Deenie

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Deenie (1973) is a book written by Judy Blume about a thirteen year old girl with scoliosis. Her mother has high expectations for Deenie's sister and her but neither of them want to be what their mother wants for them. Her mother wants Deenie to be a model and is in the process of trying to establish her daughter in the business when her scoliosis is discovered. Deenie's seventeen year old sister, Helen, is extremely smart and is being pressured by her mother to become a doctor or lawyer.

This book, like many others written by Blume, has been banned in schools for themes deemed inappropriate for adolescents; in this case, talk about masturbation and sexuality. Deenie is on the American Library Association list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number 46. [link]

The passage that is most frequently cited as the reason for removing the book from libraries is: "[That week] I touched my special place practically every night. It was the only way I could fall asleep and besides, it felt good." [p. 90] This, along with a discussion about menstruation and masturbation on the following few pages led by a gym teacher, is the core of the objections to the novel, which is otherwise usually described as insightful and accurate in portraying a young girl dealing with her diagnosis of scoliosis.

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