Summer Sisters

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of child abuse, sexual abuse, grooming, and suicidal ideation.

Judy Blume is most famous for her books for young readers. Read one of them—whether it’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Deenie (1973); Blubber (1974); or another title—and connect it to Summer Sisters. How does the intended audience change the tone, themes, symbols, and plot?

Summer Sisters brings together two people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Many other novels follow this paradigm, including Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep (2005) and Janelle Brown’s Pretty Things (2020). Compare and contrast Summer Sisters with one of these titles: How does money affect characters’ relationships?

Unpack Blume’s narration technique. Why does she depart from Vix and go into the minds of the other characters? How does it add to the story and counter stereotypes?