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, Former 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) |
| Children | 2 |
Judy Blume, born Judith Sussman on February 12, 1938, is a famous American author. She writes books for children, young adults, and adults. Since 1959, Judy Blume has published over 26 novels. Many of her books are very well-known. These include Superfudge (1980), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972). Her stories 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.
Judy 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. Judy Blume was one of the first authors for young adults to write about real-life topics. These include growing up, body changes, and friendships. Her books have sold over 82 million copies. They have been translated into 32 different languages.
She has received many awards for her writing. In 1996, she won the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards Award. This award honors authors who have made 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. This was for her outstanding contribution to American literature.
Judy Blume's novels are very popular and admired. They help young readers understand themselves and the world. However, some of her books have faced criticism in the United States. They are sometimes challenged in schools and libraries. Despite this, several of her novels have been made into films. Tiger Eyes came out in 2012. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. was released in 2023. Her writings are kept at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University. A documentary called Judy Blume Forever tells the story of her work. It won a Peabody Award.
Contents
Judy Blume's Life Story
Growing Up
Judy Blume was born Judith Sussman on February 12, 1938. She grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her mother, Esther, was a homemaker. Her father, Rudolph, was a dentist. Judy has an older brother named David. Her family is Jewish.
Judy's childhood had some difficult times. When she was in third grade, her brother had a kidney infection. Judy, her brother, and her mother moved to Miami Beach for two years. This was to help him get better. Her father stayed home to work. Later, in 1951 and 1952, there were airplane crashes in her hometown. These events inspired her 2015 novel, In the Unlikely Event.
As a child, Judy loved being creative. She enjoyed dancing and playing the piano. Her parents also loved reading, and they shared this love with her. Judy often made up stories in her head. Even though she loved stories, she didn't plan to be a writer back then.
Judy graduated from Battin High School in 1956. She then went to Boston University. She took a short break from school due to illness. In 1959, her father passed away. Later that year, she married John M. Blume. She met him while studying at New York University. She earned her bachelor's degree in Education from NYU in 1961.
Adult Life and Family
After college, Judy became a mother. Her daughter, Randy Lee Blume, was born in 1961. Her son, Lawrence Andrew Blume, was born in 1963. Judy started writing when her children began nursery school.
Judy 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 faced a health challenge. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, she recovered well and was cancer-free.
Her daughter, Randy Blume, is now a therapist. She helps writers finish their books. Randy's son, Elliot, encouraged his grandmother to write more "Fudge" books. Her son, Lawrence Blume, is a movie director, producer, and writer. As of 2021, Judy and George live in Key West.
Judy Blume's Writing Career
Starting as an Author
Judy Blume loved reading all her life. She began writing through courses at New York University. This was when her children were in preschool. After two years of her stories being turned down, she published her first book. It was called The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo in 1969.
A year later, she published Iggie's House (1970). The next ten years were very busy for her. She published 13 more books. Her third book, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), became a huge bestseller. It helped make her a leading voice in young adult literature. Other popular books from this time include Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972) and Blubber (1974).
Exploring Real-Life Topics
In 1975, Judy Blume published Forever. This book was important for young adult literature. It explored first relationships and growing up. Her novels often discuss real-life topics. These include family challenges, bullying, and body image. Judy believes children need to learn about these subjects. She writes about what she wondered about as a child.
After writing for children and teens, Judy Blume also wrote for adults. Her novels Wifey (1978) and Smart Women (1983) became bestsellers. Wifey sold over 4 million copies. Her adult novel, Summer Sisters (1998), was also very popular. It sold more than three million copies.
Many of Judy Blume's books are among the top-selling children's books ever. As of 2020, her books have sold over 82 million copies. They are available in 32 languages. She has not published a new novel since 2015. However, she continues to write. In 2017, Yale University received her collection of writings. This included some early, unpublished work.
Fighting for Freedom to Read
Besides writing, Judy Blume is also an activist. She speaks out against banning books in the United States. In the 1980s, some of her books faced challenges. She then started working with other writers, teachers, and librarians. They joined forces to fight against censorship.
This led her to join the National Coalition Against Censorship. This group works to protect the freedom to read. As of 2020, Judy Blume is still on their board. She also founded The Kids Fund. This is a charity that supports education. She serves on the boards of other groups too. These include the Authors Guild and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. In 2018, Judy and her husband opened a non-profit bookstore in Key West. It is called Books & Books.
Awards and Honors for Judy Blume
Judy Blume has won over 90 literary awards. This includes three lifetime achievement awards in the United States. In 1994, she received the Golden Plate Award. This was from the American Academy of Achievement.
The American Library Association (ALA) gives the Margaret A. Edwards Award. It honors authors who have made important contributions to young adult literature. Judy Blume won this award in 1996. The ALA recognized her book Forever (1975). They praised its honest look at high school seniors in love.
In April 2000, the Library of Congress named her a Library of Congress Living Legend. This was for her significant contributions to America's culture. She received an honorary doctor of arts degree from Mount Holyoke College in 2003. She was also the main speaker at their graduation ceremony.
In 2004, she received the Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Medal. This was from the National Book Foundation. It honored her for enriching American literature. In 2009, the National Coalition Against Censorship honored her. This was for her lifelong commitment to free speech. It also recognized her courage in fighting censorship.
Judy Blume received the 2017 E.B. White Award. This award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters celebrates lifetime achievement in children's literature. In 2020, the Authors Guild Foundation honored her. This was for her distinguished service to the literary community.
Judy Blume's Books on Screen
Film and TV Adaptations
Judy Blume's novels have been adapted for TV and film. The first was a TV film based on her novel Forever. It premiered on CBS in 1978. Forever tells the story of two high school teenagers falling in love for the first time. Stephanie Zimbalist and Dean Butler starred in the film.
In 1988, Judy Blume and her son wrote a film adaptation of Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great. This film was later shown on ABC. A "Fudge" TV series was made in 1995. It was based on her novel Fudge-a-Mania. The show ran from 1995 to 1997. Jake Richardson played Peter Hatcher, and Luke Tarsitano played Fudge.
In 2012, her 1981 novel Tiger Eyes became a feature film. This was the first of her novels to be shown in movie theaters. Tiger Eyes is about a teenage girl named Davey. She tries to cope with the sudden death of her father. Judy Blume and her son, Lawrence Blume, co-wrote the screenplay. Lawrence also directed the film. Willa Holland starred as Davey.
The documentary Judy Blume Forever tells the story of her work. It won a Peabody Award. It premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. was released as a feature film in 2023.
In 2025, her novel Forever was adapted into a Netflix series show.
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)
Collaborative short stories
- It's Fine to Be Nine (2000)
- It's Heaven to Be Seven (2000)
Non-fiction books
- The Judy Blume Diary (1981)
- Letter to Judy: What Your Kids Wish They Could Tell You (1986)
- The Judy Blume Memory Book (1988)
Other Awards and Recognition
Blume's other awards include:
- 1970: Outstanding Book of the Year from The New York Times for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
- 1974: Outstanding Book of the Year from The New York Times for Blubber
- 1981: Children’ Choice Award from the International Reading Association and Children's’ Book Council for Superfudge
- 1983: Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award
- 1984: Carl Sandberg Freedom to Read Award, from the Chicago Public Library
- 1986: Civil Liberties Award from the Atlanta Civil Liberties Union
- 1988: South Australian Youth Media Award for Best Author
- 2005: Time magazine All-Time 100 Novels List for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
- 2009: University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for lifelong contributions to children's literature
- 2010: Inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame
- 2010: Inducted into Harvard Lampoon
- 2011: Smithsonian Associates: The McGovern Award
- 2013: Chicago Tribune: Young Adult Literary Prize
- 2013: New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) Legacy Award
- 2013: The NAIBA Legacy Award
- 2013: Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) Award
- 2013: National Coalition of Teachers of English (NCTE) National Intellectual Freedom Award
- 2015: Catholic Library Association: Regina Award
- 2018: Carl Sandburg Literary Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation
- 2025: Women's National Book Association: WNBA Award
See also
In Spanish: Judy Blume para niños
