Judy Blume

Judy Blume

 (Author Study)

“Are you there God, it’s me Margaret”

            For my author study I chose Judy Blume.  I have such a strong recollection of her books growing up I thought it would be interesting to read then since I have forgotten the stories over the past twenty years.

I began with the book “Are you there God its me Margaret”.  This was an endearing story of a 12 year old girl who moves to a new town and faces the struggles of fitting in, having crushes and puberty.  There is much humor in the book as well.  Like when she set up a girl group talk to discuss cute boys, measuring of their breast/bra sizes and most importantly if they had started their period yet.  There is also Margaret’s deep personal relationship with God, and how she questions if its normal to talk out loud to him as often as she does.  While a big part of this book is all of the growing pains a young girl experiences, it is also about Margaret’s search religiously.  She is said to of been half Jewish, half catholic, she is trying to find out where she belongs.

            When I researched why the author wrote this book I found that she felt like she knew Margaret, that she had experience the same adolescence.  The only exception was Judy didn’t have the same connection with God growing up as Margaret did. She gave Margaret the kind of relationship she wished she had.  This was an authentic book for Judy; one that she felt gave her, her loyal readers.

“Blubber”

            Linda Fischer, a chubby 5^th grader in Mrs. Minish’s class gains a nickname after doing a report on whales and explaining their “blubber” helps keep them warm.  Wendy, the character that dishes out more than her fair share of humiliating words and actions is just a spiteful girl who you wish would get hers in the end. Jill is a character who doesn’t necessarily want to be involved in the teasing, yet fears retribution and wants acceptance, so she participates in the cruelty.   

            Jill acts as the narrator of this book.  While it would seem that this book would be solely about Linda, it is actually about how all of these characters are connected.  While Linda never would stand up to Wendy, Jill eventually finds her voice and lashes out.  Subsequently ending the teasing, but putting right back where she began in the pecking order. Her mother warned her that the tables could easily be turned and she would be the one being picked on.  Jill was not a necessarily a character you felt sympathy for, however you did at times understand that she was just trying go with it.  Throughout the book you often find yourself saying if Linda would just take up for herself more Wendy would find someone else to pick on.  My heart broke for Linda as she is forced to eat chocolate covered ants and undress in the girl’s bathroom and countless other moments in the book.  Readers didn’t get the ending of justice or vindication for Linda.

            When I read up on why Judy Blume wrote this book I was surprised at the answer.  Judy said that this book was inspired by what happened in her son Randy’s fifth grade classroom.  She was appalled at what took place and how the adults never seemed to see anything or were in the room when it happened.  She wanted a book that didn’t sugar coat what type of cruelty was taking place in classrooms all over the country. She said that there is curse words in the book because there are curse words used in the classroom by these kids.  What I thought was very interesting was that it was said that in some areas this book is issued to new teachers to help understand classroom dynamics. I thought that was a wonderful idea.  Not everyone was impacted by bullying growing up, and some adults don’t think they should be in tune with what is happening socially with their students.  This book may give them a perspective that will potentially help some student in their class one day.

Super Fudge:

            Super fudge is the sequels to tales of a fourth grade nothing.  In this installment Peter is faced with all kinds of changes to his family.  His mother is pregnant and has a baby girl Tamara (tootsie), they move to Princeton and his little brother Farley (Fudge) is still driving him bonkers.  Although Peter is relieved that the baby is nothing like fudge, he is upset with all the attention she gets.  Peter and Fudge make new friends, even if Peter is less than thrilled that Fudge will be attending the same school.  Peter and Fudge navigate through their new (temporary) life; they hit a few bumps along the way but come out ready to return to their old life. There are so many small details, like how Peter develops a crush on a local girl Joann, and gets made fun of by his friends (who have not began liking girls yet).  His best friend Jimmy comes to visit where he makes fast friends with Alex, Peter’s new friend.  Fudge has his own drama, including making a stink in his new kindergarten class. When the teacher refuses to call him Fudge and he gets made fun of for his real name “Farley”, he acts out.  Eventually Fudge is moved to a classroom where the teacher doesn’t have a problem calling him by his nickname. 

            As I said earlier Judy wrote this book as a follow up to tales of a fourth grade nothing.  It took seven years before she began writing, mostly because she didn’t have any ideas of what to write.  She said that the idea of them having another baby and moving away for the year came out of the blue.  Once she had that part she was able to write the rest.  She got the original idea for the series from a newspaper article about a young boy who swallowed his pet turtle. Now years later there are five books in the series.

           

Benny and Penny in the Big No-No By: Geoffrey Hayes

Benny and Penny in the Big No-No  By: Geoffrey Hayes

Toon Books; New York

Copy Right; 2009

(Award Winner)

            Benny and Penny are mice brother and sister.  In this adventure they discover they have a new neighbor over the fence and soon after Benny realizes his pail is missing.  While peeking over the fence, Benny falls over into the yard.  Penny is quick to point out that it is a big no-no to go in a yard uninvited.   Defiant, Benny doesn’t care because they stole his pail and he is going to get it back.   That is when a mud sling flight ensues between Benny and the new neighbor girl.  Benny grabs his pail and jumps the fence to his yard.  That is when his sister discovers Benny’s bucket never was taken and laid in the sandbox.   Feeling bad they both climbed back over the fence and explained that why they took the pail and apologized.  They hose the mud off each other and become fast friends. 

            This book was written in graphic novel format. Young kids will really enjoy the delightfully illustrated pages.  It seems appropriate for kindergarten through second grade reading. This book reminded me of Franklin and Author books.  I was strongly reminiscent of a television show called Max & Ruby on Nickelodeon.  My text to self connection I made was growing up with siblings and the back and forth bickering between us.  Children will be able to relate to this story, especially if they have siblings or if they have ever rushed to judgment about someone new. 

So You Want To Be President By: Judith St. George

So You Want To Be President   By: Judith St. George

Illustrated by: David Small

Philomel Books; New York

Copy Right: 2000

            So you want to be president was a book that comprised quirky facts about past presidents and put them together in a humorous way. Its catch phrase is “if you want to be president then...it might help if you are named James. There have been 6 James, 4 Johns, and 4 Williams.   Eleven of the past presidents lived in log cabins, every past president has had siblings, and all but nine presidents went to college. There are so many facts about the past presidents and they are presented in a way that is easy to read.  Each page is illustrated in cartoon/watercolor style that lends to the humor of the book.

            There is something for everyone to relate to in this book.  It would be useful to students writing any type of presidential biography or giving a presentation.  Text to self connection for a student would be that most kids imagine what it would be like to be president and is it possible.  This book takes a entertaining approach to what we know about our history.  Text to text connection, I could not think of a presidential book that I had read that compared to this one.  The text to world connection was that our ever changing government is mirrored by so many of our fellow countries around the world.  We can all relate to the peculiar traits that are discovered about our elected statesmen.

Ellington was not a street By: Ntozake Shange

Ellington was not a street  By: Ntozake Shange

Illustrated by:  Kadir Nelson

Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers; New York

Copy Right: 1983

(Award Winner)

            While this would outwardly appear to be a beautifully illustrated children book, it actually is for an older audience.  While the story is simplistic you can’t understand it unless you read the back of the book and know who the people are that they are talking about.   This book is more of a tribute to particular men/groups in African American history.  The illustrations are amazingly striking.  There was color, textur and depth in every page.

            The text to text connection I found was in several books.  During one class period we read a book entitled “Martin”.  While that book solely talked about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, I felt that both of these books were written in homage to great men.  The text to world connection is that we all have people in our histories that impact our world as a whole.  It made me think of how what people do in our country to improve it, impacts how others regard us and learn from us.

The Mightiest Heart By: Lynn Cullen

The Mightiest Heart   By: Lynn Cullen

Illustrated By: Laurell Long

Dial Books For Young Readers; New York

Copy Right: 1998

(Traditional Literature)

            This story of Llyweyn a boy and his dog Gelert who were as close as could be until the boy grew into a man and had other responsibilities.  The dog was always loyal to his master even when he was banished from the house and away from his wife and newborn son.  Gelert the dog saves the infant from a wolf attack but not before he is mistakenly accused of the crime.  This is heart touching tale of a faithful companion. While the characters are real, as is the dog and location, the story is not known to be absolutely true.

            The text to self connection I found was in the bond between a pet and master.  My dogs are like my kids and I have a child so I understand the struggle we sometimes face when having to choose.  Like Llyweyn, my child would always come first, yet I would have just as much guilt over my animal as well.  This was a beautifully illustrated book and one that I feel everyone would enjoy.  I most enjoyed this book because it affected my emotions as I read the story.  So often we can read through a book and it has no effect on us, which was not the case with this book. 

Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that type By Doreen Cronin

Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that type  By Doreen Cronin

(Classroom Selection)

            Professor O read this book aloud to us in class and I enjoyed it so much that I read it again when I happened upon it at the library. It was such a cleverly funny book.  The plot of book is that cows typing demand letters to the farmer. Eventually in order to get the cows back to doing what they are suppose to the farmer relents to their demands in exchange for them giving up the typewriter.  Little did the farmer know that the cows would be turning over that typewriter to the ducks, and so begins the second installment of the series.  There was a humor to this book that both child and adult could enjoy.  The text to self connection as an adult was one of making demands and finding a way to get what you need.  This is defiantly a book I would want to pull out of my personal library to read to any future classroom.  I could see potential conversations starting from this book as well as writing assignments.

Junie B. First Grader at Last By: Barbara Park

Junie B.  First Grader at Last  By: Barbara Park

Illustrated: Denise Brunkus

Scholastic, New York

Copy Right: 2001

(Series Selection-5)

            Junie is no longer in room 9 with her favorite teacher.   She is a first grader with new kids in her room and a new teacher, Mr. Scary (only she is not scared of him).  This book is all about her becoming assimilated with new kids in her class and forming those new friendships.  There is also the acquisition of glasses by Junie that at first cause her turmoil.

            This was a great first book in the First grade series.  I enjoyed reading it, as did my daughter.  There were several instances for both adults and children to make text to self connection in this book.  Beginning a new class is something we have all done in our lives.  We all can remember the trepidation of starting something new and not knowing any of the people around us.