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A review by kmcneil
Blubber by Judy Blume
4.0
I picked up Blubber for the first time since I was in elementary school to remind myself why I liked Judy Blume's books so much as a kid. I remember loving Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, Then Again Maybe I Won't, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Deenie, and many of her other titles. When I was older, I read Forever (in secret, no doubt). As an adult I read Wifey and Summer Sisters. Basically, Judy Blume has been around all my life, and she has written books that have appealed to me throughout the years.
Clearly, Blume isn't a hot new author on the literary scene. The copyright date for Blubber is 1974, which means it came out when I was just 7 years old. But do her tales endure? Absolutely. Her novels for children reflect the struggles of kids in the 1970s as much as they reflect them today. When we read her books as kids, we felt an immediate connection. When we read them as adults, we get how her stories are just as true for kids today as they were years ago. What a gift to be able to tap into kids' psyches - to really understand the dilemmas they face, and make them feel less alone. Blume has managed to tap in the universality of childhood experiences.
Blubber, for those of you who might not remember (I didn't) is a story about bullying. Linda is a sixth grader who is a tad overweight. She is mercilessly teased by her classmates, with number one bully Wendy as the ring leader. Jill, the main character, thinks nothing of getting in on the taunts. She has no remorse for it. In fact, she doesn't really even think about it and just jumps on the bullying bandwagon. But, throughout the story, you find yourself liking Jill, and knowing that somehow she will turn around. Indeed she does, but it takes a very painful lesson for the turnaround to happen. Blubber isn't a didactic tale. Rather, it presents a story that gets kids thinking, and allows them to make their own decisions about what's right and wrong. Like many of Blume's books for children, Blubber it is written at a level that is perfect for upper elementary school students, and possibly even some middle school students. And that's exactly the time that they may be facing issues like bullying.
So, thank you Judy Blume, for good writing, books that are still relevant today, and, most importantly, books that keep kids engaged in reading.
Clearly, Blume isn't a hot new author on the literary scene. The copyright date for Blubber is 1974, which means it came out when I was just 7 years old. But do her tales endure? Absolutely. Her novels for children reflect the struggles of kids in the 1970s as much as they reflect them today. When we read her books as kids, we felt an immediate connection. When we read them as adults, we get how her stories are just as true for kids today as they were years ago. What a gift to be able to tap into kids' psyches - to really understand the dilemmas they face, and make them feel less alone. Blume has managed to tap in the universality of childhood experiences.
Blubber, for those of you who might not remember (I didn't) is a story about bullying. Linda is a sixth grader who is a tad overweight. She is mercilessly teased by her classmates, with number one bully Wendy as the ring leader. Jill, the main character, thinks nothing of getting in on the taunts. She has no remorse for it. In fact, she doesn't really even think about it and just jumps on the bullying bandwagon. But, throughout the story, you find yourself liking Jill, and knowing that somehow she will turn around. Indeed she does, but it takes a very painful lesson for the turnaround to happen. Blubber isn't a didactic tale. Rather, it presents a story that gets kids thinking, and allows them to make their own decisions about what's right and wrong. Like many of Blume's books for children, Blubber it is written at a level that is perfect for upper elementary school students, and possibly even some middle school students. And that's exactly the time that they may be facing issues like bullying.
So, thank you Judy Blume, for good writing, books that are still relevant today, and, most importantly, books that keep kids engaged in reading.