Blubber

Oct 11, 2007

Dawn rated it

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The genius of this book is not that it doesn't impart any moral, it does, but it does so subtly, without condescension. There's no comeuppance for the ringleading bully, no adult interference to save the tormented. Hell, the girl who is picked on isn't all that sympathetic. It's a dark little book, and the darkness works beautifully.

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May 29, 2007

Alise Scheeler rated it

If you were fat as a kid, and you didn't read this book, we can no longer be friends.

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May 07, 2008

Gigi rated it

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Shelves: childrens

I was at the library with my children yesterday when I noticed the Judy Blume books. I loved Judy Bloom when I was younger. So I thought it would be interesting to reread some of them again. Blubber is the one I read last night. I remember when I read it the first time that I really related to the main character, Jill. It is about a 5th grade class who begins to pick on Linda who is overweight. This is day in and out teasing-harassing. Then one day Jill gets on the wrong side of one of the main ...more

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Apr 12, 2008

Claire rated it

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Shelves: kids-and-ya

My signed copy of Blubber is one of my most prized possessions. This is an honest and sometimes painful to read portrayal of bullying. It does not wrap up neatly, as few real-life bullying situations do, but it does have some important lessons. After reading this book, it is comforting to find Judy Blume's personal note about why she wrote it:
"I wrote Blubber because bullying is often kept a secret by the kids who see it happening, and even by the person who's being bullied. Being bull...more

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Mar 30, 2008

Karly 8-22 rated it

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The book Blubber is realistic fiction written by Judy Blume. The main characters Jill and Tracy are best friends that are inseparable in Mrs. Minish’s 5th grade class. They love to collect stamps and hang out.
When one of Jill and Tracy’s classmates, Linda who is very shy and doesn’t have many friends, give their report on whales she gets made fun of. She was talking about how whales have blubber and that a flenser is a person who strips the blubber. When a note gets pa...more

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Nov 03, 2007

Vesra (When She Reads) rated it

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Shelves: borrowed, 2007

The story is surrounds the experiences of being a bully and being bullied by them. The main character is Jill, who is in the group of girls who bullies this girl, Linda who they dubbed as "Blubber" because of her essay about whales. It grew from just an inside joke to the rest of their peers, making Linda's life a living hell.

I spent reading this book emotionally. I actually feel like wringing some of the characters' necks! This would be one of the good books out there to i...more

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Jan 18, 2008

George added it · review of another edition

I recently decided to ready this book again. I liked that Judy Blume was a stickler on realism. Linda who was dubbed "Blubber" was the target of (5th grade mafia, led by a future corrione or soprano queen Wendy) Jill was like the kid who the most mild of the bullies and actally hung out with her oriental frined Tracy who was in another class..

Anyways, as seen thru the eyes of Jill, we can tell that she is getting fed up with Wendys attitude. Especially after she started mak...more

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Mar 11, 2009

K Nolfi rated it

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I read this last night. I remember reading it when i was in 2nd or 3rd grade and being really upset about the book. Especially the "strip her" scene. It's an intense upsetting book.

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Jan 22, 2012

Ira syarif rated it

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Shelves: kids

percaya atau tidak ini adalah novel pertama yang saya review seumur hidup saya. waktu itu saya kelas 2 SMP dan ditugaskan membuat review novel. berbeda dengan teman2 saya yang meminjam buku dari perpustakaan macam novel klasik siti nurbaya dan sebagainya (entah beneran siti nurbaya atau bukan) saya memilih novel populer ini untuk direview. kenapa? karena untuk ukuran anak kelas 2 SMP ini adalah buku yang sempurna untuk dikritik sekaligus di sanjung :D

menceritakan tentang Jill Brener ya...morepercaya atau tidak ini adalah novel pertama yang saya review seumur hidup saya. waktu itu saya kelas 2 SMP dan ditugaskan membuat review novel. berbeda dengan teman2 saya yang meminjam buku dari perpustakaan macam novel klasik siti nurbaya dan sebagainya (entah beneran siti nurbaya atau bukan) saya memilih novel populer ini untuk direview. kenapa? karena untuk ukuran anak kelas 2 SMP ini adalah buku yang sempurna untuk dikritik sekaligus di sanjung :D

menceritakan tentang Jill Brener yang duduk di kelas 5 dan punya seorang teman yang selalu jadi bulan-bulanan di sekolahnya bernama Linda Fischer. Linda sebenarnya tidak terlalu gemuk walaupun cukup gemuk. suatu kali Linda menulis tentang Ikan Paus untuk tugas biologi tentang mamalia. Dan dia menyebutkan bahwa Blubber adalah lapisan lemak yang melindungi ikan paus dari suhu dingin.
Dua anak terpopuler Wendy dan Caroline lantas berinisiatif untuk mem-bully Linda dengan sebutan "Si Blubber, Ikan Paus Bau" dan Jill demi rassa setia kawannya pada Wendy da Caroline ikut2an mengejek Linda. Banyak sekali kemalangan Linda yang disebabkan karena keengganannya untuk membela dirinya sendiri.

Tapi bagaimana ketika Jill harus berada di posisi Linda. apakah dia harus bersikap seperti Linda yang pasrah untuk selalu dikerjai teman satu kelasnya, atau dia harus bertindak seperti Tracy, sahabatnya yang meninju seorang anak di kelasnya yang mengejek ras mongolianya.

Banyak ekspektasi saya dibuku ini tapi saya harus kecewa. Mrs. Blume menulis dengan gaya orang pertama sehingga mau tidak mau pembaca jadi terkesan tidak netral. saya membenci diri saya sendiri (aku) ketika harus ikut-ikutan mengerjai Linda. endingnya pun jauh dari harapan walaupun memang hidup biasanya tidak selalu seperti sinetron dengan aspek hukuman dan jera. ketika saya SMP dulu rasanya tidak adil, dan saya merasa buku ini miskin muatan moral. tapi sekarang mungkin agak bisa dimengerti. pesan yang mungkin ingin disampaikan oleh penulis adalah
jangan pernah membiarkan orang lain menentukan nasib mu, karena kamu berhak dan memiliki kekuatan untuk mengatur hidupmu. dan itu hanya dapat terjadi jika kamu berani memulainya (less)

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Jan 02, 2012

Vlad rated it

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Jill is an ostensibly innocent spectator to her friend Caroline and several others bullying Linda, a fat girl. This goes on for most of the book, with Caroline constantly proving herself a more fearsome, expert bullier than anyone I've ever met in life. (Boys, teenagers, and TSA personnel included) Eventually, there is a major change in Linda's social status, and it's handled about as gracefully as a pregnant elephant performing ballet on a frozen lake.

I remember having to read th...moreJill is an ostensibly innocent spectator to her friend Caroline and several others bullying Linda, a fat girl. This goes on for most of the book, with Caroline constantly proving herself a more fearsome, expert bullier than anyone I've ever met in life. (Boys, teenagers, and TSA personnel included) Eventually, there is a major change in Linda's social status, and it's handled about as gracefully as a pregnant elephant performing ballet on a frozen lake.

I remember having to read this book in 3rd grade and absolutely despising it. It has the usual Judy Blume flaws; poor, clumsy use of language, with the convenient cop-out that she's writing from the first-person perspective of a semi-literate, pre-pubescent girl.

It's also peppered with irritating personal details about the narrators' lives that are supposed to be funny or quirky, but come across as lame, hokey, and forced.

However, the main sin of this book is much worse. One so vile that most of Judy Blume's other works actually manage to avoid it. Namely, it has no point.

What exactly are we supposed to get from Caroline bullying Linda? The book never makes any over-arching statement on the matter. Nothing about the mindset of the bullier, the victim, what to do, how it can change, or anything of the sort. Instead, all we get is a dry, boring account of the bullying.

Even the defense of "realism" doesn't work, because as mentioned above, Caroline is just so laughably unrealistic in her bullying ability. It's not that she's too mean either, but that she's far too smart and sophisticated with her tactics.

The bullies I've encountered in life were never subtle or intelligent. They were just nasty and relentless.

Which, incidentally, Caroline is not.

So what else do we have? The idea that bullying sucks? Well sure... and two plus two makes four.

So essentially, Blubber is a poorly written book with lousy jokes and irrelevant trifles, fails at realism, has an awful conclusion, and possesses no real point.

Avoid it like the plague. (less)

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Sep 15, 2011

Kristen rated it

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Are you ever picked on at school by popular kids? Have you ever felt that teachers are out to get you? If so the novel, Blubber, by Judy Blume is for you. Blume often writes relistic middle level storys which many students can connect to their own life. Blume always add humor into a real life situation, like bullying. This book showed many things that I remember from my fifth grade classes.
I felt this book showed a realistic view of students picking on other children. The parents...more

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Apr 29, 2011

Amy Flink rated it

I first read this book when I was 9 and loved it and laughed in spite of myself. I knew it was very mean and cruel. As I reached the climax I suddenly realized that what was happening in the book to the victims (Linda "Blubber" and later Jill) was happening to me all the time with my groups of friends from the time I started school! Even preschool and in neighborhood situations, sadly enough. I have been at the middle (like Jill) and bottom (like Blubber) of the pecking order in clique...moreI first read this book when I was 9 and loved it and laughed in spite of myself. I knew it was very mean and cruel. As I reached the climax I suddenly realized that what was happening in the book to the victims (Linda "Blubber" and later Jill) was happening to me all the time with my groups of friends from the time I started school! Even preschool and in neighborhood situations, sadly enough. I have been at the middle (like Jill) and bottom (like Blubber) of the pecking order in cliques so I know what it's like. I have been picked on, beat up, tortured, teased, bullied. I was shy and quiet but more outspoken then the passive Linda "Blubber" in the book.
The victim Blubber is portrayed as a bland character with not much to stay who lets people walk all over her so she becomes a victim.
A few of these reviews sound very mean and almost sick by saying this was a "funny book" about a group of animalistic kids ganging up on someone. I get the impression that those reviews were written by very young readers. I don't recommend this book for young readers at all because of that. They may not understand it. (believe me, i didn't entirely either when i first read it at 9 either!)Also readers too young to understand feelings of others may copy the bad things about the negative characters (Wendy and Carolyn, the follower) like I did at times when I was young (I felt bad about it later and found myslef on the receiving end afterwards). Also the fact that some may not like the idea of a somewhat un-satisfying ending which is disturbing to younger readers.
I didn't get the point at the time, but the reason Linda is singled out as a victim is not just due to her weight (although doing a report on a whale may have opened her up to ridicule), contrary to popular belief. If you read chapter 1 about when Jill introduces us to Linda as she is giving her whale report, you notice she just mentions Linda as the "pudgiest girl" in the class but says she's not the largest kid in the 5th grade; there's students who are fatter but not singled out as victims. So obviously that's not the thing that makes her the target. Apparently she's at the bottom of the pecking order because of her lack of personality and initiative.
Wendy the ringleader is this overpowering, very pushy, aggressive manipulator. I knew quite a few "Wendy"s in my time. They're the people in who are sorta the homewreckers in your circle of gradeschool friends. They disrupt the peace and break up your friendships by stealing your friends. This book sorta hit home with the issue of loyalties with childhoold friendships and friction between them. I admire Jill and Tracy for standing together. Tracy was so good to Jill even if she probably didn't always agree with what Jill's inappropriate behavior. I had a friend like Tracy who defended me when I was being bullied and kept track of my abusers to tell my mom so we could report it.
A lot of time the "Wendy"s get their way even with adults if they're allowed to. I knew a juvenile delinquent who beat me up and mostly got her way even when I ended up taking her to court on charges of harassment and battery.
One reviewer stated that there is nothing adults/teachers/principals/school authorities, etc. can do and please, please please listen. I hope y'all will please read this. I am not criticizing anyone but I've been to hell and back. Trust me and don't believe the lie that there's nothing they can do and it's just up to the individual. You can't do it alone and feel like an outcast. It is the teacher's job to protect you and they are getting paid anyway. It sickens me to think of all the teachers striking for months on end in some areas. Some do deserve it if they're good teachers but they aren't even working an 8-hr shift and get weekends and vacations, and what about the ones who won't protect their student's? They need to wake up and pay attention to what's going on around them in class. Teachers need to be tuned in to the students and be on the ball.
For this reason I'm glad Judy wrote this book because in jr high and high school I was harassed and wondered why! I was average size in grade school but picked on in jr high when i put on a few lbs. yet I'd see larger girls who apparently weren't victimized. I tried being loud and boisterous to be popular and that didn't work so I tried being quiet as a mouse and they still teased me--could not figure it out!! It wasn't the weight that was an issue! I read an interview with Judy Blume on Blubber and she explains that Linda was passive and kind of brought it on herself; She didn't stand up for herself. I was like that at times and needed to learn to do that. PLEASE do not fall for the lie that children "Ask for it". At school, very often when I'd go to teachers or principals for help and they acted uninterested, their response was that I must have done something to provoke the behavior. This is baloney. The truth is you have a right to an education free of harassment and torment. Some say it's just life and you can't expect much more but that is a crock. Life doesn't have to be like that! Believe me, I have had wonderful teachers who knew how to meet student's needs and teach respect and then again I've had bad teachers with no control and it was chaos. I've seen the good, bad and ugly so i'm not naive. I'm talking about a healthy learning environment. A teacher's job isn't simply to teach 2x2=4 and Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Think about it: 30 years from now; do you remember that stuff or are you more likely to remember the teacher who touched your life by making a difference with kind words, ect. it's more than just knowledge, it's about teaching the golden rule and respect.
I loved the book but I have mixed feelings about it so i can't classify it in one category.
One reviewer said that parents think this book is realistic and I certainly hope to God this isn't true because it happens all the time in school. Pay attention to what your children are doing and how the teachers are handling things. They say "kids can be cruel". Well that's true. Some pass it off as "kids being kids" but please. We need to train a child in the way they should go. Where are the parents and teachers who are supposed to teach them manners and respect? Instead they act like animals and hoodlums. They say this is just a sad fact of like but this is a fact that needs to be changed. One reviewer said that "apologies rarely come in real life". That's true. I was raised with "good breeding" and always taught manners and if children were taught from birth the civalized way maybe they wouldn't behave this way.
Like I said I wouldn't recommend to children under 12 and I'd read it with my kids and discuss feelings with my kids if I did.
Like a reviewer said, what comes around goes around. What you sow, you will reap. But what doesn't make sense in the story is Wendy the ringleader is the instigator of the Blubber business. Wendy is cruel and ruthless.If you read original editorial review, note that it was WENDY who passed the note that started the whole thing saying "Blubber is a good name for her" and Jill isn't even thinking of Linda at the time; she's preoccupied with thinking of her plans for Halloween. She doesn't get drawn into it till Linda talks about whale blubber in her report and Wendy starts to laugh. By then word gets spread and everyone is laughing. Jill becomes a willing participant but not the true leader. Not to excuse her; she's just as guilty. But we see how far one person's meanness can get spread. Wendy's influince is all over the class and effects even the principal. Oddly enough when the tables turn it's Jill who becomes the victim, not Wendy.
Wendy dosen't switch roles and remains the tormenter but Jill becomes victim and Wendy becomes her bully. Everyone begins ganging up on her. Linda isn't gracious towards Jill's gesture to sorta "rescue" her from the supply closet as Wendy's prisoner. Instead, Linda, a weak, subordinate character, becomes Wendy's "friend" and joins in the gang of tormenters who turn against the new victim, Jill.
This book lacks some emotional depth in that it fails to totally identify with Linda's feelings. People think of her as a zombie. But she's a person and we all have feelings. Jill's mom did tell her to put herself in Jill's position but the parents seem so distant in this book! My mom was much more involved! She'd say "How would Linda feel?" and more! Jill has no sympathy for Linda and when the tables turn just has sympathy for herself...
I was glad Judy wrote this book and it's a must-read some. It should be banned from some young readers though. It's a message that you can make a difference and you do have the power. It's not about a saccarine lala land. it's about doing your best! (less)

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Mar 03, 2011

Sweet on Books rated it

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Shelves: melissa-g, independent-reader-jr

Over 35 years after it was first written, Judy Blume’s Blubber still delivers a relevant view of bullying, from the perspective of fifth grader, Jill Brenner. After pudgy Linda presents a classroom assignment on the whale, she is nicknamed “Blubber” by Wendy, the most popular girl at school, and so begins a daily ritual of abuse. While Jill isn’t the leader of the pack, she joins right in, seemingly without any hesitation. Is it peer pressure? When Wendy first writes a note using the name Blubbe...moreOver 35 years after it was first written, Judy Blume’s Blubber still delivers a relevant view of bullying, from the perspective of fifth grader, Jill Brenner. After pudgy Linda presents a classroom assignment on the whale, she is nicknamed “Blubber” by Wendy, the most popular girl at school, and so begins a daily ritual of abuse. While Jill isn’t the leader of the pack, she joins right in, seemingly without any hesitation. Is it peer pressure? When Wendy first writes a note using the name Blubber, Jill smiles, not because she thinks it’s funny but because Wendy is watching her. After that, she participates wholeheartedly.

Over the next few weeks, most of the kids laugh at Linda, call her names, spit at her, and trip her. They even physically hold her down to mess with her clothes and later, to force her to eat something unappealing. Linda lets it happen, doing very little to resist or fight back. In the end, they lock her in a closet and declare that she’s on trial. Of course, Wendy is the judge and this inquiry is anything but fair. Jill thinks that she’ll never be in Linda’s position, but she learns that popularity is fleeting and that her position in the classroom hierarchy only lasts as long as she is willing to go along with the crowd.

These kids seem to feel no remorse. In fact, there is a general lack of respect for their neighbors, teachers and other students. They justify inappropriate behavior by claiming that the person gets what they deserve. They vandalize houses during Halloween and brag about it. Their teachers are oblivious and Jill’s parents are distracted, leaving the action to play out without any supervision. In many ways these kids are still so young, dressing up for Halloween or collecting stamps, and left to their own devices they sink to the lowest level. While none of the characters ever seem to gain much in the way of compassion or feeling, Jill does show readers that they should never let “other people decide what’s going to happen to you” and that there are ways to stand up for yourself. This matter-of-fact, true to life portrayal of classroom dynamics is a must read!(less)

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Jan 27, 2011

Tracy rated it

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Shelves: young-adult

This is one Blume book I did not read as a child, so this was my first reading. I don't even know how many stars to give this book. I didn't like the story, but yet it wasn't a one-star book. I didn't like it because there is nothing likeable about any of the characters. We see the story through the eyes of Jill, a seemingly normal 5th-grade girl who collects stamps and likes peanut butter. She lives in a nice home in a good neighborhood and has a group of friends. She is a very ordinary p...more

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Oct 16, 2010

Jessica rated it

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Shelves: age-10-15, pre-2000, contemporary-realistic-fiction, juvenile, novels

Three main characters in this book are Jill, the narrator, Wendy, the "popular" girl, and Linda, an overweight girl in their class. Jill wants Wendy's approval and goes along with Wendy's bullying of Linda, who did a report on whales at the beginning of the book. They nickname her "blubber" because she talks about blubber in her report. The bullying is really nasty and difficult to listen to even after out of the elementary school environment for as long as I have been--I ...more

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Jun 13, 2010

Lars Guthrie rated it

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Judy Blume has a lesson to teach in 'Blubber,' which could be the kiss of death in a children's book. Teaching a lesson often transmogrifies into an adult talking down.

But this novel about bullying is saved by Blume's attention to reality. While the bully--Wendy, one of the few characters here without much depth--gets a kind of comeuppance, Blume offers no pat solutions. Jill, her protagonist, is just as guilty of nasty behavior as Wendy is.

Jill's clueless fifth-gra...more

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Mar 13, 2010

Krista Ashe rated it

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Shelves: my-110-of-2010-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I just received my boxed set of Judy Blume favorites. Growing up, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret was won of my favorite books along with Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing and Superfudge, I'd never read Blubber, Iggy's House, or Starring Sally J Freedman. So, I set out to read more Blume since she is the quintessential MG and YA writer before there was really a genre.

I gotta say I'm not a big fan of the MC of this novel. And after reading and LOVING all the Blume Mc's, this book was ...moreI just received my boxed set of Judy Blume favorites. Growing up, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret was won of my favorite books along with Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing and Superfudge, I'd never read Blubber, Iggy's House, or Starring Sally J Freedman. So, I set out to read more Blume since she is the quintessential MG and YA writer before there was really a genre.

I gotta say I'm not a big fan of the MC of this novel. And after reading and LOVING all the Blume Mc's, this book was a jolt. I found her to be anything but sympathetic. After reading the Afterword, I gained more perspective for the reason why Blume wrote Blubber. She says her daughter was like Rochelle, the silent observer to seeing some pretty horrific bullying at school. I almost wish the book had been written from the perspective of Rochelle, rather than Jill. Why? Because Jill is just plain despicable! You almost don't even feel pity for her when the tables are turned and she becomes the one who is bullied. Not only does she participates in the HORRIFYING bullying of poor, overweight, Linda, but she's a downright brat most of the time, even putting rotten eggs in the neighborhood crumudgeon's mailbox! The whole scene where Mr. M confronts her and her friend really made me dislike her b/c as the friend is crying and apologetic, Jill is doing the typical "It wasn't my fault, it's b/c he's a mean, butthole" act. Then she does the whiny act after getting blisters when Mr. M makes them clean up his yard as retribution for his mailbox.

You've got the archetype Queen Bee, Mean Girl with the character of Wendy. She reminded me a preteen Regina George from Mean Girls! She tells the other girls what to do, and they do it. However, when Jill finally grows a conscience(over halfway through the book), Wendy turns on her, and there's Hell to pay.

Another thing i didn't like it the abrupt ending. Sure, Jill gets a new friend in Rochelle, and luckily Caroline, another Mean Girl disciple, finds aother friend, but we're left with the image of poor Linda still sitting alone after Wendy has abandoned her(Wendy only befriended her to get back at Jill for letting Linda out of hte closet during their "fake trial".

I would recommend Blubber for young girls and teens to read to once again drive home the point of bullying. (less)

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Nov 24, 2009

Will Shetterly rated it

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I saw a reviewer say she didn't like Blubber because the ending did not make it clear that bad things are bad. That's because Blume knows to trust her readers. As many children's book writers have noted, children usually can figure out things their parents don't understand.

The following is from my blog:

When Judy Blume wrote Blubber, I wasn't interested in kids' books. But when Robert N. Lee wrote, "I've said for years and years that everybody should be issued this b...more

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Jul 20, 2011

Scott rated it

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Shelves: library, kids

Read this to my fourth and second grade daughters and it really got them talking - about the bad behaviors of the girls in the story - and how they could react differently if facing the same set of circumstances. Given all the talk in schools these days of bullies and bullying - the story didn't seem to have the same "punch" as I'm sure it did when it was written in 1974. The language was a bit shocking - but it lead to more discussion - so I think that was good.

I remember m...more

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Mar 30, 2009

Ashley added it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 10, 2011

Mary rated it

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Shelves: genre-realisticfic, appeal-learn, appeal-classic, type-j-fic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 31, 2011

Rebecca added it · review of another edition

Blubber is a story all about bullying and it basically tells the reader that when you’re bullied the best thing to do is stand up for yourself. That’s pretty much what the whole book is. And I think that it was quite a good book for younger children.
I enjoyed reading it and I think that while it brings up the issue of bullying a large chunk of the plot is unresolved and nobody really does anything about it.
Other than that, Blubber is a nice short read and it’s a good book for kids ...more

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Feb 28, 2010

CH_Emily Scholnik rated it

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Shelves: young-literature, contemporary-realistic-fiction

Recommended in "Children's Books in Children's Hands."
Banned several times for the following reason, "The characters curse and the mean-spirited ringleader is never punished for her cruelty."
Grade Range 6-10

I think the "reason" this book has been put on many banned book lists is ridiculous personally. Kids curse, follow the leader and can be downright cruel. It is an unfortunate fact of life. If anything, this book should be used as a cata...more

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Nov 03, 2009

Ariel rated it

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Oh, it was almost excruciating to read Judy Blume's brilliant description of childhood bullying, and how the children turn on each other for petty reasons. The evilness of the main bully almost made me gag several times; for example when she forces the victim to say "I am a big smelly whale" before being allowed to use the bathroom, to show her underwear to the boys or, worst of all, eat chocolate-covered ants. The narrator first joins in on the bullying of one heavy, passive girl who ...more

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Jan 30, 2011

Amandalynn rated it

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Shelves: young-adult

I grabbed this at the library on CD for Cameron to follow along with in the book. I had never read it before and just thought hey lets see if he will like Judy Blume. Since I had nothing else to listen too while folding laundry I put this in. I knew nothing of the book before hearing the explanation from an interview with Judy Blume at the end of the story on disc. For the first half of the book I was really annoyed at how the kids in the story treated each other. Then the next half the teac...more

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Apr 03, 2009

3 Nikki B. rated it

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Kids can be cruel, especially pre adolescent middle school girls. “Blubber” by Judy Blume is a book about a girl being bullied by girls in her class. It is one of my favorite books for several reasons. To begin with, I really enjoy books written by Judy Blume. This book also helped me get through tough times. “ Blubber” has well developed characters and you experience what they are feeling.

“Blubber” is one of my all time favorites because Judy Blume is one of m...more Kids can be cruel, especially pre adolescent middle school girls. “Blubber” by Judy Blume is a book about a girl being bullied by girls in her class. It is one of my favorite books for several reasons. To begin with, I really enjoy books written by Judy Blume. This book also helped me get through tough times. “ Blubber” has well developed characters and you experience what they are feeling.

“Blubber” is one of my all time favorites because Judy Blume is one of my favorite authors. Like all of her other books , this one has many of the qualities I admire Blume for. All of her books, including Blubber is very relatable. She has an amazing ability to capture what growing up is like
. If I had to give it a rough estimate, I think I’ve read almost all of her books. They include “Deenie”, “Tiger Eyes, and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”

This book is a favorite of mine because it has well developed characters and you experience their feelings. All of the characters including Jill and Wendy, are realistic. Obviously, they have flaws, because they are both mentally and physically abusing their classmate. These characters seem like they can exist outside of their pages. I was almost moved to tears when Jill wasn’t allowed a “lawyer” at her “trial".

Judy Blume’s “Blubber” , is one of my favorites because it helped me get through some difficult time. In middle school , I was teased a bullied by a group of girls in my class. I realized after reading this, that I was not the only one experiencing bullying. Reading this book helped comfort me in that way. It reminded me a lot of myself when the other girls came up with the name “Blubber” for the main character Linda , while she’s giving a presentation on whales.

In conclusion, “Blubber” is one of my favorite books. This story is written by a favorite author of mine, Judy Blume. Characters in this story are well-developed and realistic. Even though these characters aren’t real, they have real meaning to me because it helped me cope with being teased in middle school.
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Jan 26, 2009

Jinbin rated it

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Shelves: advisory08-09

Jill is a 5th grader that plays a role of a bully in the beginning of the book; however, as the story develops, she becomes the one that's being bullied. Jill and her classmate Wendy bullies Linda, but Jill stop doing so when Linda gives a presentation on whale's blubber. She starts to defend Linda as Wendy continues to bully around, thus Jill becomes Wendy's target. Jill begins to learn her lesson as she fights back against Wendy.

I always wonder why there is bullies in school and ...more

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May 10, 2010

Missy rated it

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Shelves: listened-to-audio-book

I own a "banned books" bracelet and decided I must read all the books on it. I believe I read "Blubber" in my youth, as I loved Judy Blume books, but did not recall it well and wondered why it was banned. Once I began listening it was clear why it would be challenged. Often I found myself whincing at the horribly cruel names the girls would call another girl. It was indeed terrible bullying and as a mother, and once a teacher, I thought, "Wow, some kids would take th...more

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Oct 02, 2009

Tiffany rated it

Recommends it for: all preteen girls

Shelves: fiction, first-person, youth

Judy Blume is just the best youth-book writer of all time. She just exactly captures how young girls think. She must be a fly on the wall in every home and schoolroom, to know what goes on, and how girls talk to one another. This book was another winner for me. I loved all her books, and I read this one a billion times... well, maybe not quite a BILLION, but I read it enough that I can still remember all the characters names and pretty much every chapter. All the bullying, the friends-one-mi...more

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Sep 09, 2009

Cassie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: banned-books, school-situations, childrens, fiction

Before Lindsey Lohan tried to fit into the "in" crowd in Mean Girls, there was Jill in Judy Blume's story about the viciousness of 5th grade children, Blubber. Blume has a way of depicting the reality of school life - a reality that needs to be out there and talked about. In the case of Blubber, the protagonist, Jill, tries to fit in with the popular girls by picking on Linda, a slightly overweight girl in their class. Really horrible, mean things are done to Linda and there is not...more

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title link	preview: Blubber
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