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276th out of 1,146 books
—
5,770 voters
It's Not the End of the World
by
Judy Blume
Karen couldn't tell Mrs. Singer why she had to have her Viking diorama out of the sixthgrade showcase. She felt like yelling, To keep my parents from getting divorced. But she couldn't say it, and the whole class was looking at her anyway. Karen's world was ending. Her father had moved out of the house weeks before; now he was going to Las Vegas to get divorced and her mot...more
Hardcover, 176 pages
Published
April 1st 2002
by Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books
(first published 1972)
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Even though I am beyond the Judy Blume years, I still think she writes well for at that time, young adults, now tweens. It is simple, straightforward, what is happening to me in this weird time of my life language.
Mom found this book at a garage sale. It was one I had not read, so she picked it up for me. The copyright page says the book was originally written in 1972, and although the story itself (divorce) is still relevant, the setting is certainly showing its age.
The main character talked a...more
Mom found this book at a garage sale. It was one I had not read, so she picked it up for me. The copyright page says the book was originally written in 1972, and although the story itself (divorce) is still relevant, the setting is certainly showing its age.
The main character talked a...more
1 like · like · see review
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Sep 16, 2010
Frayelin
added it
This book is about a girl named Karen. Karen is deciding that she would never get married bcause by the examples she sees on her parents se would never want to get married. Then she also has problems in her school because her teachers doesnt like her . But at home she is really sad because her father moved out , her moms tells her that they just dont belong together and she hears them talking about divorce. That makes her really upset and tryes to get her parents together by using a project from...more
Dec 22, 2011
Erin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
own-book-form
Surprised at the mediocre ratings...almost all of Blume's teenager novels deal with realistic situations in a competent manner, which is one of many reasons why her books shine. Here it's the painful subject of divorce. Not a long book but by the time it's over you you feel like you're emotionally ready for it to be done. I was irritated by something, though --- what is with the small cliffhanger at the end?Details like that are what drive me batty.
Spoilers in next paragraph -
And, even though...more
Spoilers in next paragraph -
And, even though...more
I love Fudge and the other tremendously fun characters whom Judy Blume has created, but I have to say that it's really her books like It's Not the End of the World that have most captured my admiration and attention. When Judy Blume writes a book like It's Not the End of the World, taking on serious issues that affect families to their very core, it feels as if she's writing about something that really has happened. Her text is mostly unadorned by long use of descriptive phrase and other flower...more
This is what I remember from this book:
1. Karen had a desk made from someone else's old dining room hutch.
2. She took a bubble bath with a girl.
3. The tone is similar to the movie "The Secret Lives of Girls"
4. The diorama has glitter and sparkles that had to be vacuumed up when the thing was smashed into bits and tossed on the carpet.
5. They go to Hojo's and have to eat their bad food while hearing some equally upsetting news.
1. Karen had a desk made from someone else's old dining room hutch.
2. She took a bubble bath with a girl.
3. The tone is similar to the movie "The Secret Lives of Girls"
4. The diorama has glitter and sparkles that had to be vacuumed up when the thing was smashed into bits and tossed on the carpet.
5. They go to Hojo's and have to eat their bad food while hearing some equally upsetting news.
This book is about a girl named Karen whose parents are getting a divorce. She has a hard time excpeting that fact. So she does everything she can to get them back together and call off the divorce The main characters are Karen, Jeff, Amy, Bill (her dad), and Ellie (her mom). This took place in New Jersey. There were many external conflicts between her mom and her dad.
Test to Self. I could connect to this whole entire book, not just one quote. I could connect to Karen because she didn't want...more
Test to Self. I could connect to this whole entire book, not just one quote. I could connect to Karen because she didn't want...more
Another re-read from my childhood. I kept waiting for the part where the main character plucks off all her eyebrows, then gets in trouble for not taking her sunglasses off at school. Then, I realized I had it confused with a similarly-themed Paula Danziger book. Still good, though--I love reading a book in 45 minutes. Makes me feel so smart.
Fantastic book for middle grade kids about divorce. I never read this one when I was younger, but lately I've been into Judy Blume and either re-reading her children's novels, or catching the ones I missed. My parents did divorce when I was 16, so this book absolutely resonated with me. I got choked up at the part when Karen tries to come up with alternate theories as to what is happening (Daddy has to sell the furniture store!); I did the same thing in the weeks leading up to my parents' split,...more
This book is about a girl named Karen Newman. Her family life has been a living hell. Her brother doesn’t want to talk to her or anyone in her family. Karen’s mother and father aren’t talking to each other, and if they do it always ends up in a fight. This gives Karen head drama. Also her little sister thinks that asking questions lets you know more and makes you smarter. All Karen wanted to do is to try to make things right for her family, like they use to be.
I noticed a text to self-connectio...more
I noticed a text to self-connectio...more
This book was written in 1972. You wouldn't know except for the missing cell phones. These young teens and parents do not text or twitter. Yet this book about a family that experiences the turmoil of the parents' divorce is still relevant, still fresh and will still move you as a reader/listener. Karen, the main character, middle child, 12 years old - reasons her way through the different family members' responses to this experience, trying to make sense of what was happening. The scenes between...more
Here I thought I had read everthing Judy Blume had written by age 14, and as I am browsing the library with my own 10 year old I found It's Not the End of the World. Obviously, as it is a children's book it was a fairly quick read. The subject matter, divorce, is one that in today's day and age is as common place as sliced bread. It was interesting to see it from a child's perspective though. I give it a three star rating because I did not feel resolution at the end of the book. Ms. Blume left i...more
This book is about a teenage girl who is caught up in the life of her parents getting a divorce. Being the oldest can be hard enough but with two younger siblings looking up to you about how to handle the situation, Karen is having a really hard time about how to handle her emotions. If I were to give some advice to Karen I would tell her to stop feeling like she was the one who caused this divorce because things like this always happen and there's nothing really that can be done about it other...more
Over all I thought that this was a really great book. It handles a very sensitive and hard subject in a very classy way. I went through the same emotions as a child when my parents were divorced that the older brother was feeling. I was very angry about it. This book helped me to see why my little siblings can have a great relationship with my dad and I can't. They were just more naive like the main character of this book, and that is OK. I would recommend this book to anyone that needs help cop...more
The book, "It's Not the End of the World" would probably be a "2" book (out of 5) for me.So basically, this book is about an 11-12 year old girl, Karen, whose parents are going to get a divorce. And, that's it.
I realize that nothing really happens in this book except the divorce. The only exciting part would be when Jeff ran away. And, that was only for a few pages. So, out of 145 pages, 20 were actually interesting. Plus, that was at the end. It's not that I don't like the "divorce themed" b...more
I realize that nothing really happens in this book except the divorce. The only exciting part would be when Jeff ran away. And, that was only for a few pages. So, out of 145 pages, 20 were actually interesting. Plus, that was at the end. It's not that I don't like the "divorce themed" b...more
Sep 28, 2012
Jord¥n
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
younger girls struggling with their parent's divorce
I first read this book in sixth grade and from what I remember it was a decent book. It helped me understand divorce more and made me feel better since my parents were going through a divorce at that time. Now that I'm twenty, I couldn't really connect with this book. But I can see any 10-14 year old girl enjoying this book. And maybe help them out with those tough situations. Divorce sucks. There's no if or buts about it
But I am glad my sister enjoyed this book and hopefully she will read Judy...more
But I am glad my sister enjoyed this book and hopefully she will read Judy...more
4 likes · like · see review
This was a favorite book from my childhood that I re-read as an adult and still love it as much as I did in the 2nd grade. I read this book while my parents were going through a divorce. None of my other friends were dealing with this and I remember being so comforted by Karen and her story... even if it was only fiction. It made me feel normal at a time when nothing else did. This book will always have a fond place in my heart and I will always be grateful to Judy Blume for taking on the subjec...more
In It's Not the End of the World, Judy Blume presents the story of Karen, a normal girl whose parents have just announced their divorce. Blume's books are always topical, of course--there's the scoliosis book, the race relations book, the divorce book--but it's not really their after-school special qualities that distinguish them from other children's books of their era. Instead, what makes Blume's stories so special is their honesty, both in the true-to-life details and in their voice. Karen's...more
Oct 04, 2008
Cal
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Adventure lovers
Recommended to Cal by:
No one, I found it on my own
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Though this was written about 40 years ago, it still rings true. One of the few dated parts that stuck out was the older brother listening to records, but other than that Blume's talent for dialogue really shines through. Also typical of her books for teens, everything is wrapped up in the end, but not all that happily-much more true to life. So, 40 years later this is a title that is still relevant for kids whose families are going through a separation or a divorce.
this book wasn't confusing but it was somethings in here that you wouldn't do Karen a young girl who life changed when her parents decided to get a divorce.She was sad in tried to get them back together but it wasn't working she just ended up hurting herself by finding out the truth that they were happier apart.But her siblngs and people around her started falling apart and it seemed like everybody started to find out her secret in that was going to be a problem.
Great book for kids going through a divorce, even if a few of the details date the book. Karen Newman is perfectly drawn, and her brother Jeff is just right as well. I love it that their mother is far from perfect, smashing figurines on the floor, putting her head down on her plate to cry and getting gravy in her hair. Typical Judy Blume, an unsentimental snapshot of a marriage breaking up, from the kids' point of view. Good reading for all ages.
A good book about divorce with realistic characters and actions. I would've liked to see more development with the teacher; the jacket made it seem like she'd be a bigger player in the story. I'm not sure I really believe the brother running away, either. It's a bit dated, too, though the author addresses that in a note at the beginning. A good book for kids who are going through a similar situation, despite the flaws.
3/5 on here, 7/10 for myself
3/5 on here, 7/10 for myself
This book is really good for anyone whose parents are splitting up or have already split up or divorced. This shows the story of a girl whose parents fight all the time and finally decide to break up and divorce.This story shows how the girl tries to bring them back together and make her life back to normal again.
My parents don't argue or fight but this was still a very good book to read.
My parents don't argue or fight but this was still a very good book to read.
Karen Newman is a teenage girl struggling to cope with the reality that her parents are getting a divorce. When he dad finally moves out it all becomes too real. Losing faith in love, Karen takes it upon herself to make her parents see that divorce was a mistake.
I could use this in older grades to discuss different types of relationships and that some things happen for a reason.
I could use this in older grades to discuss different types of relationships and that some things happen for a reason.
Great book for a lot of students to relate to. Karen Newman is a teenage girl struggling to cope with the reality that her parents are getting a divorce. When her dad finally moves out it all becomes too real. Losing faith in love, Karen takes it upon herself to make her parents see that divorce was a mistake. We could use this in older grades as a relationships lesson.
i actually read this when i was 12 and my parents were relatively newly divorced, i remember thinking that the main character was a dick and needed to get over all the dramas happenning. anyway fun to delve again into my 12 year old consciousness (also explains why i became obsessed with giving all my days a grade during that period too. eg/ christmas day, a+. dentist day, f.)
OK, I'm just not a Blume fan, however I liked the part of this story where the main character realized some things were better after her parents split like that they could have KFC on a weeknight! And, that her father wasn't bad or good, nor was her mother. They were divorcing and nothing was black and white because few divorces are.
A young adolescent struggles to understand her parents' marriage and divorce. Just like in real life she doesn't get all the answers to her questions resolved, but she learns to go on any way. I would give it to any kid over 3rd grade going through same thing. I did read it as a teen too & liked it more then.
A sensitive book which deals with the issue of divorce and its effect on the family in general and children in particular. I felt bad for the children who develop their own coping strategies when they come to know that their parents are getting divorced. Was a sad book, so didn't enjoy much , and hence 3 stars.
Having parents separated and going to a divorce was not that easy to accept. This helps the teen readers to cope with this kind of situation that sometimes, all we can do is to accept. Sooner or later, everything would be okay and everything will be on its place. Just trust each and everyone.
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Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fu...more
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“Suppose there aren't any more A + days once you get to be twelve? Wouldn't that be something! To spend the rest of your life looking for an A + day and not finding it.”
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