I love Judy Blume, she was my favorite author when I was a teen. But this one didn't sit well with me. Maybe it was the word Blubber that still makes me shudder that did it in for me. ( )

An incredible book about the effects of bullying when the bullied don't actually bust a cap in someone's ass ( )

Wow, this book is creepier and meaner than I thought it would be. Also, the lead character is a bitch.I loved it. ( )

One of the most realistic accounts of elementary school bullying ever written. By choosing to tell the story from the viewpoint of neither the lead bully nor the victim, Judy Blume allows the incidents to be told in a much more raw manner without allowing for as much emotional interference. Jill's participation in senseless acts of torment against the common victim of the class enables children to question their own behavior when being integrated in a group which may or may not share their values.

The story does not follow a traditional structure in that it does not truly build toward a proper climax, but this also means that it is easy to follow, particularly for slower readers. Certain elements show that the book was written more than a few years ago (the mother smoking in her children's presence or the parents winding down in the evening with a Bloody Mary, for example), but the message, and the reflection it can lead to, is priceless. ( )

When the mean girl in Jill’s class targets another girl, nicknaming her “Blubber” and playing all kinds of mean pranks, Jill goes along with it, but what will happen when things go too far?

Man, children can be little monsters. Blume captures that in this book; she doesn’t pull any punches (and neither do some of the characters). Protagonist Jill isn’t particularly likable, but she’s a great study of how one can be drawn into bullying behavior even without specific negative intentions. I noted with interest all of the changes in the sorts of freedoms kids had at the time the book was written as compared to now. I’m not sure what modern-day kids would make of this story. I thought I had read it long ago, but maybe I missed this one? I don’t know if I’d recommend it to kids for pleasure reading, but I can see it being useful in an anti-bullying discussion, maybe paired with a more recent text. ( )