Good, but beware - Rated 
If you are a scoliosis suffer (like I was) then I give you a few words of caution before reading this book. In this country the recommended treatment for scoliosis is surgery - and the insertion of one or two Harrington rods to straighten the spine. I think that very few consultants these days would recommend bracing the poor kids up for years. The prospect of surgery is scary (I should know) but your life will be pretty much back to normal after about three months. For me, it's been 11 years since I had my two rods fitted and most of the time I forget they're there.
As for this particular book, it's certainly an encouraging tale of a very brave girl overcoming a physical deformity, and I can, on the whole, recommend it.
Great read for teenagers - Rated
I read this at 13 and picked it up again the other day and read it as an adult. The story is very readable and the messages about appearance, vanity, appreciating what we've got and understanding others' misfortunes are great for kids of any age. I found the parts about masturbation unnecessary though - this is inappropriate for many children of the age the rest of the book is aimed at and it seems to have been added for "spice" factor rather than as part of the story.
Absolutely great and very realistic! - Rated 
This is a great book about a young girl who discovers she has scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and the effects it has on her life. It's all about how she reacts to it and learns to deal with it, and with her friends reactions to the scoliosis and in particular the brace she has to wear. As a 'girl' with scoliosis myself, I found this book very realistic and helpful, I first read it at 9 and 12 years later I'm still reading it again and again. It is a great book with brilliant charachters and I would (and have) recommended it to all my friends. Whether you are just looking for a good book, or whether you want to learn about the struggle girls have with scoliosis, it is a great book and well worth a read.
BORROW IT, READ IT, THEN YOU WILL WANT TO BUY IT!
What an enjoyable read! - Rated
This book didn't occur to me to be a book that I wouldn't be able to put down!
Deenie the main character is fine until she finds out she has a problem with her spine. Her mother doesn't make it better with going on about a model agency. She says that Deenies older sister is the brainy one while Deenie is the model.
Deenie doesn't want to be a model, but her mother forces her. When she finds out Deenie has a spine problem she says it's her own fault.
Will Deenie have the courage to go on? Read and find out!
A tale of bravery and courage... - Rated
Imagine the feeling of having the whole world in your hands. You are young and beautiful and have your entire career planned ahead of you. But then your life takes a sudden turn and you see your bright future fade away in front of your very own eyes. This is a story about a girl whose life is turned upside down within minutes.
It seemed like the end of the world for thirteen-year-old Deenie Fenner when the doctor discovered that she had scoliosis-a spinal deformity. Her mother had always dreamed that Deenie would become a teenage model, but that dream would now have to wait. Having scoliosis meant that she would have to wear a hideous metallic Milwaukee brace, from her neck to her hips for about five years, in order to straighten her crooked spine. Deenie wonders why it had to be her, out of all people. What was the crime she had committed to deserve this? To her, five years sounded like a lifetime. Within time, she realizes that her problem was beyond her appearance at this point; it would affect her well being if it wasn't treated. A few snickers and laughs were surely not going to hurt as much as a lifetime of being a hunchback. s
After getting though the first chapter, I can guarantee you that you will want to superglue the book to your hands. Without using vocabulary that will send you straight to your dictionary, Judy Blume expresses Deenie's feelings in such a captivating way that you will never want to put the book down. You feel as if you are experiencing Deenie's life firsthand-a life that slowly heading downhill.
Along with many excellent features, the book contains a couple of flaws. For example, it fails to include a noticeable and exciting climax. I continued to read and read, patiently awaiting the part of the book where Deenie would release all the anger and pain that had been building up inside her. But, this part just never seemed to arrive and before I knew it, I had reached the last page. The story has an abrupt and unfinished resolution. It ends, giving us the feeling that Deenie had adjusted to her new condition. Personally, I would have liked to know more about what happened to her later on and whether or not she got to live her mother's dream of being a model.
In this book, Judy Blume deals with issues such as parental expectations, stress, confidence, discrimination and what it's like to cross over to another what seems like a completely different world. Suddenly matters that you were previously unaware of because of youth and inexperience are unexpectedly thrown at you and dealing with them can often be hard. Judy Blume boosts the self-esteem of all her readers and makes them believe that they can and will get through times that seem unmanageable. She does this by using the main character of the book (Deenie) as an example. It takes a strong willed person to see the worst events as a change for the better. Judy Blume teaches her readers how to see the worst possible situations in a different light.
No book has touched or affected me the way Deenie has. It makes you stop, wonder and realize exactly how fortunate you are-not having to face physical disabilities, serious financial problems or anything of the sort. It gives you the confidence to deal with problems that come your way. If people just like you can bring out the courage and bravery to cope with situations of much greater seriousness, there is no doubt you can handle your minor problems. Apart from a few weak points in the plot, Deenie is certainly worth a read, especially for teenage audiences. The book has a lot of valuable lessons to teach and is guaranteed to leave an impact on you. You will not know how it will alter your feelings and attitude towards life until you read it, so take my advice and buy your own copy of Deenie..
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