Tiger Eyes [Paperback]

Judy Blume (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 13, 2010

Davey has never felt so alone in her life. Her father is dead—shot in a holdup—and now her mother is moving the family to New Mexico to try to recover.

Climbing in the Los Alamos canyon, Davey meets the mysterious Wolf, who can read Davey’s “sad eyes.” Wolf is the only person who seems to understand the rage and fear Davey feels.

Slowly, with Wolf’s help, Davey realizes that she must get on with her life. But when will she be ready to leave the past behind and move toward the future? Will she ever stop hurting?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

After Davey's father is killed in a hold-up, she and her mother and younger brother visit relatives in New Mexico. Here Davey is befriended by a young man who helps her find the strength to carry on and conquer her fears. "This is a masterly novel."--Jean Fritz, The New York Times Book Review. Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

After Davey's father is killed in a hold-up, she and her mother and younger brother visit relatives in New Mexico. Here Davey is befriended by a young man who helps her find the strength to carry on and conquer her fears. "This is a masterly novel."--Jean Fritz, The New York Times Book Review. Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; 1 Reprint edition (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385739893
• ISBN-13: 978-0385739894
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, NJ, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places, doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Superfudge; Blubber; Just As Long As We're Together; and Forever. She has also written the best-selling novels Wifey; Smart Women; and, Summer Sisters. More than 75 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into twenty-six languages.
She receives thousands of letters each month from readers of all ages who share their feelings and
concerns with her.
Judy received a B.S. in education from New York University in 1961, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 1996, the same year that American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. She has won more than ninety awards, none more important than those coming directly from her youngest readers.
She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild, currently as Vice President; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, where she sponsors an award for contemporary fiction; and the National Coalition Against Censorship, working to protect intellectual freedom. In Spring 2002, Judy was a spokesperson for the Cheerios "A Book for Every Child" literacy campaign which benefited Reading is Fundamental, America's largest literacy organization. She is also the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation.
Judy's first book in the Fudge series, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, was published in 1972. She is thrilled to be celebrating its 30th Anniversary with the publication of Double Fudge. Just as generations of fans have loved the Fudge books, generations of Judy's family have inspired them. Thirty years ago, Fudge was inspired by her son, Larry, and now Double Fudge was written at the request of her grandson, Elliot.
Judy lives on islands up and down the East Coast with her husband George Cooper. They have three grown children and one grandchild.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional and Touching June 10, 2007

By Amy Graham

Format:Paperback

I read this because it's on the ALA's list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books (1990-2000) and I'm slowly working my way though the list. This is one of the few Judy Blume books I managed to miss when I was younger and I have to say, I'm quite surprised that it's on this list at all. I found absolutely nothing objectionable about the book at all. I agree that the subject matter might be unpleasant to some, but for anyone who's experienced (or might experience) the sudden (and possibly violent) loss of a loved one (and everyone does at some point in their lives) this book is an exceptional read. Not only does it deal with one families struggle to deal with the sudden, violent death of their father/husband it also deals with other types of loss and grief issues. Included in this book are the difficulty of being childless for a couple that wants children (the aunt and uncle), Wolf's experiences with the inevitable loss of his father to cancer, Jane's drinking to cope with the intense and often unrealistic expectations of her family and her own fears about wanting to live her own life but being afraid to at the same time. Tiger Eyes manages to convey an intensity of emotion with regards to each family members fear, grief, anger, and depression...and manages to do it without being depressing or having the main character wallow in it. The struggles of Davey and her Mother are very real, they "feel" authentic, you get a depth of emotion in the reading and I think that is what makes this an excellent book. I think it's a shame anyone would try to censor this, to pretend that death doesn't occur or that there aren't difficult issues in families that lead to children and/or parents making bad/self-destructive choices. I think it's a very good thing that there are books like this that allow readers to enjoy a good story and realize that we are each human and must come to terms with our problems as best we can. I give Tiger Eyes five stars and two thumbs up...highly recommended!!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Coping and moving on from loss at 15 years-old June 14, 2004

By QUEEN_OF_EVERYTHING

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Davey Wexler is merely 15 years old when her father is shot to death in a hold-up that takes place at his 7-11 store. His death means that he's not only gone for good, but that a ton of new changes are to follow. It means Davey, her mother, and her younger brother, Jason, will be moving to New Mexico to cope. It also means leaving behind the old life, along with other people she loves, such as her best friend, Lenaya, and her boyfriend, Hugh.

It takes awhile for reality to settle in over the denial Davey should naturally - and does - feel. It's ever-so hard for her to believe that, at the funeral, it is her father's body in the casket and not someone else's. She contemplates life without him and wonders if it is feasible. Perhaps this book should be titled It's Not the End of the World, rather than Judy's middle school read about divorce and how it affects a suburban family. This novel is titled TIGER EYES because Davey has gorgeous hazel eyes.

Once she arrives at Los Alamos, she naturally feels what one might feel. She's nervous about meeting people, about making new friends. She worries about how her life at a new high school will turn out. Although many parts of this story are intense, the entire novel flows smoothly and believably together and is not at all aimed at shocking audiences through violence like some may think. True to form, Judy addresses how to cope with loss and creates likable characters. I feel lucky I have yet to experience the death of a loved one and hope I don't have to any time soon. But it's something today's youth faces daily, so why not address it in modern-day literature? That's an especially wonderful way to go about it, a great way to reach readers.

After therapy, Davey's mother decides it's time to move back to New Jersey. Much of Blume's books take place in New Jersey because that is where she grew up and she still resides there today. With the Wexlers moving back home, we sense a return to normalcy. However, Los Alamos really has become normalcy for Davey. She's grown accustomed to it and it feels just like home. She knows the environment and has made friends as well. Still, it's as if she left her New Jersey life on hold and she realizes moving home will complete her experience in coping over her father's death. She simply needs to pick up the place where she left off.

You will (or should!) enjoy this book whether you've lost someone you cherished or you have yet to make it through such a harrowing experience. This YA novel frankly makes me wish Judy would bring us some more of her YA stuff - and SOON!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my high school favorites August 19, 2003

By Beth Cholette #1 HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

15-year old Davey has just experienced the tragic loss of her beloved father via a robbery shooting. Her mother, unable to cope alone, accepts an offer of help from her sister-in-law, and thus Davey moves with her mother and younger brother from their home in Atlantic City to live with an aunt and uncle who are practically strangers to them in New Mexico. While there, Davey encounters unfamiliar rules, unexpected complications (eg, a friend's drinking problem), and some unlikely sources of support. As her mother deteriorates, Davey learns to cope with her own grief while at the same time negotiating the usual trials of being a high school student. A wonderful, moving book that would be especially appropriate for teens who have experienced a loss in their own lives.