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backpackingbookworm's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm slowly working my way through Judy Blume's books, starting with Blubber.
This one is heavy on the bullying, where an overweight girl in the class does a presentation on whales and is then given the cruel nickname, Blubber. It's one of few books I've read where the MC (Jill) is part of the bully gang, which made it difficult to like/sympathise with her. The shoe is soon on the other foot though when Jill falls victim to the bullies and realises that she needs to break away from the clique and do what is right, rather than giving in to the peer pressure from the other bullies.
Blubber definitely isn't a 'nice' read, with it revolving around singling out a fellow classmate and subjecting them to embarrassing and cruel acts. My heart ached for Linda who couldn't do anything without being tormented for her weight. At first, I hated that the book was narrated through the eyes of one of the bullies (albeit not the ringleader) as it made me dislike her and all her cruel friends, but it was also refreshing to see bullying from a different perspective, especially when the bully became the victim. Jill went through a transformation after getting a taste of her own medicine, which made her more redeemable when she accepted her wrongdoing and vowed to change.
Despite its year of publication, I would definitely still recommend this one to middle graders as it shows the difference between right and wrong, with plenty of morals to takeaway.
Rating breakdown
This one is heavy on the bullying, where an overweight girl in the class does a presentation on whales and is then given the cruel nickname, Blubber. It's one of few books I've read where the MC (Jill) is part of the bully gang, which made it difficult to like/sympathise with her. The shoe is soon on the other foot though when Jill falls victim to the bullies and realises that she needs to break away from the clique and do what is right, rather than giving in to the peer pressure from the other bullies.
Blubber definitely isn't a 'nice' read, with it revolving around singling out a fellow classmate and subjecting them to embarrassing and cruel acts. My heart ached for Linda who couldn't do anything without being tormented for her weight. At first, I hated that the book was narrated through the eyes of one of the bullies (albeit not the ringleader) as it made me dislike her and all her cruel friends, but it was also refreshing to see bullying from a different perspective, especially when the bully became the victim. Jill went through a transformation after getting a taste of her own medicine, which made her more redeemable when she accepted her wrongdoing and vowed to change.
Despite its year of publication, I would definitely still recommend this one to middle graders as it shows the difference between right and wrong, with plenty of morals to takeaway.
Rating breakdown
- Plot/narrative - 3.6
- Writing style/readability - 3.5
- Characters - 3.2
- Diverse themes - 3.9
- Ending - 3.4
Overall - 3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Fatphobia
milliebrierley's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia