04/01/2013

 There’s an Easter update one entry back if you are so inclined to see…

I started a new book last night…

And oh it’s just lovely. If you’re a fan of Judy Blume (and what child of the 70’s & 80’s isn’t?) you should read it.  Yesterday it was $3 for Kindle and well worth it!

It got me thinking though…one that I didn’t read enough of the Judy Blume books.  I grew up in a very small, tightly knit agriculturally based community that was kind of removed from the larger cities.  So I was at the mercy of the local library (pathetic) my school library, and the library in the next bigger town which was pretty good-but I wasn’t exactly allowed to explore on my own until I was 12 or 13.  Not as a rule, more of a logistical thing as it was a good 20 min drive and there was little reason to drop me off there until I started asking.

So to find new books I was totally at the mercy of my school book fair and the book order thing, both run by Scholastic so books like Forever…  and Deenie by Judy Blume were off my radar until I was too old to bother looking at the Judy Blume’s in the library, but by that point I felt like I’d outgrown her books mostly because I didn’t realize what the ones I hadn’t read covered.  I guess there’s a window for those books?  As they were written in the early/mid 70’s they were off my mother’s radar too.  And covered topics that I wouldn’t have asked her about to begin with.

I’m not sure they were even on my mind at that age. I was in a small community and I have a vivid memory of a new teacher coming from the city being incredibly pleased that we, in the 5th grade were still interested and playing with dolls as the girls in her 5th grade class in the city (the big city of Hamilton, Ontario) were more concerned with sex and boyfriends.

Anyways… reading this book has made me realize there’s a few more Judy Blume books that, oddly, I want to read again. And that I want Vivien to read them again.  I just need to make sure it’s one of those things we can do together and doesn’t become an "OMG my Mom wants me to ready this old book.". 

This new book has reminded me what I liked about Judy Blume in the first place and why so many other girls my age did too.  They weren’t a formulaic as Sweet Valley High and covered real issues, again unlike Sweet Valley High. Which don’t get me wrong were great, but if I remember correctly the biggest problem in one of the books was that Jessica gave her family food poisoning when cooking mussels. 

I think I might see if I can read the ones I missed out on, and make some sort of a list for Vivien.  Just thinking about the ones I did read brings up a lot of memories, of both books by Judy Blume and other books I read around that age.  

I remember once that I found a box of my mother’s old books at my Grandmother’s house and loved them when I read them, so maybe she’ll feel the same?  Maybe I should just buy them and put them on a shelf somewhere in the house?

Lots to think about…but most certainly, if you liked Judy Blume as a kid, you should read this book. 🙂