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The octogenarian has woncountless awards including theAmerican Academy of Arts and Letters E.B.
White Award during her long career, which spans almost half a century.
According toThe Guardian, more than 82 million copies of Blume’s books have been sold around the world.
She had read several novels about teenagers in love.
At least one life ruined."
Teenagers adored Blume’s relatable characters and storylines.
But then they did."
7), “Blubber” (No.
30), “Deenie” (No.
42), “Are You There, God?
It’s Me, Margaret” (No.
60), and “Tiger Eyes” (No.
Four of these titles reappear on the ALA’s list for2000 to 2009: “Forever” (No.
16), “Blubber” (No.
43), “Tiger Eyes” (No.
87), and “Are You There, God?
It’s Me, Margaret” (No.
“Did I plan to become an activist?”
she said while accepting the award.
“No, but things happen.
You either take action or you don’t.
PEN Americareports that book bans have increased dramatically in the United States.
Fighting back against censorship is more important now than ever before.
I wanted to be the hero, the cowgirl, the detective.”
She explained, “The women’s movement was very late coming to suburban New Jersey.
That’s what was missing from my life.”
Blume started writing fiction.
“Can you have it all?
Yes,” she said to Bust.
“Can you have it all at the same time?
I don’t think so.”
It’s Me, Margaret" from belts and pins to sticky pads (perNPR).
She also modernized the electronics in the “Fudge” series.
The alterations didn’t fundamentally change the books, just made things smoother for the modern reader.
Though her most popular titles were published in the 1970s, they still resonate.
Many young people today don’t even realize how old the books are.
“They don’t know that I wrote them generations ago.
They think I wrote them yesterday for them,” Blume toldNPR.
She toldThe New York Timesthat her life’s defining age was 12.
“I didn’t have any adult experience when I started to write,” she explained.
“So I identified more with kids.”
It’s Me, Margaret."
Bee said (perThe New York Times), “My daughter is actually reading that book now.
She’s [nine], and she loves it.
It’s so fun for me to watch that book reflected in her eyes.”
Chelsea Handler is also clearly a fan, cheekily naming her memoir"Are You There, Vodka?
It’s Me, Chelsea.
It’s Me, Margaret" helped her deal with her feelings about religion.
“I related to that kind of conflict of religion,” Handler said (perThe Jewish Chronicle).
Late-night host, Charlamagne Tha God toldThe New York Postthat his dream interview would be with the YA author.
“She’s the only person I really want to talk to on any platform.”
The end of Judy Blume’s writing career?
“I get up every day now and I say, ‘Thank you, thank you!
I don’t have to write today,'” she toldNPR.
“Writing is hard and intense.”
And she swore toThe Washington Postthat she’s “never doing another book tour.”
Fans are keeping their fingers crossed that she might still change her mind.
Fun fact: Many years ago, Blume and Cleary’s mutual publisher accidentally mixed up their fan mail.
“I admit I read a couple of letters meant for her,” Blume confessed.
It’s Me, Judy."
