Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great

by Judy Blume

Paperback, 1985

Status

Available

Local notes

PB Blu

Barcode

1147

Publication

Dell (1985)

Description

A summer in Tarrytown, N.Y., is a lot of fun for ten-year-old Sheila even though her friends make her face up to some self-truths she doesn't want to admit.

Original publication date

1972

User reviews

LibraryThing member koeniel
I don't like this book as much as I like Judy Blume's other books, especially the Fudge series.

This one tells the story of Sheila - neighbour of Fudge & Peter and classmate of Peter - on her summer holiday with her parents in a small town. As usual Judy tells it from the first person perspective,
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i.e. we all see the world through Sheila's eyes.

The problem is, I don't think Sheila is a very likable person. If like me you have read the Fudge books then you'll know why. She is a bit annoying, a miss know all. So even looking at the world through her eyes, and hence we understand her thoughts, reasons and motives, we still don't understand why she does all the stupid things she does.

I'm not sure whether Judy doesn't really like girls, or whether girls are basically annoying. As I was a girl myself once, of course I don't think I was that annoying. Or I'd like to think that I wasn't. At least I hope there are girls out there that are a lot less annoying than Sheila.

Yes, I'm not really happy with Judy this time. She can create an interesting and funny boy like Peter, why can't she create a funny and interesting girl?
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LibraryThing member byroade
Spending the summer in Tarrytown, New York, is a lot of fun for ten-year-old Sheila even though her friends make her face up to some self-truths she does not want to admit.
LibraryThing member blueyz6778
This book is about Sheila,Peter Hatcher's neighbor. Sheila has to face her worst fears in this book. Like spiders, the dark, and her bad fear of dogs. I won't tell you anymore about this book for I will wreck the story. ( Tip: Read Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing) : )
LibraryThing member hnebeker
I loved reading about Sheila and the Tubmans and their wonderfully realistic experiences. Sheila is the ultimate combination of a cocky yet insecure young adult and the lessons she learns are universal. This is a book who's moral, "that it's better to admit you don't know than to pretend to know it
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all" should be shared by all. I can think of a few people I'd like to lend it to:) A great book for all preteens who are entering that uncomfortable place of the unknown and the uncomfortable. And I got more than a few good laughs too.
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LibraryThing member brittneywest
Sheila Tubman is a character that I feel many children can relate to. I love the different adventures Sheila encounters during her summer vacation. I feel that she learns a very important message towards the end of the book- that it is ok to admit your fears. This book is intended for 2nd graders
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and up. I would use this book as a daily read aloud for my kids.
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LibraryThing member mdkladke
Many people have fears and Shelia's fear is dogs, spiders, and the dark. I can relate a lot to this book because I fear the dark as well. She is going to have to overcome this fear because she has to go to the summer house with her family and dog sit. This book is full of many adventures and is a
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good book.
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LibraryThing member Naisy
I read all of Judy Blume's books as a child, teenager and recently as an adult. She was and is one of my favourite authors and now my daughter is beginning to read Blume. This was not my favourite, so I decided to reread it and give it another chance. I loved it - it's funny, witty and Blume does
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such an amazing job of describing the experiences and feelings of adolescence.
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LibraryThing member bubblegum99
Not as good as the Fudge books, but hilarious all the same.
LibraryThing member clwalker
Sheila Tubman is not quite sure who she is. Just when she's convinced that she really is confident, witty Sheila the Great, she is confronted with her worst fears. Faced with long-eared dogs, swimming lessons, and spiders, Sheila may be forced to admit that she's not a supergirl after all.
LibraryThing member E.J
I can't believe I forgot how charming some of these childhood books are, and I loved this one. I can't go to sleep with my ear out either.
LibraryThing member agrudzien
Sheila has a hard time admitting when she is afraid or doesn't know how to do something, and that causes quite a bit of trouble for her this summer when she and her family move into the house of a vacationing professor. Sheila tells her new friends that she was a yo-yo champion, a swimming
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champion, and that she is allergic to dogs. The truth - she can't work a yo-yo, will not put her face in the water, and is absolutely terrified of dogs. How will she keep all her lies straight?

This was a cute book about the importance of telling the truth and not exaggerating your abilities to new friends (which even adults sometimes do!). Quick and cute for summer!
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LibraryThing member stephanie.dicesare.7
I love the series because the books are so funny! This book was great.
LibraryThing member csteve13
Summary: Sheila The Great is the second book in the Fudge series and deals with a classmate of Peter's named Sheila. Sheila is a student in class who comes across as confident and with no fear. In reality, Sheila is fearful of many things including water, spiders and dogs. This summer her family
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decides to spend it in New York. They sign Sheila up for a camp where she has to deal with all of her fears. The camp has tons of swimming and insects and the house where her family is staying has a dog. The dog, Jennifer, gets pregnant and Sheila's sister wants to keep the puppies. All summer, Sheila is constantly worried about these fears but at the end, when she looks back at her summer she realizes that she actually did have fun this summer after all.

Argument: This book was great for girls who enjoy the Fudge series since it tracks a girls life instead of following the trend of talking about the boys. I think this is great for students who have fears and are very anxious. It is interesting to see how at the beginning, Sheila is so overwhelmed by her fears and let them control her summer but by the end she has control over them and is able to enjoy herself, realizing the things she was scared of in the beginning, aren't so bad after all.
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LibraryThing member Coffeehag
I love Sheila's attitude. Such a brat! Hilarious! :-p

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Rating

½ (512 ratings; 3.6)
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