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cornmaven's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing reissue of a 1987 Blume novel. While the cover photo is current and perfect, Blume never took the time to update it. Some glaring examples:
-No cellphones, Internet, Skype or social media
- Stephanie's mom gets a VCR Jazzercize tape for a present
-Stephanie dreams of getting a Princess phone for Christmas/Birthday
- I don't know many 7th grade girls who would buy a poster of a young Richard Gere
- Stephanie's outfit choice for a school dance is not a 2015 choice
- No flu shots available to these upper middle class families
- The classroom banter is really today's 5th grade level
In fact, this reads like 1987, and kids have changed A LOT since then. The immersion into social media and the addition of cellphone addiction for 7th graders these days has changed them. Stephanie and Rachel's breakup? Why, that would have been plastered all over Facebook. The kids are mean, but not as mean as they really are in 7th grade these days. The kids in this story are more 2015 5th grade level. I don't know how this is going to speak to 7th grade girls these days, as the social issues are so much more intense. I think Rachel Vail's Unfriended did a better job of the friendship thing today.
While the issues are timeless, Blume really should have updated the details. And I really didn't like the casual acceptance of an affair during a separation. Stephanie had a right to be upset about that, imho, and there was little discussion about its wrongness. The parents were so wrong not to talk about their decision with their children, and Stephanie's reactions and feelings are warranted.
-No cellphones, Internet, Skype or social media
- Stephanie's mom gets a VCR Jazzercize tape for a present
-Stephanie dreams of getting a Princess phone for Christmas/Birthday
- I don't know many 7th grade girls who would buy a poster of a young Richard Gere
- Stephanie's outfit choice for a school dance is not a 2015 choice
- No flu shots available to these upper middle class families
- The classroom banter is really today's 5th grade level
In fact, this reads like 1987, and kids have changed A LOT since then. The immersion into social media and the addition of cellphone addiction for 7th graders these days has changed them. Stephanie and Rachel's breakup? Why, that would have been plastered all over Facebook. The kids are mean, but not as mean as they really are in 7th grade these days. The kids in this story are more 2015 5th grade level. I don't know how this is going to speak to 7th grade girls these days, as the social issues are so much more intense. I think Rachel Vail's Unfriended did a better job of the friendship thing today.
While the issues are timeless, Blume really should have updated the details. And I really didn't like the casual acceptance of an affair during a separation. Stephanie had a right to be upset about that, imho, and there was little discussion about its wrongness. The parents were so wrong not to talk about their decision with their children, and Stephanie's reactions and feelings are warranted.
angxie's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
sierralima's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
dembury's review against another edition
3.0
I've recently been revisiting Blumes work, and something that is just consistently holding them back for me (even if I remembering loving the book as a kid) is the constant fatphobia. I didn't remember it being so bad in this one but at one point it just ramps up and develops a really shitty narrative on 12-13 year-old girls bodies. Like, part of the "happy ever after" aspect is tied to Stephanie losing weight she gained? Her mom sends her with a boiled egg and carrots for lunch while trying to make her do exercise videos? Honestly the other topics and discussions in here are pretty solid, but I definitely wouldn't love putting this in the hands of the target age reader because of the body image aspects.
vegprincess's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I was older when this was published but had this been around when I was around 11 or 12, I would have loved it. It's a nice, fast gentle read, which I needed. It took me back in time to when I was growing up with my two best friends.
catheriner23's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book for the first time as a pre-teen in about 2003 or 2004. Seeing it become available on my childhood library's ebooks, I had to reread it! I'm not sure I'm glad I did. I found the characters a lot less relatable at this remove than I did as a pre-teen, but I can appreciate why I enjoyed it then.
Considering that the book was over 15 years old when I first read it and is now over 30 years old, it's aged remarkably well.
Considering that the book was over 15 years old when I first read it and is now over 30 years old, it's aged remarkably well.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
Adorbs. If I can talk Falon into reading it, I'll let her in a few years. One curse word.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
3.0
Wait, how am I, like, six chapters into this and I DO NOT remember reading it in 2010?
Why does this keep happening to me?
-----
I am 100% positive I did not read this book in 2010. Maybe I hallucinated that I did.
What a sweet book. It's gotten me on a Judy Blume kick now, especially since Overdrive seems to have gotten all of her audiobooks.
Now to avoid reading this again in 2018 for the first time.
Why does this keep happening to me?
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I am 100% positive I did not read this book in 2010. Maybe I hallucinated that I did.
What a sweet book. It's gotten me on a Judy Blume kick now, especially since Overdrive seems to have gotten all of her audiobooks.
Now to avoid reading this again in 2018 for the first time.
lamom77's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite as good as Judy Blume's classics, but still a nice story and opened up discussions with my kids.
daisy_angel75's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5