Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself

Much like Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Starring Sally J. Friedman contains a portrait of an era. The novel contains more than mere descriptions; I could actually feel what it was like to live in Miami right after World War II. Sally's neighborhood, the school, the beach...all were so perfectly created that I felt that I was there, spending time with Andrea and Shelby along with Sally.Probably the descriptions in this novel are so apt because this is largely an autobiographical tale. I read that Judy Blume really did spend one school year in Miami with her mother, brother and grandmother, and that many stories contained in Sally J. Friedman really happened to Judy Blume.The novel realistically addresses true concerns and fears concerning adolescence. While most people no longer worry about one of their neighbors turning out to be Adolph Hitler, children often fear things that they learn from newspapers. Their understanding of current events is often one-sided and uninformed, as they are shielded from all the facts by well-meaning adults. They fill in the gaps with their imaginations. Additionally, kids and adults alike have concerns about fitting in, keeping and making friends, and mortality.I especially enjoyed Sally's relationship with her mother and father. Her mother is a worrier...to the point that she lets much of the joy in life pass her by. Her father is more free spirited, and tries to explain to Sally why her mother behaves the way that she does. One beautiful scene in the novel occurs when Sally's dad explains that one can worry so much, that they don't enjoy what they have when they have it. Sally struggles to be more like her father, while appreciating the concerns and motivations of her mother.While this book paints a picture of an era, it contains smart prose and human insight that is timeless. As all good historical fiction does, it teaches us something about the past while involving us in a story that is universal.

I used to read many of Judy Blume books as a teenager, but this book together with Blume's "Deenie" have remained dear to me till this day, around 20 years later. I think there is something about this book that is able, so I feel, to address young readers and adults alike. I will not write about the content as so many people have done so before me, just about my thoughts concerning this book.Sally is looking at the adult world with open curious eyes, not always able to understand grown ups and the grown-up world. The adults in the book, on the other side, are so much better understood by me today, their characters (so well defined) and their efforts to try and raise their children according to the best of their knowledge and what they deem important in life. This book is dear to me for many reasons. First of all - the characters are so Jewish I immediately feel its close to home. I am talking about the ever worried mother, the constant haunting of the holocaust, the conversations, the Yiddish expressions... and especially my favorite character in the book which is Ma Fanny, the lovely grandmother. I love this book because of the adults efforts to build a sheltered world for the kids who are, as the mother and grandmother say "all my life" and thus sometimes protect them too much from the outside world. Because of the good yet real family relationships ("you are worth a million...more even"...) and the accurate portrayal of the family life. Sally is such a funny lovable character and her inner portrayal is rich and trustworthy.

I first received this book when I was 9, it was a Christmas gift from my mother. I read that book so many times I destroyed it, but I never forgot it. Years later at 21, I purchased it again to drink in the words that I remembered as a child. The story is about about a young Jewish girl post WW2. Living in Jersery, she is moved with her mother, grandmother, and brother when it is decided that the sun is good for her brothers ongoing health problems. Their lives shift to Miami, when things are a lot different then Jersey. There Sally learns of the unfairness of prejudice. Away from her father, who stays behind to tend to business, she is accompanied by and active imangination that weilds tales of love, romance, adventure, and revenge for the man that brutally murdered her people, including family memebers. Above all it is about a 10 year old in her "tween" years. Still not into puberty, but is growing and learning in that diffult transition phase. It is an amazing book and a must have for a young and old who enjoy a great story!

Many young people, upon hearing the name Judy Blume, immediately think of the 'Fudge' books or Blume's famous 'Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret?'-- 'Starring Sally J. Freeman As Herself' is a book that is often overlooked. Some kids might be wary of a piece about a girl growing up in the 1940s, but aside from references to the war ending and 40s pop culture, Sally is just your average 10-year-old; no different than 10-year-olds you might find today. She has a terrific imagination, loves to play games, swim, hang out with friends, dance, dream of being a star, and occasionally think about boys. Sally is one of the sweetest, most interesting little characters you'll ever read about in children's literature. The book flows from one of Sally's adventures to another. Once you get into it, you won't want to put it down. Older readers (teenagers and above) might enjoy the advanced humor that younger readers may miss. All in all, a great book, one you can read again and again.

Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself witten by:Judy Blume Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself is a view of a girl living her life after World War II. Think about being a very imaginative girl after World War II. In this book,Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself,that is exactly what Sally is. She's a girl who lost her cousin Lila and aunt Tante Rose during the war. She then had to move from where she lived all her life.Sally had to leave everybody and everything she knew. For any young girl that would had been a lot, but for Sally it was an adventure. The setting of Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself is very interesting.It took place in Sally's apartment building where there are a lot of unique people and things. Sally's life is very exciting. It makes readers wonder what is she going to do next.I personally recommend this book for everybody to read;it's very ammusing. I give it five stars. Read Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself and I promise you won't put it down.