Discussion Guide for

It’s Not the End of the World

By Judy Blume

1. The conflict of a novel is the problem to be solved. How is the conflict revealed on page one? The theme is the big idea, or lesson to be learned, in a novel. What is the central theme of this novel? Draw a connection between the conflict and theme.

2. Describe Karen Newman’s parents. Chart the anger between them from the beginning of the novel to the end. Who does Karen blame for her parents’ troubles? Aunt Ruth, Mom’s older sister, tells Karen she must be the one to help her mother. How is this a heavy burden for Karen? Debate whether this charge is fair.

3. Discuss the sibling relationships in the novel. How do Jeff, Karen, and Amy react to the news of their parents’ divorce? Which of the siblings is more realistic about the situation? Explain how their reactions are related to their ages and place in the family. Why does Amy suddenly want to sleep in Karen’s room? How does Karen respond to this request? Jeff seems to be in his own world. Point out scenes where he is willing to communicate with Karen.

4. Karen uses a Day Book to record her thoughts about the family situation. Discuss her daily ranking system. Almost every day leading up to the divorce is recorded as C-minus. At what point does Karen finally assign a grade of B-plus? Debate whether she might one day record an A-minus day.

5. The kids notice their dad’s absence. How is their mom, Ellie Newman, vague with the children when they ask questions? Why does she wait until they’re eating out with Aunt Ruth and Uncle Dan to tell them that she and their dad are separating? Explain how Bill Newman, their father, is more open with them about the divorce.

6. The protagonist is the main character, and the antagonist is a character working against the protagonist. Who is the protagonist in this novel? How are Ellie and Bill Newman the antagonists? Cite specific scenes in the novel that reveal how both parents are selfish and unreasonable.

7. Debbie Bartell is Karen’s best friend. Why is it so difficult for Karen to tell Debbie about her parents’ pending divorce? How does Karen react when she learns that Debbie knows about her family issues? Describe Karen’s reaction when Debbie asks her what it feels like. Discuss a better way for Debbie to have responded to Karen.

8. Garfa, Karen’s grandfather, lives in Las Vegas. What are his thoughts about the divorce? Discuss his advice to Ellie and Bill Newman. Explain how he puts the burden of the divorce on Karen’s mother. Debate whether Garfa’s way of trying to help reflects how society viewed women in 1972 when the novel was written.

9. Describe Val Lewis. How is her situation different from Karen’s? What is Val’s relationship with her father? Contrast Karen’s and Val’s moms. How is it obvious that Val is lonely? Why is Karen so eager to be friends with Val? Explain what Karen expects to learn from the divorce book that Val recommends. Why does she tell Garfa about the book?

10. Ellie Newman announces that she is going back to school. Discuss her children’s reaction to this news. Explain what Jeff means when he says about their father, “‘At least he’s not sorry he had us.’” (p. 102). What makes Jeff think that their mother is sorry she had them? How does Karen react to Jeff’s remark? Why does she think he’s making things worse?

11. Karen launches a plan to get her parents back together. Where does her plan go wrong? At what point does she realize that nothing she does can repair her parents’ marriage?

12. What is Jeff’s motive when he runs away? Why doesn’t Ellie Newman want to call the police? Explain why Uncle Dan calls Bill Newman. Debate whether Petey, Jeff’s friend, knows where Jeff is. Why does Jeff decide to come home? Discuss his advice to Karen about running away.

13. Debbie tells Karen that her mother says, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Karen says that her mother says, “Out of sight, out of mind.” (p. 210). How might both statements be true? How does Ellie Newman’s statement reveal that she is ready to move on with her life?

14. Judy Blume was one of the first to tackle the topic of divorce in a children’s novel. People across the nation reacted, claiming the novel was inappropriate for young readers. It was banned in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Georgia. How are people more open to this topic today? Some parents also reacted to profanity in the novel. Take a look at the few times profanity is used. How does the language amplify the anger between Karen’s parents? How might you explain this to those who focus only on words, rather than on the meaning of the novel?

Guide written by Pat Scales, a retired middle and high school librarian who is currently a children’s and young adult literature consultant and specializes in curriculum and free speech issues.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.

• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (April 29, 2014)
• Length: 224 pages
• ISBN13: 9781481414357
• Ages: 8 - 12
• Lexile ® 500L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®