Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain & the Great One

The Pain and the Great One #4

by Judy Blume, James Stevenson (Illustrator)

The Pain and the Great One are going places! In these new stories the kids are on the go
The Pain needs a trip to the emergency room; the family goes to the mall and not everyone stays together; the kids visit a county fair and want to ride the Super Slide; and a beach outing includes a boogie board. Lots more action and adventure for the dynamic duo who never stay still.

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Family, Juvenile

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

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 Fudge. She has also written three novels for adults, Summer Sisters; Smart Women; and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her.
Judy received a B.S. in education from New York University in 1961, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 1996, the same year the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other recognitions include the Library of Congress Living Legends Award and the 2004 National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
She is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; the Key West Literary Seminar; and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Judy is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom. Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980's she began to reach out to other writers, as well as teachers and librarians, who were under fire. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read. She is the editor of Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers.
Judy has completed a series of four chapter books -- The Pain & the Great One -- illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson. She has co-written and produced a film adaptation of her book Tiger Eyes, and is currently writing a new novel.
Judy and her husband George Cooper live on islands up and down the east coast. They have three grown children and one grandchild.

Reviews

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really short, but I didn't read it all at once, so it took a while. I sometimes like rereading books I liked when I was little. I hadn't read it in a long time, so I decided to read it again.
This book is a series of short stories about a girl named Abbigail and a boy named Jake. In this book, it talks about what happens when they travel to different places such as the fair, the beach, and the emergency room. I can't really give spoilers in this review, and if I did, it wouldn't really ruin anything because it's just short stories.
A story I always found interesting ", The Furry Booger. In that story, Jake sticks a pussy-willow up his nose, and he has to go to the hospital to have it removed. When I was about three or four, before I read this book, I, just for fun, stuck a bead up my nose. I did it a couple of times, but then, once, I couldn't get it out.
I went and told Mom and Dad that there was a "bean" stuck in my nose. For some reason, I thought the words, bean and bead, could be used interchangeably. Or, maybe, I just didn't know which was called which. Anyway, we got it out, and I was embarrassed about it for a long time. It was weird reading the story of The Furry Booger because I kept thinking about what could have happened with the bead. Now, reading it, it just sounds like something any little kid might do.
Another story I liked was the one where they went to the Eglades and saw an aligator. I actually got to feel an aligator once. In fifth grade, my braille and orientational mobility teacher took me and some other blind people to this place called Mark's Ark. It was a lot of fun. Mark held the aligator, and we touched it if we wanted to. He even held its mouth shut, so we could feel that.
All in all, it was a really good, light, and entertaining read.

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not realised this was part of a series when I read it, but you don't really need to have read the others, as the book is short stories about two siblings and the relationship they have with love and annoying each other. A fun read, I'll look out for other entries in the series.
Score check: Judy Blume #3.

[(NS) Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a tremendous fan of Judy Blume and was pleased to find this new series that was out about the Pain and the Great One. It's a great transitional novel for children looking for more advanced books than picture books. It is probably recommended for 1-3 grades. I love how the characters are two siblings who encounter everyday problems (fear of the ocean, wanting to go on carnival rides, etc.). Blume cleverly alternates point of view each chapter between the siblings and even touches on some key lessons and values that children can relate to including loving your sibling even when it seems like they are the most annoying person around. I could really connect to the characters because I shared a lot of their same thoughts as a child and feel a similar closeness to my siblings. Kids will really understand the idea of a big sister bugging you, but at the same time being your best friend. I LOVE IT! I am planning on buying a whole bunch for my classroom because they are so relevant and as much as I love the old Blume classics this series is a fresh take on life today!

[Natalie]

You know how people do things specifically because they think that's what they have to do to be a good parent? Despite the fact that the book was about a 1st grader and 3rd grader AND the font was big, I read every single page. I couldn't quite deal with the idea of releasing a Judy Blume book without being sure she didn't sneak in some sort of Are You There God, It's Me Margaret kind of thing :-)

She didn't. This was 7 short stories about a brother and sister who annoy each other but still love each other (more obvious in the story where one of them gets lost in the mall than anywhere else). I especially enjoyed the story where the boy and his friends try to shoot pussy willows out their nose. This results in a trip to the ER. I think every family has a story like that. LOL.

Anyway, it was a cute book without anything that would make me hesitate giving it to a young reader.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siblings, Jake (the Pain) and Abigail (the Great One) are at odds nearly constantly, in every activity that the family does, but when push comes to shove, they really do stand by each and stick up for one another. Full of zany, quirky characters and a sassy, irreverent dialogue, Going, Going, Gone1 with the Pain and the Great One is quintessential Judy Blume at its humorous best.

[Fitra Rahmamuliani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indeed, this is a nice old book for children. Even though I am not a small child anymore, but my mind and my heart are still getting captured by how being a small kid are so fascinating. We learned by understanding the meaning behind what we read. The lesson learned. As far as I am going here, the more specific the content will be. More detail on explanation and hurt my mind because sometimes I couldn't understand. But reading this book, I could feel like I am going back there.

This book is telling a story about two siblings, an old sister called the Great One and a younger brother called the Pain. The point of view was interspersed between the pain and the great one. Make us understand their way of thinking and personality. But as usual, as a sibling, we always jealous of each other. We always want to be the ones who tell the truth. We want to be praised by our parents for what we did, not our siblings. We want what we want, not what our siblings want. We are stubborn with our siblings.

I like at the end of this book, there is a poem about their cat. How the cat is thinking that ”So if I care”. It's quite amusing to me for a child book scale of the poem.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judy Blume has always written with a great understanding of children, a fact which especially shows in this book. The Great One and the Pain are simply two children who don't tend to like each other a whole lot, a fact any parent with multiple children knows well and despairs over. At the same time, they're still family and whether they admit it or not, they (probably) are there for each other.

In this story we wander though the points of view of each child. We see stories at the ocean with a boogie board, with their grandfather in the Everglades and at home. In each place they learn something (for gosh sakes, DO NOT PUT PUSSYWILLOWS UP YOUR NOSE!!!!). Hopefully.

The best part of the book though was the last chapter told from the point of view of the cat. Fluzzy has a lot to say and is clearly a typical cat, in that he does not have much respect for the humans around him and likes to voice very strong opinions in a very loud manner.

Overall the book is cute and fairly humorous. It would be interesting to explore other books in this series.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 137 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Aww, the Pain and the Great One have some sweet moments - pain gets lost in the mall, the duo go to a fair with some crazy rides, and they visit Florida.. they even meet a pair of cousins who make them appreciate each other more:)

I recommend all parents to get these for their kids or borrow copies from the library. @judyblume4real can do no wrong.

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[Tim O'neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series continues in its strengths, which are keeping the dual narration for interest but not elevating it to a gimmick, and as always with Blume the verisimilitude toward life with young siblings. My kids (10 and 7) both found it amusing. I feel like earliër entries may’ve had more of an overarching theme, whereäs this was more like a book of short stories. As with previöus volumes, my son read it to me and enjoyed doïng so: when the Pain got lost at the mall, even tho my son’s reading time was officially over, he asked to read me the next chapter to find out what happened. To think on it, that section was the most interesting, making the most effective use of the dual narration.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay.
* Grandma rents a house at the beach, and buys the kids boogie boards each. Abigail loves hers, but Jake is afraid to go in the water.
* Aunt Diana takes the kids to the fair, Jake wants to go on a ride called the gravitron, but he's already spent all his tokens. Abigail gives him some of her tokens, and then he talks Aunt Diana's boss into going on the ride with him.
* Pain pushes a pussy willow up his nose and has to go to the ER to get it removed.
* Dad takes the kids to the movie, but Jake manages to get himself lost in the mall.
* The family visits grandpa Pete in Florida, and the kids see aligators.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final book in the series has chapters about going out and going on trips. The beach with Grandma. She is good at spoiling her grands and most grandmas are. (I speak from experience.) The emergency room when the Pain puts something up his nose that he shouldn't. (Gave me flashbacks about playdoh boogers and a lone pearl.) Getting lost at the mall. (The Pain has some adventures on his own.) A visit to their Grandpa in Florida. (Canoeing in the Everglades. Gators!) And Fluzzy gets the last word. He may have missed his family while they were on their trip, but he will never admit it.🐈

[Catherine Petrini · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is not exactly a novel; it's more a series of brief vignettes, the adventures of sister and brother Abigail and Jake, also known as The Great One and The Pain. The siblings take turns narrating stories about going to a fair, getting lost at a mall, vacationing in the Everglades, and more. The voices are authentic, as is the relationship between the 3rd-grader and the 1st-grader, who argue like most siblings, but clearly love each other too.

[Liesl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake calls his third grade sister Abigail The Great One (because she thinks she is), and she calls first grader Jake The Pain. They take turns narrating chapters about visits to grandparents, the mall, and even the emergency room. Blume has a natural children’s voice, and this will appeal to older and younger siblings alike.

[Mary T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audio version with my boys ages 5 and 3. It was our first experience with the Pain and the Great One. I liked that the stories were fairly short and easy to follow. I didn't care for all the sibling drama (because I'm trying to have more positive models for my sons to look to).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read and fun sibling rivalry book. My boys laughed, & it was a nice book to pass around and take turns reading. The brother and sister are definitely not nice to each other, so avoid it if you don’t want your kids to hear that.

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trips to the country, the emergency room, the county fair - it’s all depicted so perfectly. The snotty teen girls at the fair were the best and there was a line about the waiting room for the emergency room - babies cried, people coughed and someone moaned. Exactly that. Every time.

[Maximilian Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because I like surfing. I also liked this book because I liked the part when the pain scared his grandma with his mask.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every 'Pain and the Great One' gets five stars. That probably goes for every Judy Blue book, actually!

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

100%

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best one of the series by far! I love these books. Judy Blume captures the dynamic between siblings perfectly.

[Kendra McIntyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

More adventures with the Pain and the Great One. I love how the cat gets part of every story, and on the audiobooks, Judy Blume narrates Fluzzy the cat.

[xxclusive trin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Judy Blume and liked reading her stories as a kid. This one was just all over the place tho but again it’s a kids book.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth book in The Pain and the Great One series by Judy Blume. A fun chapter book featuring a brother (the pain) and sister (the great one). Entertaining, humorous, and sweet.

[Fluxbrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

First grader Jake (aka The Pain) and third grader Abigail (aka The Great One) are back in their third early chapter book. This time they are going places – to the beach, the county fair, the emergency room, the mall, and the Everglades. Whether it’s The Pain getting a pussywillow stuck in his nose or The Great One wearing her cowboy boots as protection from alligators, the stories are told with plenty of humor. Focusing on slice of life scenarios, Blume expertly captures the mix of affection and irritation that siblings experience. The brother and sister pair alternate chapters to tell the vignettes for their own first person perspective. With the exception of one story that spans two chapters (and includes both siblings’ point of view), each chapter can stand on its own, making this offering very easy to digest. James Stevenson’s loose, unfussy drawings echo the lighthearted tone of the series. Both boys and girls will enjoy the relatable situations, particularly those blessed/cursed with a sibling themselves.

[Madison Mckenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT WAS FUNNY-AWESOME.AND THE PAIN GETS A PUSSY WILLOW STUCK UP HIS NOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a funny and sweet story (actually, it's a collection of short stories) about sibling relationships at the ages of 6 and 8. That's perfect for our girls, and although the dynamic is different in our house (with two girls instead of a girl and a boy), the love, the fights, the protectiveness, the encouragements and the competitiveness are still very much the same in many respects.

We really enjoyed reading this book together and will look for more books in this series. I loved reading Judy Blume's stories when I was a child and I am thrilled to be able to share them with our girls.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this with my kids in the car. My 5 and 6 year old boys both really enjoyed it. We've also listened to Friend or Fiend, from the same series, and recommend them for ages 5+. The story is just over an hour, so not too long. (B & C -June 2011)

*Read with Jane. She enjoyed the different stories in each chapter. I am a little bored of the series though, so I'm hoping to take a break before reading her the other books. (May 2016)

[Ginger Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't care for this one too much. I kept getting confused about who was speaking and who was who. I didn't feel like I really got to know the characters either. In fact I read it just a couple of weeks ago and I don't even remember what it was about. I had read some Judy Blume books when I was younger, so I thought this would be just as good. Boy, was I disappointed!

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are pretty simple chapter books. I did find this one humorous with the emergency room visit as well as losing the Pain in the mall. What parent doesn't have those nightmares?!?! I am finding that I really enjoy Fluzzy's chapter the most and I look forward to getting to the end of the Pain and the Great Ones stories to read what Fluzzy was thinking/doing.

[Shahrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories about a Brother (The Pain) & his Sister (The Great One). Each story is narrated by one or the other of them. I think this makes it a great book for either sex child because they can relate to it and also get to see things from another perspective. It also has cool illustrations all the way throughout. I love the final chapter by Fluzzy too.