Judy Blume: A Story Teller's Heart to a Publishers Dream

Judy Blume spent much of her New Jersey childhood making up stories and concocting a world inside her head that would make it easier to understand the world around her. These stories and experiences have exploded into print in children's books that make young readers around the world feel they are finally understood! Her works include such famous books as Are you there God? It's Me Margaret, Blubber, Just as Long as Were Together, as well as adult books Summer Sisters, Smart Women and Wifey - just to name a few. Amazingly, she has sold over 80 million books (and counting) and has had her work translated into 31 languages for the world to adore.

Judy Blume was born Judy Sussman in 1938. She grew up in New Jersey and spent a brief two years in Miami Beach Florida as a child. Today, she resides in Key West Florida and New York. Her writing career began long before she could put the words down on paper and she claims that it really took off when her children were born. Becoming a mother brought her story telling heart to the surface and many of her books began as impromptu thoughts and stories that she was telling to her children. Her children's books are captivating to young readers because they often deal humorously with real life issues that young people experience every day. She has won many awards for her commitment to children's literature.

Judy Blume has spent a lot of time advocating the freedom to read. When many schools and teachers were asking for censorship of what children could read, she made strides to protect the intellectual freedom of young readers. This sparked her to become an editor as well as an author for many children's books. It is her desire that children and young adults continuously have the ability to grow through reading.

Every story and book she has written is decorated with characters and experiences from her own life. Her first book was The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo and was released in 1969. For the next decade she would publish 13 more books which would be infinitely successful and are still sold today. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Blubber and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great were three of the most popular. In order to challenge herself, Blume began writing books for adults as well. Two of her adult fiction books, Wifey and Smart Women skyrocketed to the best selling lists quickly after release.

With Judy Blume's success, she has received numerous awards. She has been recognized as a Distinguished American, Distinguished Alumni from her alma mater, as well as countless literary awards recognizing her talent and commitment to her audience. Many of the issues that she covers in her books for middle school students are controversial such as divorce, racism, bullying, and divorce. Blume believes that it is her gift to be able to help young readers gain an understanding of their world through her humorous and heartfelt stories. Today, she continues to write stories for children and young adults.

More Information On Influence of Judy Blume

1. Blume, Judy- The official web site.