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kristinannie
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| Posted: March 16 2012 at 7:04pm | IP Logged
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I read a lot of her books when I was a kid and really liked them (except for Are you There God, It's Me Margaret). Anyway, I just saw a clip of her talking and was pretty horrified by what she had to say. Is there a proabortion stance to her books or is it just a personal opinion she holds? I really can't remember the specifics of the books since I am old and it is has been a long time since I read them.
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Erin
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| Posted: March 16 2012 at 7:24pm | IP Logged
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Kristinannie,
I would suggest that if you were to re-read these books as a mother you might feel differently about them. I do indeed remember her books, in partiuclar the one that we thought we were so cool to pass around the playground (our librarian redlined that book - this meant those under Grade (9?) couldn't read it, but we did  ) well I only read bits because I knew it wasn't decent, but it is still burned in my brain 
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ShannonJ
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Oh my! This is quite disturbing. I am so very glad you brought it up since I don't remember them too well, but tend to allow most books that I read as a child without previewing.
Here is an article regarding her banned books.
Wikipedia
Looking at the lists though, I don't think I read any of the challenged books. I wonder what undertones are in the books for the younger years? I do remember reading SuperFudge. Judy Blume's website has a pretty detailed description of each of the books too.
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Grace&Chaos
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Kristinannie, like you I probably read many of her books growing up (even the one's in question  ). But Erin is right sometimes you re-read something and it triggers red flags. I think I let my oldest read a couple of the Fudge books but honestly there is just so much better literature I've learned about since that I can easily categorize her books as twaddle now or the very least an author I can pass up.
I just have such a rich selection and so little time . I also find it interesting that my oldest will sometimes point out to her sister titles that she recommends; Blumes haven't been brought up 
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kristinannie
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| Posted: March 16 2012 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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Reading that article made me remember that I have read Forever. I remember the Ralph nickname. That has always stuck in my mind. I think you guys are right. There are better books by better authors. We don't need to waste our time on these. I am going to be more careful with the books I read as a child. The Little House books are still OK, aren't they? 
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| Posted: March 16 2012 at 9:02pm | IP Logged
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Oh, boy. I specifically remember sneak-reading "Forever" when I was in 7th grade. We all passed it around. Holy moly, that book lays it all out there--teen sex, planned parenthood, contraception are all portrayed as a normal and positive part of healthy, *responsible* teen life. And as my mom was non-religious I had no one to tell me otherwise so I bought it all, hook line and sinker. I can't tell you the damage it caused to my young, susceptible soul.
Now that I am a mom and a Catholic I understand how very insidious and dangerous this kind of book can be and I sure as heck wouldn't want my kids reading that garbage.
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kristinannie
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| Posted: March 16 2012 at 9:09pm | IP Logged
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I don't think my mom even questioned me reading that book since she was familiar with some of her books for younger kids. I remember feeling really embarrassed when reading it. I had completely forgotten about it until now!
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Yep read all of those on the banned list. To be honest, I'm like so green on most things...even to this day I just don't "get" stuff...which now I know is a good thing!
I remember some of the Blume books but my mom even let me read every.single. VC Andrews books...now those, I remember. YIKES! 
When I try to talk to my mom about it, she just says "I was so glad you wanted to read. I didn't know they were bad. They were in the grocery cashier line." This coming from the mom who had a big old Danielle Steele novel in front of her face (never read one of those) all the time. I can guarantee you she wouldn't have thought anything was wrong with Blume. I think my mom equated her with Cleary in my house.
I think books can be worse because even though the screen medias give you a picture, conjuring up the image on your own in your mind can be more searing, if that makes sense.
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Erin
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| Posted: March 16 2012 at 9:48pm | IP Logged
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Forever was the one I was referring too Talk about making a public Confession here
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| Posted: March 17 2012 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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kristinannie wrote:
| Reading that article made me remember that I have read Forever. I remember the Ralph nickname. That has always stuck in my mind. I think you guys are right. There are better books by better authors. We don't need to waste our time on these. I am going to be more careful with the books I read as a child. |
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Oh, that's so true, and I couldn't agree with you more! My own experience was much like Theresa's, and I can't begin to tell you the damage the exposure to those attitudes and thoughts wrought.
Fortunately, we have an extraordinary banquet of amazing children's literature to choose from in offering to our children....so much that it breaks my heart that we can't choose it all sometimes! I'd walk MILES in the middle of a downpour to get to Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Sidney, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Carol Ryrie Brink, Frances Hogdson Burnett, Elizabeth Enright, Willa Cather, the Bronte sisters, Austen, Thackeray.....before I'd ever reach for Blume.
I think if you're looking for sibling fun you can find that in much more beautiful, realistic and humorous writing in Rebecca Caudill's Happy Little Family series, but there are others, too, like Hilda Van Stockum's The Mitchells series or Elizabeth Enright's, The Saturdays, and sooooo many more!!!
If you're looking for coming of age books for a young lady, there are the classics: Little Women and Rose in Bloom, Anne of Green Gables....oh mercy, I could go on and on!!!
This was a great question to ask, Kristin! I'm glad you brought it up!
kristinannie wrote:
| The Little House books are still OK, aren't they? |
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absolutely!!! 
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UGH! I wish I had never read her books. I will not allow our girls to read such poison. I spend a lot of money on good books, so my girls won't easily pick up something at the library, because they "don't have anything to read."
I always have a stash in my closet for different occasions and emergency situations.
I read all the time when I was young, but my reading list was self-guided. i.e. whatever was popular at the time.
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St. Ann wrote:
I read all the time when I was young, but my reading list was self-guided. i.e. whatever was popular at the time. |
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Me, too. I can't even begin to tell you the things I "learned" from reading some of the Stephen King novels my mother had hanging around.
I never did read Forever, but I did read Are You There, God, It's Me Margaret? in seventh grade. I never knew Judy Blume wrote those kind of novels, when I was younger. Is this really the same author who wrote Freckle Juice?!
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kristinannie
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| Posted: March 17 2012 at 10:13am | IP Logged
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KackyK wrote:
I remember some of the Blume books but my mom even let me read every.single. VC Andrews books...now those, I remember. YIKES!
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I read the first few of those VC Andrews books too until it got too much for me to stomach.....
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I read a Judy Blume book as a child (don't remember the title) and was shocked. It presented something that the Church teaches to be immoral as perfectly normal.
A pro-life leader in our community shared Judy Blume's pro-abortion views with me and when I told him that it didn't surprise me because of a book that I had read by her, he was surprised. He had always assumed that her books were okay for children.
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JennGM
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My mother was informed about Judy Blume and banned them, but I snuck one or two, and "friends" at school shared some passages from Forever which had just come out when I was in 7th grade, I believe. What garbage, and sadly, those experiences are emblazoned on my brain. It speaks highly on what we read makes a lasting impression.
I was taking a Children's Literature class at Franciscan University of Steubenville. It was a sweet elderly teacher, and she wanted us to review an author or children's books and write a report. She had a list, and included was Judy Blume.
I was disappointed in that selection, and so met with her, and briefly explained the problems in the books. She was intrigued, and so told me to write a report about that, so I did. Afterwards she told me she had NO idea the books carried such content. They were recommended on librarian's list and she didn't question (nor did she read them). That was a watershed moment for me, realizing that all children's books and librarians and libraries and what they suggest would not have the same criteria as I. I did not realize before that point there were recommendations put out. But now I know, and it helps to be on guard.
I'd say Judy Blume has the "I'm okay, you're okay" type of attitude. She recognizes that children going through puberty and early teenage years are going to have awkwardness and difficulty feeling normal. She tries to bridge that gap, but she disregards morals and parents and just goes directly to the child. Her approach is crass and crude. She takes the reader down to a gutter level.
The crux for Catholic moms to realize is that she introduces immoral behavior as normal and acceptable. Are You There God, It's Me Margaret is supposed to help a young girl as she's going through the awkwardness of her changing body, but it brings in masturbation as okay. Forever, as pointed out in the article, deals with premarital sex as normal and usual and completely acceptable. The book is supposed to help bridge those first time nervousness, instead of helping the child sort through the morality of the issue.
Even the books that didn't deal with sexual morality, the crudeness and rudeness of characters presented -- there is no respect or human dignity.
I think if Charlotte Mason were to give a grade of these books, they would receive a Twaddle ++++, Twaddle of the worst kind, and religious grade would be in the garbage.
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kristinannie
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Thanks, Jenn. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated! My mom actually gave me a copy of Are You There God, It's Me Margaret for my birthday one year. I am sure that she had no idea what she was handing to me. I actually remember where I was when I was reading that book and Forever. They really did stick in my mind. It's good to have this information so we can protect our kids from these types of books. Everyone is right...there are so many wonderful books to waste any time on twaddle, especially this kind of twaddle.
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Topic: Judy Blume
