I read a lot. I really do. I check out 4 books from the library every week. Sadly, it's generally chic lit, or crime novels. I have read East of Eden, Uncle Toms Cabin and Watership Down and many other classics ... but given the choice, I would choose a Stephanie Plum or a book by Elizabeth Berg. Does that make me a bad person? No? Well then let me tell you more!!
3 of the 4 books I check out are fun, grownup reads. For the fourth, I sneak over to the young adult section and snag a book from my early teen years. It is fun to go back and reread some of these books that I was obsessed with in junior high. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it though. I am hoping that the librarians think that I have a preteen at home that hates me, since I generally have the babies with me.
This week, my closet choice was Judy Blume's Tiger Eyes. Even after 20 years, I could almost recite whole sections once I got into it. There is no telling how many times I have read that book. It took me about 4 hours of reading off and on, before I reached the end. I really hated for it to be over and was wishing I had some Freckle Juice, or Blubber or Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing... and I glanced over to the back jacket. You know, where it tells all about the author. "Mrs. Blume resides in blah blah and has two children in college..." So out of curiousity, I look at the copywrite... 1981. That was 24 years ago. Which means her children are possibly grandparents. And she is possibly a great gramma.
And not even taking that into consideration. Can you IMAGINE having Judy Blume be your grandmother?
"Oh honey, I noticed you were starting to develop breasts. Here, this book your nana wrote will tell you all about that, and about your period."
"Honey? I heard some strange moaning in your room last night. Were you masterbating? Its ok, its normal. In fact, here is a book your nana wrote that should help you not feel so embarrassed."
That would really suck. Especially 6th and 7th grade. Kids probably taunt them with the "we must, we must, we must increase OUR BUST" exercises. Poor things.
4 comments:
I love, love, love Judy Blume! I've read em all! I think I'll take a trip to the library later!
LMAO!!! I love Judy Blume too! I was more obsessed with Madeline L'engle. I read the entire Meet the Austins series and the Wrinkle in Time series. If you are looking for additional stuff, read those...soooooo good!
I love the idea of someone saying, "Here's a book your nana wrote about masturbation..." LOL
Actually, if you want a grown-up book, you could check out The Position, by Meg Wolitzer. It's about a family in the 70s--the parents write a Joy of Sex-type book, and after it's published the family starts to split apart.
I write book discussion guides for YA novels, and I'm always wondering what the librarians think of my reading material. :)
Tess
Haha. You want the Judy Blume of this generation? Find the "Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, or the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison.
I loved Blume and L'engle... and I sobbed countless tears over Peck's "The Day No Pigs Would Die", and S.E. Hinton's, "The Outsiders". And now as an adult, I admit to LOVING the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.
Of course, I'll read almost anything once, and I spend a lot of time working in jr high and high school libraries. LOL
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