Judy Blume

Judy Blume – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life, career, and wisdom of Judy Blume — the American author who brought honesty to children’s and young adult literature. Discover her journey, key works, legacy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Judy Blume (born February 12, 1938) is a highly influential American novelist, best known for her honest, empathetic, and often boundary-pushing books for children and young adults. Over her decades-long career, she has addressed subjects that many considered taboo—puberty, sex, identity, grief—and in doing so, she opened doors for readers to see their own experiences reflected in literature. Her works—Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Forever, Blubber, among many others—have sold over 82 million copies and have been translated into dozens of languages.

Blume’s writing is marked by psychological insight, emotional honesty, and a respect for her readership’s intelligence. She remains an icon in children’s and YA (young adult) literature, both for her storytelling and her advocacy for intellectual freedom and against censorship.

Early Life and Family

Judy Blume was born Judith Sussman on February 12, 1938, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Blume’s childhood was shaped in part by dramatic events. In the early 1950s, her hometown experienced multiple airplane crashes, and her father helped identify victims, an experience she later drew on in her novel In the Unlikely Event.

Despite not growing up intending to become a writer, Blume had a vivid inner life. She loved reading and often made up stories in her head.

Youth and Education

Blume attended Battin High School (in Elizabeth, NJ) and graduated in 1956. Boston University, but early into her studies she contracted mononucleosis and had to take a leave of absence. New York University (NYU), where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Education, graduating in 1961.

While studying, she married her first husband, John M. Blume, in August 1959. The couple had two children: a daughter, Randy Lee (born 1961), and a son, Lawrence Andrew (born 1963).

During the early years of raising her children, Blume began writing. She submitted manuscripts to publishers, suffered rejections, but persevered until she had her first book accepted.

Career and Achievements

Early Publications & Breakthrough

Blume’s first published book was The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo (1969). Iggie's House (1970). Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (1970), a coming-of-age novel that resonated deeply with young readers, especially girls navigating puberty, identity, and faith.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Blume published multiple books that became classics: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (1972), Blubber (1974), Forever (1975), and Superfudge (1980), among many others.

Forever was particularly controversial and groundbreaking: it depicted teenage romance and sexual intimacy in a frank, nonjudgmental manner, challenging norms about what young adult literature could address.

Throughout her career, Blume tackled themes such as puberty, sex, death, divorce, bullying, and self-esteem—topics that many authors avoided in children's and YA fiction. Her willingness to address these concerns gave readers validation and voice.

Advocacy & Controversy

Because of her frank depictions of adolescence and sexuality, many of Blume’s books have been challenged, banned, or censored in school libraries over the years. She has been a vocal advocate for freedom to read and against censorship.

In January 2024, she received the Eleanor Roosevelt Lifetime Achievement Award for Bravery in Literature, in recognition of her persistent opposition to book banning and her role in advocating for intellectual freedom.

More recently, in 2024, the National Book Critics Circle awarded her the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, citing how her work “inspired generations of young readers by tackling the emotional turbulence of girlhood and adolescence with authenticity, candor and courage.”

Later Work & Influence

Later in her career, Blume expanded her audience, writing novels for adults and exploring past events that shaped her early life. For instance, In the Unlikely Event (2015) draws on her memories of the airplane crashes in her hometown, weaving fiction with historical fact.

Even as she aged, Blume remained involved in literary matters, continued speaking out for free expression, and engaged with fans and readers. Her voice remains influential in debates about censorship, young adult literature, and the role of literature in reflecting honest life stories.

Historical Context & Milestones

• Blume is often credited as one of the pioneers of modern young adult literature—she expanded what topics that genre could address, making it more emotionally honest and less sanitized.

• Her success and controversies came at a time when American society was grappling with changing attitudes toward adolescence, sexuality, censorship, and free speech (1970s onward).

• The banning or challenge of her books in school and library settings placed her at the center of debates about what children should have access to. Her long-term activism helped shape and sustain movements for intellectual freedom in the U.S.

• Her awards and honors reflect recognition not just for literary output but for her role in expanding societal acceptance of candid, respectful discourse about adolescence and human experience.

Legacy and Influence

Judy Blume’s legacy is vast and multifaceted:

• Literary impact: Her books remain widely read by new generations and continue to be taught, debated, and adapted (for example, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. was adapted for film/TV).

• Opening doors: By writing openly about puberty, sexuality, bullying, grief, and identity, she helped legitimize those topics as worthy of serious YA literature.

• Reader connection: Millions of readers have shared how her stories made them feel less alone, less ashamed, or better understood.

• Advocacy: She has played an important role as a public intellectual defending free speech, equal access to literature, and against censorship of challenging works.

• Recognition: Her awards (e.g. Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association, National Book Foundation medal) attest to her long-term cultural contribution.

Personality and Writing Philosophy

Blume is known for her sincerity, empathy, and respect for her young readers. She treats adolescence not as a problem to be fixed but as a complex time of change, vulnerability, and growth.

Her writing philosophy emphasizes truth-telling: she strives to write what she wishes she had read as a youth—honest, emotional, and without condescension.

She has spoken about her craft:

“When I lock myself up to write, I cannot allow myself to think about the censor or the reviewer or anyone but my characters and their story!”

“After each book, I get panicky. I don’t love the reviews. I don’t like going through all that…”

These remarks reflect her vulnerability, dedication, and the tension between creative freedom and external judgment.

She also emphasizes listening: the voices of her characters often emerge through internal monologue, dialogue, and emotional realism.

Famous Quotes of Judy Blume

Here are several memorable quotes by Judy Blume that reflect her views on writing, reading, life, and adolescence:

• “Our finger prints don’t fade from the lives we touch.”

• “Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won’t have as much censorship because we won’t have as much fear.”

• “How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives.”

• “I am very sentimental, very emotional, but never in my writing; I am very tough.”

• “Things change … things happen … things you can’t even imagine when you’re young and full of hope.”

• “Each of us must confront our own fears … To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

• From Forever:
   - “‘Forever?’ he asked. ‘Forever,’ I said.”  - “Like my mother said, you can’t go back to holding hands.”

These statements capture themes of presence, courage, openness, and the bond between author and reader.

Lessons from Judy Blume

1. Honesty matters
   Blume teaches us that speaking truthfully — about fear, change, identity — resonates deeply with readers.

2. Don’t underestimate young readers
   Blume’s respect for her younger audience means she treats them as intelligent, emotional, and capable of grappling with real life.

3. Courage in vulnerability
   Her willingness to face criticism, challenges, and censorship shows the necessity of courage in creative work.

4. Dialogue is key
   Her advocacy for open conversation around reading — “Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it” — underscores the value of communication, not suppression.

5. Legacy through connection
   Blume’s long-term impact isn’t just in book sales or awards, but in the lives of readers who found solace, understanding, and affirmation in her pages.

Conclusion

Judy Blume remains one of the most beloved and courageous voices in American literature. Her stories have offered comfort, challenge, and recognition to millions, especially young people navigating the uncertainties of growing up. Her commitment to emotional truth, respect for readers, and advocacy for free expression continue to inspire writers, educators, and readers alike.