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Deenie
by: Judy Blume |
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback EAN: 9780440932598 ISBN: 0440932599 Label: Laurel Leaf Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 144 Publication Date: October 01, 1991 Publisher: Laurel Leaf Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: September 01, 1991 Studio: Laurel Leaf |
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| Customer Reviews | ||
  - From Selfish to SelflessDeenie is a wonderful story that all young girls SHOULD read. It is a story of a young girl whose mother raised her telling her she belonged on the cover of magazines. She was destined to be a model and her sister was the smart one. Although Deenie does not appear to be mean to others, she certainly does not go out of her way to be nice to people that are "beneathe her." While in the process of trying to become a model, it is noted that she has scoliosis. This news is very heartbreaking for Deenie, but almost more so for her mother. She is placed in a Milwaukee Brace and needs to wear it for four years in order to treat and fix her spine issues. During the time of her transition to wearing the brace Deenie starts to see people in a different light. She starts to see more of the person behind the disability, rather then always the negative. My daughter is only 10, so I'm not quite ready for her to read about masterbation or making out with boys (which or both talked about fairly modestly in the book). I do, however, plan to have her read it in another year or two so she can get the main concepts that Judy Blume tries to convey. Seeing past the disability or the thing that makes someone different and really looking at the person behind the disability is an invaluable lesson for all preteens and teens to learn. By Kerri J. Busteed Author of Will's First Hunt [[...] Will's First Hunt]] Rating: - Body Image and Gaining Independance in Blume's DEENIEDear Readers, Today I finished reading DEENIE by Judy Blume. In the story, beautiful 13-year-old Deenie's mother wants her to become a model. Deenie isn't too hot on the idea, but she doesn't despise it either. She goes along with her mother's wishes only to please her. All these dreams come to a crashing halt when Deenie gets diagnosed with scoliosis. What's worse, her doctor tells her the best way to treat her spine is to put her in a Milwaukee brace for four years. Deenie takes the news hard, but it seems like her mother takes it even worse. The rest of the book explores how Deenie copes with this new change in her life. I would recommend this book to girls between the ages of 12-16. It addresses issues that concern girls in that age group. This book changed my perception of scoliosis. Prior to reading this book, I thought the brace was only worn for a few weeks or maybe a few monthes. I had no idea it was worn for years. My heart goes out to anyone who has had to cope with this adjustment. In my opinion, the most important part of this book is when Deenie accepts that this temporary problem will lead to a long-term solution and handles it with grace and maturity. ~Miss L Rating:  - A timeless book about a serious subject told by a 13-year-oldI picked up this book because it's commonly a "banned book", and I have to read a selection of those for a childrens/teens writing course I am taking to polish up my writing for publication. Judy Blume is one of my favorite authors. From her popular "Fudge" series, to "Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret," she has a fresh way of writing about teenagers and the struggles they go through. "Deenie" is one such teenager. She's a 7th-grade teenager who loves to hang out with her friends, has a crush on a boy named Buddy, and isn't quite sure how to stand up to her selfish, domineering mother when she insists on taking Deenie to modeling interviews each Saturday when she's rather go to the mall with her friends. Pretty typical teenager, huh? However, she is also nervous and unsure (and a bit cruel) in her dealings with the handicapped. For example, one of the girls in her gym class has bad eczema rashes (that are NOT catching), yet Deenie privately calls her "The Creeping Crud" and is afraid to hold her hands in modern dance, and runs to wash her hands several times if she does. So, it's a bit ironic that she almost become "one of them" when she gets diagnosed with "adolescent idiopathic scoliosis". What that jumble of words means is that is that she has a case of teenage scoliosis (it progress rapidly during growth spurts) and they have no idea why she got it, especially since there is no sign of it either on her mothers side or her father's. She ends up having to wear an uncomfortable-sounding metal-and-plastic brace of sorts that is supposed to correct the curvature of her spine while she's a teenager and hopefully prevent the need for surgery to correct it when she gets older. The brace, called a Milwaukee Brace, goes from a sort of metal collar around her neck, to the base of her spine, and she has to wear it for 23 hours, 365 days a week (unless she's swimming or bathing); and that includes sleeping. This book is often classified as a "banned book," because it deals frankly (yet a little vaguely) on the topic of masturbation. Deenie sometimes "touches her special place" when she's feeling scared and can't sleep. Then, in sex ed at school, the topic comes up again, and the teacher explains that is normal and not dangerous if young boys and girls do it. Personally, I don't see what all the hoopla is about. This book was written for teenagers to show them that it is normal to feel scared, unsure about growing up or to have hormones and want to kiss the opposite sex. However, it was written at a time when all that sort of talk was taboo, I guess, and this book is frequently pulled from libraries and reading lists because some parents can't look past those bits, and see the character of Deenie as being a frightened teenager who has to deal with a monumental change. This book is written for 10-14 year-old kids and it's not really for anyone younger. However, I would have no problem letting my daughter read this and discuss its content with me when she becomes a teenager. A great book; no wonder is a classic, even if it was originally written in 1971! Rating: - Deenie helped me while in the hospitalI read this book 29 years ago on the recommendation of my doctor. I was 10 years old and in NYU hospital ready to under go scoliosis surgery. I had worn an ugly, bulky brace from my chin to me hips for 8 months but ended up needing the surgery. It was great to read a book that struck such a chord at a hard time. It was good to know that I wasn't the only kid going through such a thing. If you know a kid who has scoliosis, this is a great book. How often, at that age (9 - 13) do we actually get to read a book that could be written about us and what we are actually going through at that moment? Rating: - A heartwarming tale of love and well Deenie (Deenie by Judy Blume)Deenie was an awesome book by Judy Blume because it had regular teenage feelings but more importantly, Deenie had scoliosis, which is the curve of the spine. She must wear a Millwakee brace for 4 years to correct her curve. I have scoliosis too, and I was glad to see a famous author had written about it. It was a very heartwarming book and you really got to know Deenie. I would defenitly recomend it for readers of all ages who need a little inspiration in their lives. P.S. It's a very quick and easy read, but still has a rich plot and juicy descriptions.Deenie |
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