51 pages 1 hour read

Judy Blume

Blubber

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1974

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Chapters 13-16Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 13 Summary: “You can’t go around scratching all day.”

Before Warren Winkler’s bar mitzvah, Jill makes herself a peanut butter sandwich and tucks it away in her bag, just in case she doesn’t like the bar mitzvah food. The family arrives at the temple a little late. Dad drops them off so he can find parking. While walking in, Kenny relays some of his facts, and Jill tells him to stop. Mom snaps at them to stop arguing. Mom, Jill, and Kenny do their best not to interrupt the service, but their late entrance distracts Warren, who is reciting Hebrew on stage. This draws the attention of the rest of the people gathered in the temple. Jill knows this stresses out Mom and suspects Mom wants a cigarette. Dad sneaks in shortly after and distracts Warren again. Jill notices that the head of a girl in front of her looks like Linda’s head. 

After the service, everyone goes to Mr. Winkler’s country club. There is assigned seating with the kids sitting together away from the adults. Jill asks what she’s supposed to do if she doesn’t like the food. Dad tells her to politely decline. Kenny jokes that Jill should have brought peanut butter. Mom tells Jill that if she goes hungry, it’s her problem.