Overview of The Beloved Judy Blume
This episode of Stuff You Should Know celebrates Judy Blume as one of the most influential and trailblazing authors of children’s and young adult literature. The hosts reflect on how many of her books they read growing up, then trace Blume’s life, the personal experiences that shaped her writing, and why her work has been both beloved and frequently banned.
Judy Blume’s Early Life and What Shaped Her Writing
Judy Blume was born Judith Marcia Sussman in 1938 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and grew up in a middle-class Jewish family. Her father was a dentist and a major emotional presence in her life, while her mother fostered her love of reading.
Childhood anxiety and real-life fear
- As a child, Blume struggled with anxiety and obsessive behaviors.
- Much of this was tied to fear for her father’s safety, especially after learning that several relatives had died young from heart problems.
- Her childhood also included a traumatic period when she, her mother, and brother lived in Miami while her father stayed in New Jersey.
- She later experienced another major childhood trauma when several plane crashes near Elizabeth, linked to Newark airport, killed many people in her community.
These experiences helped shape the emotional honesty in her later fiction.
From Homemaker to Author
Blume attended NYU, graduated in 1961, and initially expected to follow a traditional path: marriage, children, and homemaking. She married lawyer John Blume while still in college and had two children, Randy Lee and Lawrence Andrew.
Finding a creative outlet
- She did not initially set out to become a writer.
- Once her children were in preschool, she began writing children’s books to give herself a creative outlet.
- She took a continuing education writing class at NYU, which became a major turning point.
- Her first published book was The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo.
Her Breakthrough Books and Why They Mattered
Blume’s major breakthrough came with Iggie’s House in 1970, followed shortly by Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret the same year.
Why her books felt different
- She wrote about the real emotional and physical experiences of growing up.
- Her books did not sugarcoat puberty, identity, family tension, or awkward social realities.
- Instead of presenting neat moral lessons, she wrote with realism and empathy.
Iconic themes and moments
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret became a landmark coming-of-age novel.
- The episode highlights the famous line: “I must, I must, I must increase my bust.”
- Forever pushed the conversation further by portraying teenage sexual awakening and safe sex in an unusually frank way.
Banned Books and Cultural Pushback
Blume became one of the most frequently challenged authors in America, especially for books like Forever and Tiger Eyes.
Why her work was controversial
- Conservatives often objected to her open treatment of puberty, sexuality, grief, and family conflict.
- Her books were seen as threatening because they gave young readers truthful information and emotional validation.
- The hosts frame this as one reason her books were so important: she was writing directly to kids about what they were actually experiencing.
Her response to censorship
- Blume became deeply involved in anti-censorship work.
- She worked with the National Coalition Against Censorship.
- She helped create the Kids Fund in 1981 to improve parent-teen communication.
- In 1986, she published Letters to Judy, based on messages from young readers.
Adult Fiction and Later Work
Blume also wrote adult novels, many of which drew from her own life:
- Wifey (1978) — about a woman wanting out of a traditional marriage
- Smart Women (1983) — about life after divorce
- Summer Sisters (1998) — about female friendship
- In the Unlikely Event (2015) — inspired by the Newark plane crashes she witnessed as a child
Her adult fiction, like her children’s books, often dealt with emotional honesty and personal transformation.
Later Life, Legacy, and Ongoing Relevance
Blume eventually divorced John Blume in 1975 and later married physicist George Cooper in 1987; they remain together and live in Key West, where she helps run a bookstore.
Continued cultural impact
- She has sold an estimated 90 million books in 40 languages.
- A new wave of attention in recent years included:
- the 2023 film adaptation of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
- the documentary Judy Blume Forever
- a 2024 biography, The Genius of Judy
- The hosts emphasize that her work still matters because it validates the messy, emotional reality of growing up.
Key Takeaways
- Judy Blume’s genius was understanding what childhood and adolescence actually feel like.
- Her books were revolutionary because they treated kids with seriousness and respect.
- She helped normalize conversations about puberty, identity, grief, and sex.
- Her willingness to write honestly made her a literary hero and a frequent target of censorship.
- Decades later, her books still resonate with readers of all ages.
Final Thought
The hosts end by praising Blume’s bravery and encouraging listeners to read her books, ideally through a local library or independent bookstore. The episode positions her not just as a beloved author, but as a cultural force who changed how generations of young people understand themselves.