Pop Up Book Club – Judy Blume and The Adolescent Years
Thursday 27 April 7pm – 9pm
Date: Thursday 27 April 7pm – 9pm
Location: East Belfast
Cost: £5 (Proceeds to BookTrust NI)
Topic: All things Judy Blume!
Added Extras (!) Nibbles and a glass of something chilled
This Pop Up Book Club is a great opportunity to talk all things Judy Blume and also to reminisce about our teenage lives. It is a great way to meet new people, have meaningful conversations and find shared connections. We will enjoy some nibbles and a glass of something chilled followed by a brief introductory talk to set the Judy Blume scene and a chance to chat and discuss her books.
Why Judy Blume?...
If you grew up in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, you are likely to have read at least one of Judy Blume’s ‘controversial’ books. In fact, they were often banned or had to be specifically requested with parental permission from the library! I have four precious copies kept from my childhood on my shelves. I was not allowed to read the highly censored Forever!
For many of us, Judy Blume introduced us to topics we were just never going to talk to our parents about. She wrote about growing up, puberty, adjusting to new friends and schools, dealing with boys, periods, make-up, bras, bullying, being in or out and all the angsts that come with the transition to adulthood. She changed the landscape of teenage fiction by telling truthful stories about subjects other authors avoided. She wrote about people tackling real life and all its messiness.
This Spring, Judy Blume will be everywhere. A documentary Judy Blume Forever about her life will be released in mid-April and the much-anticipated film version of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret will be in cinemas in May.
Written in 1970, Judy Blume’s iconic novel Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret highlights how young girls feel about their changing bodies and the expectations society places on them about how they look.
“A brilliant book about growing up - this story remains relevant and engaging today”.
Feel free to read or re-read at least one Judy Blume book before coming along. Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret is the obvious choice but other suggestions are Deenie, Tiger Eyes, and Blubber. How do you feel reading Judy Blume through adult eyes and would you let any young adolescent you know read her books?
To get you in the mood, you can view the trailer for Judy Blume Forever at …
and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret at …
Please register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pop-up-book-club-judy-blume-and-the-adolescent-years-tickets-583051501737
Some admin…
Full details of the venue in East Belfast (i.e. my home address) will be sent to those who register.
There is only one rule for coming along - please reflect on Judy Blume in advance!
There is no pressure to share anything that you are not comfortable with. No-one will be asked questions or forced to give their opinions….
If you are anxious about coming on your own, please let me know as I will aim to make it as easy as possible for you to come along.
There is a cost of £5 and proceeds will go to BookTrust NI, a charity which encourages children to read by providing books and other resources.