Monday

Then Again, Maybe I Won't

A teacher at school decided that she was tired of just talking lesson plans & curriculum with us, her coworkers. Being a person of action, she got a book club together. Our inaugural book is Everything I Needed To Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume. It's a collection of essays written by female (duh) authors. I've read about ½ of the essays and I've been quite surprised. I loved Judy Blume books. I have such fond memories of them. Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself was my absolute favorite, if my memory serves me correctly. I remember Forever... being risque and quite the talk of the school. I remember Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret talking about changes a girl goes through in her pre-teen years. But, I didn't remember Deenie or Then Again, Maybe I Won't having some, um, awkward paragraphs. Either I didn't understand what was being mentioned or they just didn't make an impression on me. I am one to forget a book once I've picked up another book to read.

I find it interesting that I read these books when I was around Lamb's age or younger. My mom had no idea what information I was reading. Working in a school, I read all sorts of young literature along with the adult books I enjoy. I like to know what the kids are reading or be able to recommend a good book to them. That might not always work in Lamb's favor. I don't read every single book Lamb reads. I don't have the desire to do that at all. But, there are times when I have read a young adult lit. book and decided that it wasn't appropriate for her. I picked up Gossip Girl when I heard it was being made into a t.v. show. I thought it might be fun for Lamb & me to read and then watch the show. I read the first page and knew that Lamb would not be reading it (after the fact, I happened to look on the back cover and in very fine print it says it's for ages 15 & up). She was disappointed but she has something to 'look forward to' reading when she's 25. ;) There are some cases where I introduce her to books she absolutely loves. Harry Potter comes to mind. And, recently, the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. She absolutely can't wait until the next book comes out next summer. Both books were not anything I thought we'd be remotely interested in until all the talk made me curious. Both books sat on my nightstand for MONTHS before curiosity got the best of me. Once started, I couldn't put them down. Same for Lamb.

I kinda lost my train of thought. My sinuses are winning the fight against my grey matter. I'm not sure where I meant to go with this. Other than I wonder if I would have been allowed to read those Judy Blume books if my mom had read them 1st or knew what was written between the covers of the books? And, then again, maybe I'm glad that she didn't.

6 comments:

Stacey said...

Oh D I wanted to read those books sooo badly...but my mom wouldn't let me read a single one! Interestingly enough some of the most risque novels I ever laid eyes on I found in her nightstand!

I used to adore reading, this makes me want to get back to reading for fun. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, To Kill A Mockingbird, all the Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and Gertrude Chandler Warner books took me far away. Oh and Ruth Chew, I was a big Ruth Chew fan earlier. xo

Jillie Bean (AKA Bubba's Sis) said...

I read all those Judy Blume books - even Forever! I remember hiding it inside another book so my mom wouldn't know I was reading it! I don't think Daughter has read any Judy Blumes - maybe Blubber. I'll have to ask her. Fortunately she loves the "fantasy" books, too - not the ones about real-life teen issues!

Patois42 said...

It occurs to me that Judy Blume might be the perfect author for my daughter to start in on when she gets a tad older. I do want to run out and read the book you're reading in your book club. Now if my gray matter could retain that thought long enough for me to actually make it to the library with my youngest lad in tow. I can always hope.

D... said...

Patois, I hope you retained the thought. The essays have been pretty entertaining so far.

Bubba's Sis, Lamb has read quite a few JB books, just not the specific informative ones I mentioned. She enjoyed them, but not as much as I did, I don't think. But, then again, I wasn't as eclectic a reader as she is.

Stacey, can you believe I've never read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn OR To Kill a Mockingbird? I do have TKAM on my nightstand tho. I just haven't started it yet.

coastie bro said...

my daughter is reading to kill a mockingbird now. i agree with you a think a parent should read soem of the books their kids are reading. naot to just check on what they are reading but so they can talk about them. Pumpkin has read Where Red Ferns Grows (my fav) and Outsiders and she will ask questions bout them. I have read JB books adn Captain Underpants. It is just good bonding with your kids.

D... said...

I knew Where the Red Fern Grows was your fav so I ordered it for Bear out of a book order. Lamb was horrified. "You can't let him read that! You know what happens don't you? It's way too sad!" She didn't love it as much as you.

It is good bonding with the kids. I really love being excited about a book with them. Bear has even gotten Big D to read! They love the Alex Rider series. Bocephus might enjoy them too.

And, what JB books have you read????