Next Judy Blume

The copy I read

Ah Judy Blume. That woman is the most monumental part of every woman's teenhood. Including mine. My book of choice was Deenie, once I left middle school. I was a victim of scoliosis and was plagued with this thick plastic back brace which I stabbed with scissors and knives many times. Yes, I am a little psychotic. Do not judge until you wear one for three years, in middle school and especially during the summer. It was a terrible time.

Judy Blume

My mother and I were talking this morning about what I plan to happen at the showcase. More importantly talked about after. "I could see you as the next Judy Blume" My mom said in response to my worry over the riskay parts of Samantha's promiscuous life. Then we got to talking about how Judy Blume had some of those. The book your parents frowned upon because it talked about S-E-X. Of course this made the girls want to read it even more. Then I remember my mother not wanting me to read Forever when I was in the 6th grade. I ended up reading it, I think. And my mom made a good point about those books ending up being read the fastest because you don't want to get caught. Sounds good to me from the author perspective.

Reading about the life of a young girl who has everything you want or is hoping for them too is thrilling in a way. You vicariously live through the character. I can't tell you how many times I have with Samantha. As the author and the reader. Then I think about all the screwed up things that have happened to her and rethink it. Even so, sometimes imagination is better than reality. No matter how bad things get. Why is that? I'm thinking it's cause you know you can get up and stop reading versus not living your life anymore.

"Life problems" seem so great when we're young. I remember how badly I wanted to have a boyfriend when I was in middle school. Oh man, it was bad. Crushes every week. Doodling names (Yes, I did that. Selena Cabrera haha) and talking with my friends about how he brushed beside me. It was invigorating and brought many of us to life. A little sad but true. Now, I'm like "Eh whatever". I don't need that to brighten my world. Still every once in a while a good dose of imagination helps me come back to my youth a bit.

Summer is coming if you haven't noticed. And something that kind of became a tradition on it's own for me is a Summer Reading list. As we all know, I am a VERY slow reader. Just ask author Rachel Resnick. But over the Summer I really try hard to read once a day. I guess all those Summer reading lists from when I was a kid in New York City rubbed off. We used to have to read 25 books, and would kick-start in the Summer to get ahead. It never quite worked for me. It's when I became a professional skimmer. Haha. I'm so bad. I do like reading secretly, it just takes me a long time because I take in every word and every sentence. Am I the only one? Either way, I challenge everyone to pick a couple of books that are in your house and you haven't finished. We all have bookcases full of books we haven't even read the first chapter of. Pick one of those. Maybe 3. And as a treat, maybe buy a 4th one you really want to read. However you want to do it is fine. Just pick out some books and challenge yourself to read them. Maybe one can be mine *wink wink*.