The following article was written by Lisa Devins-Horohoe, an Adult Services Associate at the Manitowoc Public Library.
I grew up absolutely loving Judy Blume books, just like many women from my generation—think wood-paneled station wagons and metal lunchboxes! Back then, kids didn’t have social media or cell phones; we spent our time reading. At least I did! Judy Blume’s characters felt like friends and her stories got to the heart of the messy parts of life. I’m Lisa D—one of the four Lisas on-staff at MPL—and I invite you to join me and my co-worker and fellow Judy Blume enthusiast, Lisa G, at Manitowoc Public Library on Thursday, February 20, at 6 PM in the Second Floor Board Room for the kickoff of our Judy Blume Book Club!
You might be wondering, “What’s the Judy Blume Book Club all about?” Some of you might think her books are just for kids, but trust me, they are so much more than that! For over fifty years, her stories have touched the hearts of young readers and helped shape the young adult literary world. If you and your kids haven’t yet discovered the wonder of her timeless stories, this is a perfect chance to dive into her work at Manitowoc Public Library’s Judy Blume Book Club!
For me, Judy Blume has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the Elmora section of Elizabeth, New Jersey—where Judy herself spent her childhood! I was in elementary school during the early ’70s. When Blume’s iconic, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, was published in 1970. Judy attended the same elementary school that I did—good old Victor Mravlag School No. 21. Even though I was too young to read the book then, it was all anyone could talk about. We had a famous author that went to our school! When I turned 11, Margaret’s journey through puberty felt like someone had peeked into my heart!
Now, fast forward to 2024. I’m thrilled to be part of another wonderful community at Manitowoc Public Library, working alongside Lisa G, who’s just as crazy about Judy Blume as I am! We started chatting about how influential her work has been in our lives. Funny enough, we both lived in New Jersey when we were younger and our birthdays are a day apart! Crazy, right? Lisa G mentioned she sometimes rereads Blume’s books and wondered how they would resonate with us now as adults.
That sparked an idea to gather a group and revisit some of our favorite Judy Blumes together. That’s how the Judy Blume Book Club was born! We’re kicking things off on February 20 with discussions about the classics Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. And here’s the kicker—while Judy Blume is lauded for her work as a writer of Young Adult classics, the Judy Blume Book Club this is an Adult Program, offered to those 18-years of age and older. We have a display filled with both books near the First Floor’s Main Service Desk, as well as some of Blume’s other books for you to grab.
But wait! The nostalgia doesn’t end here. I love Judy Blume because she really shook-up children’s and teen literature by tackling topics that most authors shied away from, Blume’s stories aren’t about heroes or villains—just regular people dealing with the highs and lows of life. After she wrapped up her kids’ books, she jumped into writing for adults because, let’s face it, grown-ups have their own messes to sort out, too. If you haven’t checked out her stories yet, we’ve made it super easy for you. We’ll keep diving into Blume’s works with upcoming discussions on:
- Tiger Eyes – Thursday, April 17
- In the Unlikely Event – Thursday, June 19
Whether you’re already a fan or just starting to discover her magic, we hope to see you on Thursday, February 20, at 6 PM in the Board Room on Manitowoc Library’s Second Floor for the Judy Bloom Book Club. It is going to be a blast from the past!