Growing Up with Judy Blume
Best books ever
I just finished reading Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, a collection of essays put together by Jennifer O’Connell. It was one of the most delightful books I’ve ever read. There are 24 essays from different authors who explain how Judy Blume’s books were instrumental in their formative years and beyond. I could instantly identify. Judy Blume understood me, heard me as a kid, when no other grownup in my life was willing to talk about, or just dismissed, things like puberty, friendships, and imperfect family relationships. She definitely had a hand in raising me and millions of others.
I was first introduced to her classic, Superfudge, in Ms. Barton’s 3rd grade class. Everyday after lunch, we would gather on the carpet for read-aloud time, my favorite part of the day. I was already an avid reader by then, having worked my way through Beverly Cleary, Carolyn Haywood, and the Choose Your Own Adventure series. I loved those books, and still do, but when Ms. Barton read Peter Hatcher’s honest thoughts about his friends, parents, and his annoying little brother, Fudge, I was hooked.
Superfudge was just the starting point. I dove into every Judy Blume book I could find from that point on. I started with those that were geared for my tender age at first: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Freckle…
