Judith Marcia Blume (born February 12, 1938) is an American author who writes books for children, teenagers, and adults. She started writing in 1959 and has written more than 26 books. Some of her most famous books include Superfudge (1980), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Deenie (1973), Blubber (1974), and Double Fudge (2002). Her books have made important contributions to children’s and young adult literature. In 2023, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Blume was born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and graduated from New York University in 1961. She began writing stories to find a creative way to express herself while also being a homemaker. She was one of the first young adult authors to write about difficult topics such as masturbation, menstruation, teen relationships, birth control, and death. Her books have sold more than 82 million copies and have been translated into 32 languages.

Blume’s books are often praised for helping children and young adults learn about their bodies. However, some of the topics in her books have caused debate and criticism in the United States. Her books are among the most frequently banned in schools and libraries. Some of her books have been made into movies, including Tiger Eyes (2012), which stars Willa Holland as Davey, and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023). A large collection of her work is kept at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Early life and education

Judith Marcia Sussman was born on February 12, 1938, and grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of a Jewish family. She was the daughter of Esther Sussman (née Rosenfeld), a homemaker, and Rudolph Sussman, a dentist. Judith had a brother named David, who was five years older than her. Judith described her upbringing as culturally Jewish rather than religiously Jewish.

During her childhood, Judith experienced difficult times and loss. When she was in third grade, her older brother became seriously ill with a kidney infection. To help him recover, Judith, her brother, and her mother moved to Miami Beach for two years. Judith’s father remained in Elizabeth to continue his work but traveled to Florida every month to visit his family. In 1951 and 1952, three airplane crashes occurred in Elizabeth, including the 1951 Miami Airlines C-46 crash, American Airlines Flight 6780, and National Airlines Flight 101. These crashes resulted in the deaths of 121 people. Judith’s father, as a dentist, helped identify the remains of those who could not be recognized. Judith later said she kept these memories hidden until she began writing her 2015 book In the Unlikely Event, which is based on the crashes.

Throughout her childhood, Judith participated in creative activities like dance and piano. She often imagined stories in her mind, though she did not consider becoming a writer as a career goal. At the time, middle-class white women like her were often encouraged to marry and have children rather than pursue writing.

Judith graduated from Battin High School, an all-girls’ school, in 1956. She then enrolled at Boston University but was diagnosed with mononucleosis a few weeks into the first semester and took a break from school. Later, she transferred to New York University, where she lived in a dormitory near Washington Square Park. In 1959, Judith’s father suddenly died from a heart attack. One month later, on August 15, 1959, she married John M. Blume, a lawyer she had met through friends in college. Judith graduated from New York University in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in early education. The Blumes lived in New York City before having children.

Career

Louise Blume loved reading all her life. She started writing after taking classes at New York University when her children were in preschool. After two years of publishers saying no to her work, she published her first book, The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo, in 1969. Her second book, Iggie's House (1970), was based on a story she wrote for Trailblazer magazine. The next ten years were her most productive, with 13 more books published. Her third book, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), became a best-selling novel and an important work in young adult literature. It helped establish Blume as a leading writer for young adults. Other books from this time include Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (1972), and Blubber (1974).

In 1975, Blume published Forever, which showed teenage relationships in a realistic way. She wrote the book after her daughter, who was 13 at the time, said she wanted to read about characters who had sex but did not face negative consequences. Blume’s books often address difficult topics like family problems, bullying, body image, and sexuality. She has said she writes about these subjects because she believes children need to learn about them and because these were questions she had as a child.

In addition to writing for young readers, Blume also wrote books for adults. These include Wifey (1978) and Smart Women (1983), both of which reached the top of The New York Times Best Seller list. Her third adult novel, Summer Sisters (1998), was praised by many readers and sold more than three million copies. However, it also faced criticism for its sexual content and inclusion of themes about same-sex relationships. Many of Blume’s books are among the best-selling children’s books of all time. As of 2020, her books had sold over 82 million copies and been translated into 32 languages. Although she has not published a novel since 2015 (In the Unlikely Event), she continues to write. In October 2017, Yale University acquired her archive, which included some unpublished early work.

Blume has also worked to stop books from being banned in the United States. In the 1980s, when her books faced censorship and controversy, she began working with other writers, teachers, and librarians to fight against book banning. This effort led her to join the National Coalition Against Censorship, an organization that protects the right to read. As of 2020, she was still a board member for this group. She is also the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. Blume serves on the boards of other organizations, including the Authors Guild, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Key West Literary Seminar.

Reception

Blume's books have been read by millions of people and have remained popular for many years. Readers especially appreciate how she talks openly and honestly about difficult topics such as divorce, growing up, puberty, and bullying. Her use of a first-person point of view helps readers connect with her characters and understand challenging subjects without being judged or treated unfairly. After the release of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970), Blume received many letters from young girls who said they felt understood by the story and related to the character Margaret. Female writers have praised Blume for addressing topics that were not often discussed in children's books, such as explaining bodily changes and teaching about personal growth. For example, Deenie (1973) discusses masturbation, and Forever (1975) explains what happens when young women lose their virginity. Blume's books are also recognized for showing how children deal with difficult situations in a gentle way. It’s Not the End of the World (1972) helped children understand divorce, and the Fudge book series explored the challenges of having siblings and dealing with conflicts.

Blume's books have also faced criticism and controversy. Parents, librarians, critics, and some groups have tried to ban her books. When Blume first published her books in the 1970s, she said she faced little censorship. However, since 1980, her books have often been the subject of debate in young adult literature. Some critics argue that her stories focus too much on physical and sexual aspects of growing up, while not enough attention is given to moral development or emotional growth. Five of Blume's books were listed on the American Library Association's (ALA) list of the 100 most banned books of the 1990s, with Forever (1975) ranked seventh. This book was censored because it includes information about teenage sex and birth control. Blume has shared that the principal of her children's elementary school refused to include Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret in the library because the story describes a girl going through puberty. Conservative and religious groups have also tried to ban Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret for showing a young girl's experience with puberty, which they say conflicts with their beliefs. Some critics have also pointed out that Blume's books, such as Blubber (1974), may suggest that children who do wrong might not face consequences.

Media adaptations

The first time Blume's books were adapted into media was with a TV film based on her novel Forever, which first aired on CBS in 1978. Forever follows two high school students, Katherine Danziger and Michael Wagner, as they experience their first love. The film featured Stephanie Zimbalist as Katherine Danziger and Dean Butler as Michael Wagner. In 1988, Blume and her son wrote and helped create a small film version of Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, which was later shown on ABC. In 1995, a TV series based on Blume's book Fudge-a-Mania was produced. The show ran from 1995 to 1997, with the first season on ABC and the second on CBS. The series included Jake Richardson as Peter Warren Hatcher, the storyteller, and Luke Tarsitano as Farley Drexel "Fudge" Hatcher.

In 2012, Blume's 1981 book Tiger Eyes was made into a movie. This was the first of Blume's novels to become a theatrical film. Tiger Eyes tells the story of a teenage girl named Davey, who has trouble dealing with her father's sudden death. Blume and her son, Lawrence Blume, co-wrote the screenplay, and Lawrence also directed the film. The movie stars Willa Holland as Davey and Amy Jo Johnson as Gwen Wexler.

Blume is the subject of the 2018 song "Judy Blume" by Amanda Palmer. The song explains how Blume's books helped Palmer understand topics such as puberty, menstruation, the male gaze, molestation, eating disorders, poverty, grief, and parental divorce.

Blume is also the focus of the Peabody Award-winning documentary Judy Blume Forever, which first showed at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2023, the book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. was adapted into a movie directed by Kelly Fremon Craig.

In 2025, Blume's novel Forever will be turned into a Netflix series.

Personal life

After returning to New Jersey, Blume had a daughter named Randy Lee Blume in 1961 and became a homemaker. She had a son, Lawrence Andrew Blume, in 1963. When her children started going to school, she began exploring creative activities, starting with felt art. She sold some of her artwork to Bloomingdale's in New York City before she began writing.

Blume divorced her first husband, John M. Blume, in 1975. She married physicist Thomas A. Kitchens in 1976 and moved to London and then to Los Alamos, New Mexico for two years because of Kitchens' job. They divorced in 1978.

In 1987, Blume met George Cooper, who was a law professor at Columbia University and later became a non-fiction writer. They married in 1987. Cooper has a daughter named Amanda from a previous marriage, and Blume is very close to Amanda.

In August 2012, Blume announced she was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine ultrasound before a five-week trip to Italy. Six weeks after the diagnosis, she had a mastectomy and breast reconstruction. She was cancer-free after the surgery and recovered.

Randy Blume became a therapist specializing in helping writers finish their works. She has a child named Elliot Kephart, who is credited with encouraging his grandmother, Judy Blume, to write the latest "Fudge" books. Lawrence Blume is now a movie director, producer, and writer. As of 2021, Cooper and Blume lived in Key West, where they co-own a bookstore in the arts center at The Studios of Key West.

Awards and honors

Judy Blume has received more than 90 literary awards, including three lifetime achievement awards in the United States. In 1994, she was given the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement. The ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award honors an author who has made important contributions to young adult literature. Blume won this award in 1996. The ALA recognized her book Forever, published in 1975, for its honest portrayal of high school students experiencing their first love. In April 2000, the Library of Congress named her a Living Legend in the Writers and Artists category for her contributions to America's cultural heritage. Blume received an honorary doctor of arts degree from Mount Holyoke College and spoke at their annual commencement ceremony in 2003. In 2004, she was awarded the Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Medal by the National Book Foundation for her work in American literature. In 2009, the National Coalition Against Censorship honored Blume for her long-term dedication to free speech and her efforts to oppose censorship in books. In 2017, she received the E.B. White Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for her lifetime achievements in children's literature. In 2020, Blume was named an Honoree for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community by the Authors Guild Foundation.

Other awards Blume has received include:

Journalist Mark Oppenheimer wrote a biography titled Judy Blume: A Life, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2026.