Status
Available
Local notes
PB Blu
Collection
Series
Genres
Publication
Random House Childrens Books (1994), 296 pages
Description
Stephanie's relationship with her best friend, Rachel, changes during her first year in junior high as she tries to conceal a family problem and meets a new girl from California.
Awards
Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award (Nominee — 1990)
Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 1991)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 1992, 1993)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — 1991)
Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee — 1990)
CCBC Choices (1987)
Language
Original publication date
1987
Physical description
296 p.; 7.1 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member JenSay
This was my favorite Judy Blume book. I wanted to be friends with these girls. Even now, some 20 years later, I find myself thinking about certain pieces of the story. Nothing serious, but the most inconsequential details. I'm going to have to find a copy somewhere. One with the correct cover, none
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of that modern photograph stuff! Show Less
LibraryThing member annmariestover
There's something about this book that I connected to more than any of Judy Blume's other books. Maybe it was how exactly I related to the age and situations, maybe it was better-written...I don't know. Any time I was home sick from school between fourth and sixth grade, I'd spend the day
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re-reading this. Boys! Periods! Friends! It was all too relevant. This is my favorite Judy Blume book. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmberTheHuman
One of my favorite books as a preteen. And re-reading it, I felt all the heartbreak and frustration that comes with that time in one's life. How hard it is to tell people what's going on, how you're feeling, how it seems like no one would listen to you even if you could express it. Sad, but
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heartwarming. I'm looking forward to re-reading the sequel. Show Less
LibraryThing member bibliophile26
Middle school (or junior high) was the hardest time in my life. In this story, two life long best friends meet a new girl and have to adjust to being a trio of friends. I'm not sure if it is still true today, but when I was in sixth grade, we switched best friends every week and I remember being
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part of a trio of friends and being left out (and participating in leaving out one of the other girls). The main character also has to deal with her parents' separation and possible divorce. Having gone through that as well, I related a great deal to this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member yorkie1887
This is a fabulous book for anyone and everyone!!!!!!!!!!
LibraryThing member mdkladke
Judy Blume is another one of my favorite authors. I have had three of the best friends since I was in preschool and this book depicts us perfectly. I went through so much with my friends as did the girls in the book. You always have your true friends to rely on no matter what.
LibraryThing member MickTheChick
This is probably the first book I ever read that made friendship seem like a sort of sisterhood. It isn't identical to books like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" or "Bass Ackwards and Belly Up" - it differs in that it is told from one point of view, the narrator is in junior high, and the
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love isn't felt all around. But it is still an awesome story about the essence of friendship. In the story, Steph's old friendship with Rachel clashes with her new friendship with Alison. Rachel is jealous of Alison because she seems to be stealing her best friend. Alison is the interesting new kid and she just wants to be accepted and liked by her peers. Steph wants the three of them to be best friends, but that's not easy when two of the girls don't feel very comfortable with each other. This plot line, mixed well with sub-plots revolving around family issues and first loves, is unique in today's literature. The story is very well told, and it's wide range of themes and humorous narrator make the book a great read. I highly recommend it to kids in junior high. Show Less
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
A childhood favorite that will always be a favorite of mine, but which is dated compared to the contemporary friendship stories being published for tweens today. The narration is excellent with subtle differences for different characters, but I'd only recommend this to adults with fond memories of
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this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member laurenwhite92
I liked this book especially because it is so realistic and could be used by young readers as a guide or lesson on friendship and change.
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Narrated by Rebecca Soler. Stephanie begins junior high with best friend Rachel and new friend Allison. Life is typical for Stephanie, hanging out with her friends, checking out the cute boy Jeremy, doing her schoolwork. If only her father didn’t have to go on business trips so often and for so
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long...until she learns they really aren't business trips. The audio has a just-right tone for telling the story of a regular girl finding herself coping with an irregular situation. Soler’s interpretation has the youthfulness of the young teen characters, at times putting in a giggle or sarcastic twist that captures the typical teen voice. Show Less
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
This book and its followup, Here's To You Rachel Robinson are the only two Young Adult books by Judy Blume that I had not read as a young adult (they were published after my time). I saw them both at a Free Little Library and thought, why not?
It's good, but I don't know if I'm missing something
The girls' friendship is flawed from the beginning; secret keeping is a big part of the plot here, but of all the secrets kept and revealed, the biggest one
thatRachel knew about Steph's parents' separation before she did
was never confronted or discussed. How do you know something like that and not bring it up with your friend? Keeping secrets about your own self is your prerogative, but keeping secrets that affect your bff seems inexcusable.
Who knows though, I might have missed some subtle hint that Steph knew and was just not facing it. Or maybe that just isn't a big deal to teens and I don't remember that far back as clearly as I'd like to. Either way, it was still a good read, even if it wasn't a classic Blume.
It's good, but I don't know if I'm missing something
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reading it for the first time as an adult; some small essence of teen that can be recalled but not brought up fresh, or if this just isn't as good as Blume's other YA books. I enjoyed it but it failed to click with me on any deep level. The girls' friendship is flawed from the beginning; secret keeping is a big part of the plot here, but of all the secrets kept and revealed, the biggest one
that
was never confronted or discussed. How do you know something like that and not bring it up with your friend? Keeping secrets about your own self is your prerogative, but keeping secrets that affect your bff seems inexcusable.
Who knows though, I might have missed some subtle hint that Steph knew and was just not facing it. Or maybe that just isn't a big deal to teens and I don't remember that far back as clearly as I'd like to. Either way, it was still a good read, even if it wasn't a classic Blume.
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LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
While it is rather dated in so many ways, the themes Blume covers are still relevant today.
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Pages
296