Judy Blume facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judy Blume
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Blume at a book signing in 2009
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| Born | Judith Sussman February 12, 1938 Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, teacher |
| Education | Boston University New York University (BA) |
| Period | 1969–2020 |
| Genre | Realist young adult novels, children's books |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Margaret Edwards Award etc 1996 |
| Spouse |
John M. Blume
(m. 1959; div. 1975)Thomas A. Kitchens
(m. 1976; div. 1978)George Cooper
(m. 1987) |
Judy Blume (born Judith Sussman on February 12, 1938) is a famous American writer. She writes books for children, young adults, and grown-ups. Judy Blume started writing in 1959 and has published over 26 novels.
Some of her most well-known books include Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), and Blubber (1974). Her books have made a big impact on children's and young adult literature. In 2023, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Blume grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She graduated from New York University in 1961. She started writing stories to keep herself busy as a homemaker. Her novels have sold over 82 million copies worldwide. They have also been translated into 32 different languages.
Judy Blume has won many awards for her writing. These include the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1996. This award recognized her important contributions to young adult literature. She was also named a Library of Congress Living Legend. In 2004, she received the National Book Foundation medal for her great work in American writing.
Blume's books are very popular and admired. However, some of the topics in her books have caused discussions. The American Library Association has listed her as one of the most challenged authors. This means her books are often questioned or attempts are made to remove them from libraries. Several of her novels have been made into movies. These include Tiger Eyes (2012) and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023). A large collection of her writings is kept at Yale University.
The documentary Judy Blume Forever tells the story of her work. It won a Peabody Award.
Contents
Judy Blume's Life Story
Growing Up in New Jersey
Judy Blume was born Judith Sussman on February 12, 1938. She grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her mother, Esther, was a homemaker, and her father, Rudolph, was a dentist. She has an older brother named David. Her family is Jewish.
Judy faced some tough times and sadness during her childhood. She loved to read, a passion she shared with her parents. She often made up stories in her head as a child. Even with her love for stories, she didn't plan to become a writer back then.
Judy finished Battin High School in 1956. She then went to Boston University. In 1959, her father passed away. Later that year, she married John M. Blume. She had met him while studying at New York University. She earned her bachelor's degree in Education from New York University in 1961.
Adult Life and Family
After college, Judy Blume became a homemaker. She had two children, Randy Lee and Lawrence Andrew. Judy started writing when her children began nursery school.
She later married George Cooper in 1987. George has a daughter, Amanda, from a previous marriage. Judy is very close to Amanda.
In 2012, Judy Blume shared that she was diagnosed with cancer. She had surgery and recovered well. She has been cancer-free since then.
Her daughter, Randy Blume, is now a therapist. She helps writers finish their books. Randy's son, Elliot, encouraged Judy Blume to write more "Fudge" books. Her son, Lawrence Blume, is a movie director, producer, and writer. As of 2021, Judy Blume and her husband, George Cooper, live in Key West.
Judy Blume's Writing Career
Judy Blume loved reading her whole life. She started writing after taking classes at New York University. This was when her children were in preschool. After two years of getting rejections from publishers, her first book was published. It was called The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo (1969).
A year later, she published Iggie's House (1970). Her third book, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), became a huge success. This book was a breakthrough in young adult literature. It made Judy Blume a leading voice for young readers.
During the 1970s, she published many more books. These include Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (1972), and Blubber (1974).
After writing for children and teens, Blume also wrote books for adults. Her adult novels Wifey (1978) and Smart Women (1983) became The New York Times bestsellers. Wifey sold over 4 million copies. Her third adult novel, Summer Sisters (1998), was also very popular.
Many of Blume's books are among the top-selling children's books of all time. By 2020, her books had sold over 82 million copies. They have been translated into 32 languages. Even though she hasn't published a new novel since 2015, she continues to write. In 2017, Yale University received her collection of writings, including some early, unpublished works.
Besides writing, Judy Blume is also an activist. She speaks out against the banning of books in the United States. She is a board member of the National Coalition Against Censorship. This group works to protect the freedom to read. She also started The Kids Fund, which is a charity for education. In 2018, Blume and her husband opened a non-profit bookstore in Key West called Books & Books.
Awards and Honors
Judy Blume has won more than 90 literary awards. This includes three lifetime achievement awards in the United States.
- In 1996, she won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association. This award honors authors who have made important contributions to young adult literature. Her book Forever... (1975) was noted for its honest look at high school love.
- In 2000, the Library of Congress named her a "Library of Congress Living Legend". This was for her significant impact on America's culture.
- In 2004, she received the Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Medal. This award from the National Book Foundation recognized her enrichment of American writing.
- In 2009, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) honored her. They recognized her dedication to free speech and her fight against censorship.
- In 2017, she received the E.B. White Award. This award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters recognized her lifetime achievements in children's literature.
- In 2020, the Authors Guild Foundation honored Blume for her great service to the literary community.
Books Made into Movies and TV Shows
Many of Judy Blume's novels have been adapted for the screen.
- The first adaptation was a TV movie based on her novel Forever. It aired on CBS in 1978.
- In 1988, Blume and her son wrote and produced a small film of Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great. It was shown on ABC.
- A TV series called Fudge was made in 1995. It was based on her book Fudge-a-Mania. The show ran from 1995 to 1997.
In 2012, her 1981 novel Tiger Eyes was made into a movie. This was the first of her novels to become a full-length movie shown in theaters. The screenplay was co-written by Judy Blume and her son, Lawrence Blume. Lawrence also directed the film.
Her book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. was released as a feature film in 2023.
Judy Blume's Books
Children’s Books
- The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo (1969)
- Iggie's House (1970)
- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972)
- Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (1972)
- The Pain and the Great One (1974)
- Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself (1977)
- Freckle Juice (1978)
- Superfudge (1980)
- Fudge-a-Mania (1990)
- Double Fudge (2002)
- Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One (2007)
- Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One (2008)
- Going, Going, Gone! With the Pain and the Great One (2008)
- Friend or Fiend? With the Pain and the Great One (2008)
Young Adult Books
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (1970)
- Then Again, Maybe I Won’t (1971)
- It's Not the End of the World (1972)
- Deenie (1973)
- Blubber (1974)
- Forever... (1975)
- Tiger Eyes (1981)
- Just as Long as We're Together (1987)
- Here's to You, Rachel Robinson (1993)
- Places I Never Meant to Be (1999)
Adult Books
- Wifey (1978)
- Smart Women (1983)
- Summer Sisters (1998)
- In the Unlikely Event (2015)
Other Books
- It’s Fine to Be Nine (2000) (Collaborative short story)
- It’s Heaven to Be Seven (2000) (Collaborative short story)
- The Judy Blume Diary (1981) (Non-fiction)
- Letter to Judy: What Your Kids Wish They Could Tell You (1986) (Non-fiction)
- The Judy Blume Memory Book (1988) (Non-fiction)
See also
In Spanish: Judy Blume para niños
