Judy Blume is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
authorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. She has written many
novelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s for
childBiologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages. Blume's novels for teenagers were among the first to tackle such controversial matters as
racismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
(
Iggie's HouseIggie's House is a 1970 young adult novel by Judy Blume. The story concerns Winnie, whose best friend Iggie has moved away. The new family moving into Iggie's house are the first African Americans in the neighborhood...
),
menstruationMenstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
(
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.),
divorceDivorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
(
It's Not the End of the WorldIt's Not the End of the World is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume, published in 1972.The lead character of the story is a 12-year-old girl named Karen Newman. Karen is the middle child in her family and is unfortunately not her parents' favorite...
,
Just As Long As We're TogetherJust as Long as We're Together is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume and published in 1987.The novel is narrated by Stephanie 'Steph' Hirsch, who has several changes in her life happening at the same time...
), bullying (
BlubberBlubber is a young adult novel by Judy Blume first published in 1974. The protagonist is Jill Brenner, a Pennsylvania fifth-grader who joins her classmates in ostracizing and bullying Linda, an awkward and overweight girl...
),
masturbationMasturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
(
DeenieDeenie is a 1973 young adult novel written by Judy Blume.-Plot summary:Deenie chronicles the life of thirteen-year-old Wilmadeene "Deenie" Fenner, whose mother is determined to have her become a model...
;
Then Again, Maybe I Won'tThen Again, Maybe I Won't is a 1971 young adult novel written by Judy Blume. Intended for pre-teens and teenagers, the novel deals with puberty from a male perspective as well as the other trials of growing up...
) and teen sex (
Forever), and as such have been the source of controversy over the appropriateness of such topics for her middle school audience.
Judy Blume is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
authorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. She has written many
novelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s for
childBiologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages. Blume's novels for teenagers were among the first to tackle such controversial matters as
racismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
(
Iggie's HouseIggie's House is a 1970 young adult novel by Judy Blume. The story concerns Winnie, whose best friend Iggie has moved away. The new family moving into Iggie's house are the first African Americans in the neighborhood...
),
menstruationMenstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
(
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.),
divorceDivorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
(
It's Not the End of the WorldIt's Not the End of the World is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume, published in 1972.The lead character of the story is a 12-year-old girl named Karen Newman. Karen is the middle child in her family and is unfortunately not her parents' favorite...
,
Just As Long As We're TogetherJust as Long as We're Together is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume and published in 1987.The novel is narrated by Stephanie 'Steph' Hirsch, who has several changes in her life happening at the same time...
), bullying (
BlubberBlubber is a young adult novel by Judy Blume first published in 1974. The protagonist is Jill Brenner, a Pennsylvania fifth-grader who joins her classmates in ostracizing and bullying Linda, an awkward and overweight girl...
),
masturbationMasturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
(
DeenieDeenie is a 1973 young adult novel written by Judy Blume.-Plot summary:Deenie chronicles the life of thirteen-year-old Wilmadeene "Deenie" Fenner, whose mother is determined to have her become a model...
;
Then Again, Maybe I Won'tThen Again, Maybe I Won't is a 1971 young adult novel written by Judy Blume. Intended for pre-teens and teenagers, the novel deals with puberty from a male perspective as well as the other trials of growing up...
) and teen sex (
Forever), and as such have been the source of controversy over the appropriateness of such topics for her middle school audience.
Early life
Blume was born and raised in
Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
to Esther (née Rosenfeld), a homemaker, and Ralph Sussman, a dentist. She has a brother, David, who is five years older. Blume later recalled, "I spent most of my childhood making up stories inside of my head." She graduated from Battin High School in 1956, then enrolled in
Boston UniversityBoston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. In the first semester, she was diagnosed with
mononucleosisMononucleosis , is a disease most commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus . The EBV virus affects the lymphocytes- white blood cells that battle infections by attacking antibodies. Mononucleosis can also be caused by Cytomegalovirus , a herpes virus most commonly found in body fluids...
and took a brief leave from school before graduating from
New York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1961 with a
bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in teaching.
Career
A lifelong avid reader, Blume first began writing when her children were attending preschool, and published her first book,
The One in the Middle Is the Green KangarooThe One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo is a children's book published in 1969, written by Judy Blume with illustrations by Amy Aitken; it was Blume's first published work. It is about a middle child who feels emotionally squashed between an older brother and a younger sister...
, in 1969. The decade that followed proved to be her most prolific, with 13 more books being published, including many of her most well-known titles, such as
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970),
Tales of a Fourth Grade NothingTales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a children's novel written by Judy Blume in 1972. It is the first of the "Fudge books". It was followed by Superfudge, Fudge-A-Mania and, most recently, Double Fudge...
(1972),
Otherwise Known as Sheila the GreatOtherwise Known as Sheila the Great is a children's novel published in 1972 and written by Judy Blume.-Plot summary:Sheila Tubman's family is planning a vacation, where they leave New York City for the summer to live in suburban Tarrytown...
(1972), and
BlubberBlubber is a young adult novel by Judy Blume first published in 1974. The protagonist is Jill Brenner, a Pennsylvania fifth-grader who joins her classmates in ostracizing and bullying Linda, an awkward and overweight girl...
(1974).
After publishing novels for young children and teens, Blume tackled another genre—adult reality and death. Her novels
WifeyWifey is a 1978 novel by Judy Blume. The story follows the life of bored 1970s New Jersey housewife, Sandy Pressman, who decides to reinvigorate her life by having an extramarital affair with an old high school boyfriend. This decision is complicated when she accidentally discovers evidence her...
(1978) and
Smart WomenSmart Women is a 1983 novel by Judy Blume that tells the story of a divorcee who falls for her friend's ex-husband.-Plot summary:The story follows Margo and B.B., two divorcees who are trying to restart their lives in Colorado, to the annoyance and amusement of their teenage daughters...
(1983) shot to the top of
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
best-seller list.
Wifey has become a bestseller, with over 4 million copies sold to date. Her latest and third adult novel
Summer SistersSummer Sisters is a 1998 novel by Judy Blume. It focuses on the life of two fictional characters, the girls Victoria Leonard and Caitlin Somers....
(1998) was widely praised and has sold more than 3 million copies. It spent 5 months on
The New York Times Bestseller list, with the hardcover reaching #3 and the paperback spent several weeks at #1.
Blume has won more than ninety literary awards. In 2004, she was awarded the
National Book FoundationThe National Book Foundation, founded in 1989, is an American nonprofit literary organization established "to raise the cultural appreciation of great writing in America." It achieves this through sponsoring the National Book Award, as well as the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American...
Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. In 1996 the
American Library AssociationThe American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
selected Blume for its Margaret A. Edwards Award for her contributions to young adult literature. Blume received the
Library of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Living LegendsA Library of Congress Living Legend is someone recognized by the Library of Congress for his or her creative contributions to American life. Those honored include artists, writers, activists, film makers, physicians, entertainers, sports figures, and public servants.-Partial list of honorees:*...
award in the "Writers and Artists" category in April 2000 for her significant contributions to America's cultural heritage. Several of Blume's books appear on the list of top all-time bestselling children’s books. Some of her books have become made for television movies, but she has had little success here.
Blume is also an advocate for teachers reading aloud to their students. She gets an uncountable amount of mail from students and adults whose teachers read aloud to them. Blume herself has specific memories of being read aloud to by her teachers. Blume believes that if teachers would take the time to introduce good books to students, perhaps there would not be as many reluctant readers.
Censorship
Though light in tone, many of Judy Blume's books deal with difficult issues for children, including questioning the existence of God, friendship, religion, divorce, body image, and sexuality. However, Blume has stated that she does not set out to tackle these issues when writing. She begins with a character, or sometimes a character and a situation.
Fans of Blume's novels have praised her use of real-life settings, ambivalent endings and gentle humor. Her allegedly ambiguous treatment of moral issues made her at one time a regular target of school library censors and the
Religious RightChristian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
. Her books are still often challenged in school libraries. In fact,
Forever was the second most challenged book of 2005, according to the American Library Association. When her books first came under attack, she went through a variety of emotions: scared, frightened, alone, and angry. In an interview with Publisher's Weekly, Blume states that the fear of censorship can be contagious. In another interview, Blume tells Judy Freeman, children's literature consultant and author, that the sadness came from a sadness for children who may not be allowed to read banned books. She said, "It says to them, 'There's something in this book we don't want you to know about, something we don't want to discuss with you.'" She is recognized as one of the most banned children's authors in the United States which eventually led her to edit a collection of short stories about censorship (
Places I Never Meant to BePlaces I Never Meant to Be is a book edited by Judy Blume and first published in 1999. The book is a collection of short stories written by authors who have been censored or banned in some form in the United States...
). Despite ardent attempts at censorship, Blume's young adult novels and books for children have sold 80 million copies worldwide.
In her efforts to preserve for young readers intellectual freedom in literature, Blume joined the
National Coalition Against CensorshipThe National Coalition Against Censorship , founded in 1974, is an alliance of 50 national non-profit organizations, including literary, artistic, religious, educational, professional, labor, and civil liberties groups...
, which comprises fifty not-for-profit organizations that come together to fight censorship. Judy Blume has also founded or is closely affiliated with several other organizations regarding children’s literature and censorship, including, The Kids Fund,
The Authors GuildThe Authors Guild is a not-for-profit American organization of and for authors. It has around eight thousand members, among them published authors, literary agents and attorneys . The current president is Scott Turow and the current vice president is Judy Blume...
(she serves, in 2010, as the group's vice president), the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Key West Literary Seminar. Blume is also the editor for a collection of short stories,
Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers. Blume also tells Freeman that censorship is not getting any better. There has been a rise in challenged books over the years. Blume urges teachers and writers who feel passionately about censorship to speak out and share their voice on the subject.
Marriages and family
On August 15, 1959, she married John Blume, whom she had met while a student at New York University; the wedding was held in the summer of her sophomore year of college. He later worked as a lawyer, while she briefly supported her family as a homemaker before pursuing teaching and writing. The Blumes had two children: Randy Lee, an airline pilot (born 1961), and Lawrence Andrew, a filmmaker (born 1963). The couple separated in 1975 and were legally divorced by 1976. Blume would later describe the marriage as "suffocating".
Shortly after her separation, a mutual friend introduced Blume to Thomas A. Kitchens, a physicist. The couple married in 1976, and Kitchens moved them to
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
for his work. They divorced in 1978. She later spoke up about their split: "It was a disaster, a total disaster. After a couple years, I got out. I cried every day. Anyone who thinks my life is cupcakes is all wrong."
She met George Cooper, an author of mystery novels, at a tea room in
VancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Blume and Cooper were married in 1987. Cooper has an only child from a previous marriage, a daughter named Amanda. They currently reside in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Further reading
- Judy Blume. (1999) Authors and Artists for Young Adults (Gale Research), 26: 7-17. Summarizes and extends 1990 article, with more emphasis on Blume's impact and censorship issues. By R. Garcia-Johnson.
- Judy Blume. (1990) Authors and Artists for Young Adults (Gale Research), 3: 25-36. Incorporates extensive passages from published interviews with Blume.
- Judy Blume's Story by Besty Lee
External links