"Do not let anyone discourage you. If they do, get angry, not depressed." - Judy Blume
I had the
good fortune of hearing Judy Blume speak at an SCBWI conference a few years
ago. She was so optimistic and encouraging. As a child, I loved TALES OF A
FOURTH GRADE NOTHING. The book I remember reading when I was older is FOREVER (Pan Macmillan, YA), a
story about two teens who meet, fall in love, and they believe their love will
be enough to keep them together forever....until it isn't. The story was simple
but one, I imagine, that has parallels with a lot of true stories about firsts-
first loves, first time sex, first break ups, and first heartbreaks.
Have you read FOREVER? What book detailing a "first" do you recommend?
29 comments:
Thanks for following...I'm now following you also. :) I've not read FOREVER, but can relate to falling in love at 15 and marrying him at 18 thinking it was forever and then six years later we were divorced. I will never forget those emotions. We are still friends, thank goodness for the sake of our children.
I think I must be the only person to not have read much Judy Blume growing up!
Debbie
I have not read Forever I'm afraid. I have always been much more in to Fantasy and SciFI :). Going with that theme a great book for first contact is "Sentenced to Prism" by Alan Dean Foster - it's about a man discovering completely alien life forms on a planet called Prism.
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
I would love to hear her speak!
I remember reading FOREVER. I read it as an adult because I was a non-reader as a child. Teens have so much to learn. Beautiful story. Judy Blume is one of my favorite authors.
Reading your A and B at the same time Cynthia. I have never heard of these books but then I was brought up in the UK with authors like Enid Blyton although I tended to like boys books as they were classified. There was a series about Biggles an air pilot. Don't remember a lot about it now.
She is a great author indeed. Just when getting angry though, don't hulk out lol
I wrote about a Judy Blume book yesterday! These stories were so pivotal in my coming of age. I read FOREVER in my pre-teen years and remember hiding it under my bed! It was probably the first description of sex I'd read and certainly the first story of tenn love/longing. Great choice!
I'm not sure I read Forever, but I have read several other Judy Blume books. Neat that you got to see her speak; sounded interesting!
thanks for visiting :)
betty
http://viewsfrombenches.blogspot.com/
I've not read Forever, only Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, which when I read it as an adult felt so very young to me. I'm curious to give Forever a read, though, to see how different teen sex in novels was in the 70s versus now.
@HeatherJacksonW from
WriteOnSisters - Masterplots from A to Z
I'm afraid I've never read anything by Judy Blume.
My daughters love Judy Blume. Wait, maybe that's Judy Moody.Probably the latter.
I’m exploring different types of dreams and their meanings during the #AtoZChallenge at Stephen Tremp’s Breakthrough Blogs
By the way, I'm following your blog, too. Thanks for following mine.
I adored Judy Blume growing up and still do. She is inspirational. Especially, Just As Long As We Are Together! Hmmm... not sure what book to recommend for "Firsts" Keep up the great blogging!
(crying) (sobbing) My co worker, when I worked in a bookstore, brought me a signed copy of a book from NAIBA I think, where JB was speaking. Oh how I wept. #fangirl
Great choice! Judy Blume is part of many childhoods! So many classics.
Yvonne
Oh wow--I can't imagine getting to see Judy Blume speak. If she came to our regional SCBWI conference, the line to meet her would be a mile long. She's inspired so many!
Forever was such a big deal when I was growing up. Most of us had to sneak-read it. The irony is that it really advocates for safe sex, thoughtful sex, and going slow with relationships--approaches that most adults would probably *want* young adults to take.
The last time I read it, I thought many of the details were a bit dated, although the central story of falling in and out of love is timeless.
Going through my teens in the UK during the 1960s, the fare available to us was rather different - at least, what was available to me was. A pet saying later was, "If you can remember the 60s, you weren't involved." I can remember the 60s; need I say more?
Keith Channing A-Zing from http://keithkreates.com
Wonderful posts, Cynthia! I'm a big fan of the middle-grade and young-adult novels of author Holly Schindler, several of which deal with the huge milestones in the lives of kids and teens.
Well, the first science fiction book I ever read was Arthur C. Clarke's 'Childhood's End'. That made me realize that I loved the genre. Also I got my first job in Canada by writing a letter to the hiring manager. I got hired because she liked my writing in the letter, not my skills or whatever, but the writing of the letter. This woman encouraged me. BTW, new follower, nice to meet you!
I love Judy Blume but haven't as yet read this one. Now I will:-)
Terrific theme; one I know I'll enjoy following:-)
Judy Blume broke through many barriers. I remember how controversial her books were because they dealt with topics rarely written about for teens and tweens.
Such an inspiration to so many writers!
How wonderful to get to hear Ms. Blume speak! I read all her books when I was a kid. A lot of them more than once. :)
My daughter loved the Judy Blume books! How nice that you heard her.
Mary Montague Sikes
Notes Along the Way
The Artful Way
A theme after my own heart, Cynthia. I haven't read Judy Blume's books, but it is never too late, is it? :)
--Nimi
www.NimiArora.com
I never did read Forever, but I read quite a lot of Judy Blume. I was introduced to her in 4th grade by my 4th grade teacher when she read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing to us. She was a large part of my childhood.
Great theme! I read a lot in elementary school, but for some reason, I never read any of Judy Blume's books. I should give them a try someday. Thanks for visiting my blog with the A to Z :)
She is classic. Now I've read her latest adult book - really good. The woman can tap humans, that's for sure
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