YA and Beyond discussion

Hey there! Decided to join this YA group since I teach literature in high school as well as run a YA book club at the school....Started THIS discussion because I am currently on a Judy Blume 'kick' and re-reading all of her classic stuff. A few questions= Who is your favorite Blume YA character? Mine is probably 'Sheila the Great' since as a kid, she felt most like myself. Also, to those who've read 'In the Unlikely Event' (I read it when it was released) didn't anyone else think it has the same FEEL as her older material? I thought so, and appreciated it. The main character's best friend, who goes on to become an author really reminded me of Nancy from 'Are You There God? It's Me...' Anyways, just a few of my thoughts as I am in the middle of a massive re-read of all things BLUME!

Hi Jennifer! I actually think the only Blume book I ever read was Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret :) I have extremely fond memories of it though.

I am HUGE Blume fan - I read and re-read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing about 100 times and actually just recently re-read it on audio awhile back. I loved Fudge when I was young - he doesn't have the same endearing quality now that I am older but he was one of my favorites back in the day. I also loved Sheila.

Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "Hi Jennifer! I actually think the only Blume book I ever read was Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret :) I have extremely fond memories of it though."

ASHLEY = That book helped me through puberty more so than my mother or school!! But, didn't it do that for almost EVERY girl??

HEIDI = Yes, my 1st Blume books were the FUDGE series, and later on, I appreciated these rare books with the main character being a boy for a change...I never did get how a little boy could 'swallow' a pet turtle, though! That always bothered me!

That bothered me a lot upon my adult re-read Jennifer! I don't know why it didn't bother me as a kid? I am super sensitive for animal's being hurt (even more than humans) so it is weird that I didn't seem to worry about it until I re-read it as an adult!

It wasn't so much the aspect of animal cruelty that affected me so much as it was the actual PHYSICS/MECHANICS of it all-- HOW could a toddler PHYSICALLY swallow a turtle??? LOL Still, love her work. Sheila Tubman IS me! She was the 1st character I ever read in a YA book as a kid who worried about everything as much as *I* did! She made me feel...less alone....less weird.

Sheila was great (get it!) hahaha