yes, i just checked my birthday source, and it seems that judy blume was born 71 years ago today. (yeah, its hard for me to imagine her being that much older than me, too.) like, where do i start? i mean, seeing as how i turned 12 in 1984, it almost goes without saying that her books, almost all of them, we among my favorites. the ones i liked, i could read over and over again, almost indefinitely. i can't really remember the first one i connected with... now that i think about it, it was probably 'tales of a fourth-grade nothing,' about peter hatcher and his little brother fudge. and after that, they all seemed to fall at the same time. of course, there was 'are you there god, its me margaret?' ... then i know i read 'blubber,' 'otherwise known as sheila the great,' and the one i have pictured here, 'then again, maybe i won't.' i loved that one. well, i loved most of them. and we'd be here all night if i were to 'go down the list' and indicate which lessons each book taught me. but its safe to say i saw myself in every one of them... i had the same questions, doubts, fears, concerns, and secrets of the protagonists, whether they be margaret ann simon, tracy wu, or tony miglione. now, i must confess, i didn't go picture-diving specifically for a picture of the '...then again,' cover, its just that googling for the book covers, the versions i grew up with, is an act in virtual futility. all i see out there are cartoonish modern illustrations, with none of the deft stained-glassiness of the original j. scribner cover for 'freckle juice,' or that dreamlike purple cover for 'margaret' with the almost-woodcut feel to it... or that marvelous realist portrait of sally j. freidman, at her dressing table, pinning the flower behind her ear. no, those covers are very hard to find. but this one, although simple, is entirely charming and, like the novel, somewhat melancholy and lonely. also, it was the cover i grew up with. (see what i mean by '...i could go on and on?') so, happy birthday judy blume. and thank you for...well, you know.
1 comment:
This entry is so fab. The way those covers used to look were so indicative of how you actually FELT when you read them. Did you ever read Deanie? Or Tiger Eyes? I don't remember a lot of what I read as a child, but those books are so vivid still in my mind.
Judy Blume invaded all our minds, literally every one of our minds.
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