When I lock myself up to write, I cannot allow myself to think about the censor or the reviewer or anyone but my characters and their story!
Judy BlumeRead
When I see kids standing next to their mothers at book signings, clutching a copy of 'Forever,' I know what's coming. They'll say to me, 'How old do I have to be to read this?' hoping I'll give them permission. But I can't do that.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects children's curiosity about what they can read, indicating a desire for permission and guidance.
In this quote, Judy Blume shares a moment of interaction she often experiences with children during book signings. These children, eager to explore her book 'Forever,' seek validation from her regarding their readiness to read it, highlighting the innocence of youth and the role of adults in guiding them toward age-appropriate material. Blume's inability to provide a definitive answer underscores the subjective nature of readiness in reading and the importance of personal exploration in literature.
Themes
ChildrenReadingBooksLiteracyPermission
In practice
Example use cases
A teacher might share this quote to discuss the importance of encouraging children to read.
More from Judy Blume
All quotes →What I remember when I started to write was how I couldn't wait to get up in the morning to get to my characters.
Judy BlumeRead
What can happen if a young reader picks up a book he/she isn't yet ready for? Questions, maybe. Usually, that child puts down the book and says, 'Boring.' Or, 'I'm not ready for this.' Kids are really good at knowing what they can handle.
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Concentrate on how good if feels to be alive. No matter what. Just to see the color of the sky, just to smell the air, and feel the wind in your face
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I wrote 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret' right out of my own experiences and my own feelings when I was in sixth grade.
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Nobody ever asks me why my characters don't text each other. Besides, as soon as you put something 'electronic' in a book, it's already out of date by the time it's published: everything will have changed. Human emotion, on the other hand, will never change.
Judy BlumeRead
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