§Author· 3 books
Judy Blume
Also known as Judith Marcia Sussman, Judith Sussman, Judy Sussman
Realistic fiction addressing the anxieties, bodily changes, and emotional lives of preteens and teenagers found a defining voice in the coming-of-age novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Written by Judy Blume, the story of an eleven-year-old girl navigating religious identity and physical adolescence established an open, candid approach to middle-grade and young adult literature. Her extensive body of work includes children's fiction, young adult classics, and bestselling novels for adults, connecting deeply with millions of readers across multiple generations.
Career & Background
Born Judith Marcia Sussman on February 12, 1938, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to Esther, a homemaker, and Rudolph Sussman, a dentist, she grew up spending her childhood making up stories inside her head. She attended public schools in Elizabeth, New Jersey, before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University in 1961. Blume began writing professionally in 1959 and launched her publishing career in the late 1960s. After early work in children's books, she found major success with her 1970 novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Over the following decades, she authored enduring works for younger readers, including Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Deenie (1973), Blubber (1974), and Forever ... (1975). She also expanded her five-book series about the irrepressible character Fudge to include Superfudge (1980) and Double Fudge (2002). Expanding into adult fiction, she wrote bestselling novels such as Wifey (1978), Smart Women (1984), Summer Sisters (1998), and In the Unlikely Event (2015).
Together, her 29 books have sold more than 92 million copies in 40 languages. Blume's direct, honest treatment of sensitive themes made her a frequent target for censorship, placing her consistently at or near the top of the American Library Association's list of most frequently challenged authors. In response, she became an active advocate for intellectual freedom, collaborating closely with the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) to support teachers and librarians working to keep challenged books on library shelves. The NCAC honored her defense of free speech in 2009 and presented her with the Free Speech Defender Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Blume's contributions to literature and free expression have been recognized with numerous major honors throughout her career. She received the Library of Congress Living Legends award in 2000 and the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2004. In 2017, the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded her the E. B. White Award, followed by the Carl Sandburg Literary Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation in 2018. The Authors Guild Foundation honored her for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community in 2020, and Yale University conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters degree upon her in 2021. In 2023, Blume was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of the Year and received the National Book Critics Circle Lifetime Achievement Award. Beyond writing, she serves on the board of the Key West Literary Seminar and as an advisory board member for the Authors Guild. In 2016, Blume and her husband, George Cooper, co-founded the independent non-profit bookstore Books & Books @ The Studios in Key West, Florida, partnering with Miami bookseller Mitchell Kaplan, where she frequently works.
Writing Style & Themes
Blume's writing is characterized by accessible first-person narratives, authentic dialogue, and an empathetic portrayal of youth struggles. Rather than talking down to younger audiences or sanitizing difficult subjects, she addresses personal identity, family dynamics, peer pressure, body image, and adolescent sexuality with directness and humor. Works such as Deenie examine living with idiopathic scoliosis and body self-consciousness, while Blubber presents a frank depiction of schoolyard bullying and social ostracization. Her adult novels, including Wifey and In the Unlikely Event, similarly explore personal autonomy, marital choices, and historical community trauma through grounded, emotionally transparent storytelling.
A central element of Blume's enduring connection with readers is her ability to capture internal monologues and practical daily concerns. Whether detailing the comedic sibling rivalries of the Fudge series or the intimate questions of growing up in Forever ..., her narratives build immediate trust. By treating young people's feelings with dignity and validation, her books have served as a touchstone for generations of readers and inspired many to become writers themselves.
Major Works
- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret — Published in 1970, this landmark novel follows eleven-year-old Margaret Simon as she navigates religious identity, physical maturation, and preteen social life while moving to a new suburban town.
- Deenie — Published in 1973, this young adult novel explores body image, medical diagnosis, and adolescence through thirteen-year-old Deenie Fenner, who must adapt to wearing a back brace for scoliosis.
- Blubber — Published in 1974, this realistic middle-grade novel tackles peer pressure and school bullying, portraying the complex cruelty and mob mentality of fifth-grade social circles.
- Forever ... — Published in 1975, this groundbreaking young adult novel depicts high school senior Katherine Danziger's first serious romantic relationship and physical intimacy with honesty and emotional nuance.
- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing — Published in 1972, this comedic children's novel launched the popular five-book Fudge series detailing nine-year-old Peter Hatcher's humorous struggles with his chaotic younger brother.
- Wifey — Published in 1978, Blume's bestselling debut adult novel follows a suburban New Jersey homemaker seeking sexual and personal independence in the 1970s.
- In the Unlikely Event — Published in 2015, this historical adult novel draws on real 1950s airplane crashes in Blume's hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey, tracing their profound emotional impact across three generations.
§All Books
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Judy Blume, 1970
205 ratings
Forever ...
Judy Blume, 1975
38 ratings
Deenie
Judy Blume
23 ratings