I learned to read at an early age. My mom can't remember if I was 3 or 4, but can vividly remember how hooked I was. From the moment I first picked up a book, I couldn't put them down, and that passion has only deepened with age. I can recall (with detail) the books which affected me and helped me become who I am today.
Who am I? I'm a bit Harriet the Spy crossed with a bit of Kristy Thomas. There's a hint of Amelia Bedelia mixed with just a tad Laura Ingalls. There's a touch of Emma Woodhouse and a dash of Isabel Archer. When a book touches me, it gets to my very core. And it's magical.
There have been so many authors, so many great authors, who I've thought were speaking straight to me, but no author has done that so as much as Judy Blume. If you get to know me, you'll see some Sally J. Friedman, crossed with Deenie and Linda, with a dash of Stephanie and Sheila. How did Judy know me so well?
After diving into Everything I Need to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume, I realize just how many girls felt the exact same way as me. Her books seem to find me at just the right time in my life, when I needed them most. Judy had the power to make us feel normal, even at the most awkward stages of our lives. And today, as I was reading one of the contributors' reflections on friendship, I found myself brought to tears, nodding along with what she had to say.
I've always believed that you seek out the books you need in that particular time of your life, whether you realize it or not. And I firmly believe that I need this book at this very second in my life. I need to reflect on the girl that I was, and realize I was normal, even if I felt like a complete mutant while growing up. And I need to thank Judy Blume for helping me grow into the woman I've become.


