Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
by Judy Blume
Fiction, Young-Adult, Middle-Grade, Realistic-Fiction, Humor, Classics
Sheila and her friends were writing in their Slam Books, writing what they really think of each other. I knew I didn’t have to worry about what my friends think of me, because I am careful to keep my bad points to myself, Sheila was thinking. Sometimes I think I am really two people. I am the only one who knows sheila tubman—afraid of dogs, spiders, the dark, thunder…can’t swim, work a yo-yo, never heard of Washington Irving. Everyone else knows only SHEILA THE GREAT—knowledgeable, witty, afraid of nothing. But the Slam Books reveal a few chinks in Sheila’s carefully wrought armor, and if she is fooling anyone, it certainly isn’t her new friend Mouse Ellis, Junior Yo-yo Champion of Tarrytown, swimmer, and dog lover. Slowly, Sheila begins o overcome her fears by admitting them, and she even learns to admit there are some things she doesn’t know about. By the time her family has to return to New York City, Sheila decides that sleeping in a boy’s room, sharing the rented house with a dog, and taking those dread swimming lessons were not so bad, after all, perhaps even better than a trip to Disneyland.
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 9+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that Judy Blume’s Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great is the second book in the “Fudge” series. However, this volume focuses on Sheila Tubman, a neighbor of the children at the center of the other Fudge books, Peter and Farley Drexel “Fudge” Hatcher. Sheila is a classmate of Peter’s; this novel is set during the summer after fourth grade, when Sheila’s family rents a house in Tarrytown, N.Y. Sheila is an extremely fearful child, and much of the novel focuses on experiences where she tries to mask, or has to face, the fears that create big obstacles in her young life. Other than a few kid scrapes and pranks, there are no violent or dangerous situations in the book outside of Sheila’s imagination. This is good teaching material for parents of fearful children who are ashamed to admit or face their fears.
Educational Value: 3/5
In Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, main character Sheila Tubman learns how to swim; kids will learn what sorts of things they have to do in the water to learn to swim and pass a beginning swimming test. Readers will also learn what sorts of activities children participate in at summer camp, and a little bit about Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Positive Messages: 4/5
Sheila Tubman often lies to hide her own fears and shortcomings. She’s ashamed to admit that she can’t do some of the things her peers can do, but this novel shows how much there is to be gained by facing her fears head-on. It also shows some good examples of the ways friends can argue and struggle but still remain friends.
Positive Role Models: 4/5
Sheila Tubman’s parents have a somewhat challenging job raising Sheila — a child who is often ruled by fear but is resistant to admit her shortcomings. Mr. and Mrs. Tubman are patient, sensitive and encouraging; sometimes they are willing to work around her fears to make things easier on Sheila, but when it matters they stand firm.
Violence & Scariness: 1/5
When Sheila and her friends try to sneak into one girl’s house by crawling through a small opening that exists for the milkman to deliver milk, one of the girls gets stuck and has to be pulled through. She ends up with numerous bruises and scrapes, and her friends help apply disinfectant and bandages. Any other threats — scary dogs, lightning, drowning — are figments of Sheila’s imagination.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: 1/5
Sheila’s sister, Libby (age 13), gets a boyfriend and they kiss.
Language: n/a
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Products & Purchases: n/a
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: n/a
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