Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Continuing the story begun in Just As Long As We're Together , Blume here focuses on Rachel, one of three best friends. This gifted, highly motivated student who, according to her mother, was ``born thirty-five,'' feels somewhat out of sync with Stephanie and Alison as seventh grade draws to a close. Then, when Rachel's acerbic older brother is expelled from boarding school, life at home becomes equally unsettling--and decidedly unpleasant. Rachel's incisive, first-person narration easily draws readers into her complicated world as she learns to cope with the pressures brought on by her relentless quest to be the best at everything and by her troubled family situation. Perceptive, strong storytelling ensures that other characters' points of view (particularly Rachel's brother's) can also be discerned. Blume once again demonstrates her ability to shape multidimensional characters and to explore--often through very convincing dialogue--the tangled interactions of believable, complex people. Ages 11-up. (Oct.)
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-This is the second book in what will likely become a trilogy revolving around three 13-year-old friends, Stephanie, Rachel, and Alison. In Just As Long As We Are Together (Orchard, 1987), Stephanie described the turmoils of the first half of seventh grade. Here, Rachel picks up the narrative. Her intelligence and drive have always set her apart, and now her emotions are in a state of turbulence. The unwelcome return of her rebellious brother from boarding school unsettles her family, which is dominated by the intense and highly successful Mrs. Robinson. Charles wreaks havoc through his volatile behavior and cruel, but often insightful, attacks on his sisters and parents. Rachel also struggles to find a balance at school, where increasing pressures threaten to overwhelm her. While dealing with these concerns, she becomes attracted to an older man and longs for her peers to accept her. A master at conveying the values and mores of the upper-middle class, Blume excels in her descriptions of family life and adolescent friendships. Her characterization is powerful and compelling. Rachel's strong narrative voice, couched in simple, direct language, realistically conveys her intense self-preoccupation. Though Rachel is an unusual personalitity, the author never loses sight of the common threads running through the lives of all teenagers. She draws on the universal themes of awakening sexuality and emerging identities to capture and hold her audience. Preteens will snap this one up.-Maggie McEwen, Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, ME
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 5–8—Rachel Robinson is every teacher's dream student. As she's wrapping up the seventh grade, teachers are trying to lure her into participating in extracurricular activities for gifted students, and as a result, away from her friends. But Rachel's mind is focused on one thing: Charles, her older brother. He's back at home after being kicked out of boarding school and his mission in life is to torture and bully his family. Rachel's friends think Charles is cute, but true to her no-nonsense nature, Rachel can't understand what they see in him. Charles focuses most of his cruelty on Rachel and their older sister, Jessica, a shy high school senior, who is battling a painful case of cystic acne. He also gnashes his brutish teeth at his trying parents and at his cousin, Tarren, a divorced, single mother who is having an affair with a married man. Judy Blume is a master at creating complex characters that tweens enjoy. In this novel (1993), Rachel's personal growth and eventual acceptance of her family is never forced and sends the message that life is messy, but everything's going to be fine. Mandy Siegfried's narration enhances Blume's talent for writing dialogue. Her girlish pitch provides an authentic performance. This companion novel to Just As Long As We're Together (1986, both Orchard) is an excellent choice for libraries where the author is popular.—Annica Stivers, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
