. I enjoyed some of the essays more than others, and have found myself wanting to read the published novels of several of these ladies, since I enjoyed their writing so much. Overall, it is almost like reading a JB book in and of itself. It'll take you right back to adolescence. You'll relate, you'll remember, you'll laugh, and best of all, you'll be immersed in some high-quality, honest writing.

I absolutely love this book, it brought back so many memories of adolescent angst, joy, despair, friendship...just all the things that are a part of growing up...and all the things that Judy Blume wrote for us to make it easier.

I am now also curious about what these women are writing for the girls that are growing up in THIS crazy generation. I hope that they help them as much as Judy helped us!

I HIGHLY recommend it, grab a copy for yourself and your friend, or reconnect with one that you haven't been in touch with. Because after reading this, you will feel compelled to share!

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.

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 '

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.

I loved the collection of essays about Judy Blume's many books! Some of these had me laughing out loud. I had recently reread "Forever" and "Are you there God, it's me Margaret" and I agree that Judy's stories are timeless and mean something different to you at different times of your life.

Ahhh, Judy Blume. I read a lot of her books as an adolescent. I didn't realize until now that a lot of what I read was written before I was born! her books have a timeless feeling to them that don't limit themselves to a certain time in history.

I'll admit, I didn't understand all of the undertones that occurred in the books. I was either too young or simply didn't have that particular issue and therefore, didn't see myself in the book. However, reading this book of essays on Judy Blume's writings made me realize what I'd missed. I kind of want to go back and reread them all and see what I pick up on now.

If you were a fan of Judy Blume's books, you will definitely enjoy the trip down memory lane.