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Collection (3 Books) Deenie / It's Not the End of the World / Then Again, Maybe I Won't
Collection of 3 novels by Judy Deenie, It's Not The End Of The World and Then Again, Maybe I Won't.
164 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
4 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
Judy Blume
137 books11.8k followersJudy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, 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; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge. She has also written three novels for adults, Summer Sisters; Smart Women; and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year 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 the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other recognitions include the Library of Congress Living Legends Award and the 2004 National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
She is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; the Key West Literary Seminar; and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Judy is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom. Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980's she began to reach out to other writers, as well as teachers and librarians, who were under fire. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read. She is the editor of Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers.
Judy has completed a series of four chapter books -- The Pain & the Great One -- illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson. She has co-written and produced a film adaptation of her book Tiger Eyes, and is currently writing a new novel.
Judy and her husband George Cooper live on islands up and down the east coast. They have three grown children and one grandchild.
Judy received a B.S. in education from New York University in 1961, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 1996, the same year the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other recognitions include the Library of Congress Living Legends Award and the 2004 National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
She is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; the Key West Literary Seminar; and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Judy is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom. Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980's she began to reach out to other writers, as well as teachers and librarians, who were under fire. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read. She is the editor of Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers.
Judy has completed a series of four chapter books -- The Pain & the Great One -- illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson. She has co-written and produced a film adaptation of her book Tiger Eyes, and is currently writing a new novel.
Judy and her husband George Cooper live on islands up and down the east coast. They have three grown children and one grandchild.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 11, 2023
I bought this collection because I wanted my son to read Then Again and I hadn’t yet read the other two. I read It Isn’t the End of the World aloud to him and left him to read the other on his own. I finally got around to reading Deenie.
All in all these are 3 wonderful books typical of Judy Blume’s style. They all depict preteens just the way they are, we all are. She does not shy away from they concerns, no matter how controversial nor inconsequential they may be. She gives voice to those thoughts we all have had but didn’t know if they were normal. The answer is, “Yes.”
All in all these are 3 wonderful books typical of Judy Blume’s style. They all depict preteens just the way they are, we all are. She does not shy away from they concerns, no matter how controversial nor inconsequential they may be. She gives voice to those thoughts we all have had but didn’t know if they were normal. The answer is, “Yes.”
September 30, 2016
Deenie, Maybe It’s Not..., and Then Again were all well-written stories of children growing up into their teen years. What I found neat about the packaging of these stories was that all of the protagonists live in the same area, are around the same age, and go through the same realization: that some problems are completely out of their control. It was a similar dilemma that I had to (and am still learning to) deal with. In that same vein, these problems helped each of the characters mature, which made for good development. Upon learning that Deenie has to wear a brace to correct her spine, she gets into arguments with her parents, and becomes much more self-conscious. In Maybe It’s Not..., Karen attempts to salvage her parents’ marriage and learns the consequences. Tony in Then Again ponders the integrity of his family and peers after moving into a rich neighborhood — a stark change from his previous home in Jersey City.
The take-away with Judy Blume’s series is that, to an extent, all preteens go through these same problems. With Deenie it was self-esteem. In Maybe It’s Not..., it was relationships. In Then Again, it was morality and what defines right from wrong. The text was easy to read, and yet provided real-life experiences that would otherwise be embarrassing for twelve-year olds to talk about. This is a set of stories that I like to read every few years, to look at these characters and their stories from a new perspective.
That being said, the plotlines seemed very simple. I feel that, with some more fleshing out of the characters and the relationships between them, the stories could have been much stronger. The climax was hard to pick out or otherwise uneventful. Deenie, Karen, and Tony’s stories were wrapped in shiny wrapping paper, but the actual content was lacking in depth. I would recommend it to kids between the ages of ten and twelve, but anyone older might find these books somewhat unsatisfying.
The take-away with Judy Blume’s series is that, to an extent, all preteens go through these same problems. With Deenie it was self-esteem. In Maybe It’s Not..., it was relationships. In Then Again, it was morality and what defines right from wrong. The text was easy to read, and yet provided real-life experiences that would otherwise be embarrassing for twelve-year olds to talk about. This is a set of stories that I like to read every few years, to look at these characters and their stories from a new perspective.
That being said, the plotlines seemed very simple. I feel that, with some more fleshing out of the characters and the relationships between them, the stories could have been much stronger. The climax was hard to pick out or otherwise uneventful. Deenie, Karen, and Tony’s stories were wrapped in shiny wrapping paper, but the actual content was lacking in depth. I would recommend it to kids between the ages of ten and twelve, but anyone older might find these books somewhat unsatisfying.
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December 14, 2019I actually did enjoy the book because its a first person point of view of a teenager who lives quite a difficult life and the things that she goes through are some things that I can kind of relate to. Since the book is about a teenager who explains her life through this journal it is really eye catching since instead of being a story on a "perfect teenage life" its more of a realistic day to day basis. What the author did well was actually put themselves into the shoes of the teenager and it made the story sound like it was actually a teenagers journal. The main characters in this story were her family members and her friends from school, the friends at school made it more engaging because the main character had issues at home and she was kind of put to herself so her friends would question her but yet did not understand what she was going through at first. I wouldn't quite recommend this book to anyone but I would recommend this book to teenagers because its really interesting.
July 11, 2019
My mom has always been a big fan of Judy Blume. She gave me this collection when I was first starting 6th grade. I read every day during our silent reading time for months. It was my favorite book for years.
August 1, 2014
I can't remember ever reading Judy Blume as an adolescent. I found this book in our church library of all places (they do have a range of reading materials) and read through Deenie and It's Not the end of the World in a bit more than a day. Then Again,.. took a little longer.
I don't think I'll be reading any more of Blume's. My second grader kept asking if she could read it, while I was. I may let her, but not for several years. I can see why it's popular. Middle school can be pretty wretched and reading these might help a girl [or boy] feel she isn't the only one who's dealing with all this. I do also find the writing engaging, it pulled me in right away and reads very quickly. The endings always surprised me. It's partly because this is a collection so I can't physically see the end coming. But I feel very little resolution. Perhaps that it purposeful on Blume's part. The problems the kids are dealing with haven't ended. It can't be tied up prettily.
Deenie - I know most kids are experimenting with, or wanting, the attention of the opposite sex as their bodies are changing, and it's embarrassing to earnestly talk about. While the idea of a girl learning to be less selfish and kinder to others is a good lesson, I cannot encourage the side stories involving pointless and dangerous young teen "dating" (and I say that with a brief experience which I look back on as ridiculous), and the idea that masturbation (just that word is ugly) isn't at all harmful. I was however glad that Helen and Mr. Fenner finally stood up to Mrs. Fenner's attitude and ideas about her daughters.
It's Not the End of the World - I am thankfully from a loving, intact family. But I can sympathize with broken families, they are all around me. No, it's not the end of the world, people can carry on. I can understand that some ex-couples can get along better after divorce, but there are deep hurts that won't go completely away and it effects the relationships. I can't help but think of a blog I read by a single Christian mother called Not Consumed . She would say "the kids are not okay" and has written an ebook called Not a Statistic. I would want breaking families to find true help and guidance.
Then again, maybe I won't - Well I'm just mildly disgusted. The only good parts were Tony knowing Joel stealing was wrong, knowing his mother was ridiculous for her social climbing, and his love for his grandmother. Ugg. Otherwise, what was the point of this story? Are we supposed to think the end is funny? Or is it just supposed to be "normal". It isn't being wrapped up in a pretty bow that he's going to be a respectful young man.
I don't think I'll be reading any more of Blume's. My second grader kept asking if she could read it, while I was. I may let her, but not for several years. I can see why it's popular. Middle school can be pretty wretched and reading these might help a girl [or boy] feel she isn't the only one who's dealing with all this. I do also find the writing engaging, it pulled me in right away and reads very quickly. The endings always surprised me. It's partly because this is a collection so I can't physically see the end coming. But I feel very little resolution. Perhaps that it purposeful on Blume's part. The problems the kids are dealing with haven't ended. It can't be tied up prettily.
Deenie - I know most kids are experimenting with, or wanting, the attention of the opposite sex as their bodies are changing, and it's embarrassing to earnestly talk about. While the idea of a girl learning to be less selfish and kinder to others is a good lesson, I cannot encourage the side stories involving pointless and dangerous young teen "dating" (and I say that with a brief experience which I look back on as ridiculous), and the idea that masturbation (just that word is ugly) isn't at all harmful. I was however glad that Helen and Mr. Fenner finally stood up to Mrs. Fenner's attitude and ideas about her daughters.
It's Not the End of the World - I am thankfully from a loving, intact family. But I can sympathize with broken families, they are all around me. No, it's not the end of the world, people can carry on. I can understand that some ex-couples can get along better after divorce, but there are deep hurts that won't go completely away and it effects the relationships. I can't help but think of a blog I read by a single Christian mother called Not Consumed . She would say "the kids are not okay" and has written an ebook called Not a Statistic. I would want breaking families to find true help and guidance.
Then again, maybe I won't - Well I'm just mildly disgusted. The only good parts were Tony knowing Joel stealing was wrong, knowing his mother was ridiculous for her social climbing, and his love for his grandmother. Ugg. Otherwise, what was the point of this story? Are we supposed to think the end is funny? Or is it just supposed to be "normal". It isn't being wrapped up in a pretty bow that he's going to be a respectful young man.
May 28, 2008
I remember liking Judy Blume's books as a kid- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Fudge, etc. I expected something similar from the three books in this collection but was disappointed. I would not want my kids reading these three books because I don't agree with the views taught about sexual intimacy. The first book, Deenie, is about a superficial girl who learns to accept others for themselves when she is diagnosed with curvature of the spine. Sounds like it could be a good book, however, the book also discusses and supports masturbation. The third book, Then Again Maybe I Won't, talks about a boy who learns to deal with the pressures that come along with his parents new-found wealth. Not an interesting plot to begin with, but when you add masturbation,looking at porn, etc.(all okay in the author's point of view) to the plot, I quit reading. Needless to say, I didn't finish the books, don't recommend them, and wouldn't even give them a one star rating if you didn't have to give a rating for the book to show up on what is becoming my read/do-not read list.
March 7, 2014
The adventures of fudge.
Judy Blume has created a lot of books but this one is by far the best. This book won the book of the year a couple of years ago. So yeah, this goes to show you that this book is deserved to be read by all types of audiences. The book relates to real life scenarios. Meaning some siblings may have or had arguments with their siblings.
The book features two main characters in the book. The main character is a boy known as Fudge. Fudge is a young boy that is extremely hyper. His brother and him fight all the time in the book. The book is basically about trying to survive with an annoying sibling. The book goes into great detail about how there life is at home which is pretty crazy. Fudge basically ruins everything for his older brother. So this book is really good. I would recommend it to everyone!
By Chris De La Rocha
Judy Blume has created a lot of books but this one is by far the best. This book won the book of the year a couple of years ago. So yeah, this goes to show you that this book is deserved to be read by all types of audiences. The book relates to real life scenarios. Meaning some siblings may have or had arguments with their siblings.
The book features two main characters in the book. The main character is a boy known as Fudge. Fudge is a young boy that is extremely hyper. His brother and him fight all the time in the book. The book is basically about trying to survive with an annoying sibling. The book goes into great detail about how there life is at home which is pretty crazy. Fudge basically ruins everything for his older brother. So this book is really good. I would recommend it to everyone!
By Chris De La Rocha
April 15, 2013
Deenie was a really good book and it made me realize how hard growing up is for anyone. I would recommend this book to my little sisters since they are around the age of Deenie and the other characters.
June 18, 2009
these books were great but wen i read them i was mayb 10 or 11,the books were on subjects i didnt really hav anything in common with yet.
March 22, 2015
Loved ALL of Judy Blume's books. They got me through some really ruff times as a child. Thanks for being there Judy!
March 5, 2013
it was good
January 9, 2014
i love judy blume
May 27, 2014
Judy Blume is such a pioneer is literature for adolescents. I love and admire her work.
January 23, 2015
For as much as I loved reading Judy Blume back in the day I was pretty bummed when I didn't really enjoy these three books of hers. I don't recommend them.
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June 25, 2015All these books is by Judy Blume, who to me is an amazing author , hope you read her books.
June 23, 2013
My favourite books growing up. Judy Blume never fails to make her prose relate to young teens.
March 8, 2016
4 Stars!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews