Judy Blume
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Biography
Judy Blume was born on February 12, 1938 in Elizabeth, NJ to Rudolph and Esther Sussman. She married a man named John Blume and had two children, Randy and Lawrence. Her marriage lasted for 16 years. Twelve years later she married her current husband George Cooper who has a daughter from another marriage named Amanda (Contemporary Authors). She is a graduate of New York University. When Judy was younger she made up stories in her head and didn’t write them down until she got older (Judy’s Official Bio). She was not always welcomed as an author. Her early stories were rejected by magazines. She has received a lot of criticism over her years of writing. Judy’s books are a hit with readers, but they have also been hit with criticism. Jan Dalley has said, “Her work is all very professionally achieved, as one would expect from this highly successful author, but Blume’s concoctions are unvaryingly smooth, bland, and glutinous” (Contemporary Authors Online). But she is very dedicated to her readers none the less. Judy has said in an interview with a Toronto Globe and Mai, "The way to instill values in children is to talk about difficult issues and bring them out in the open, not to restrict their access to books that may help them deal with their problems and concerns” (Contemporary Authors Online). She enrolled in New York University writing class and that is where she got her first book published, The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo (Contemporary Authors).
Judy’s most well known books include, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret and the Fudge Serie, the most popular Fudge book is Superfudge. Judy Blume is one of America’s most controversial writers of young adult fiction (Contemporary Popular Writers). She relates her books to what children and young adults are going through. All of her stories are in first person, like they are saying their thoughts. Her simple dictation makes young readers connect with the charters of the book. Her books have life lesson that most young readers have to go through, like the first time they kiss a boy, or family moving. Some of her least controversial books is the Fudge series. There are five books to the series and she writes them over a thirty year span. Her sequels “expand on the original and enrich it so that the stories…add up to one long and much more wonderful story,” Van Leewen says from the New York Times Book Review (Contemporary Authors Online).It starts off with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, about a boy Peter and his younger brother Fudge. The four other books are Peter and his life growing up.
Not only does Judy Blume write novels, a few of her books were made into movies and television series. Her book Forever was made into a television film in 1978, Freckle Juice was made into an animated film, and the Fudge books were made into a television series on ABC from 1994-96 and on CBS in 1997(Contemporary Popular Writers) .
Over the years Judy Blume has found herself on a number of committees. She is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; the Key West Literary Seminar; and the National Coalition Against Censorship (Judy’s Official Bio). She is also a long time promoter of intellectual freedom.
The major themes of her books are teenage encounters with truth in them, like puberty, divorce, death, family and moving.Judy Blume Video
Quotes
“I didn't know anything about writers. It never occurred to me they were regular people and that I could grow up to become one, even though I loved to make up stories inside my head.” (Good Reads)
“I know that ideas come from everywhere—memories of my own life, incidents in my children's lives, what I see and hear and read—and most of all, from my imagination.” (Good Reads)
"The best books come from someplace deep inside.... Become emotionally involved. If you don't care about your characters, your readers won't either." (Good Reads)
"Believe in yourself and you can achieve greatness in your life.” (Good Reads)
"Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won't have as much censorship because we won't have as much fear." (Good Reads)
“It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers." (Good Reads)
“After each book I get panicky, I don’t love the reviews. I don’t like going through all that, and you would think that, after almost 40 years of writing, I’d have got the hang of it. You can never grow complacent about it because it’s always new, it’s always exciting and it’s always like the first time. (Contemporary Authors Online)
Awards and Honors
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
1970 Outstanding Book of the Year, New York Times
1975 Nene Award from the Children of Hawaii
1976 Young Hoosier Award, Indiana Media Educators
1979 North Dakota Children's Choice Book Award
1980 Great Stone Face Award, New Hampshire Library Association
Blubber
1974 Outstanding Book of the Year, New York Times
1983 North Dakota Children's Choice Award
Freckle Juice
1980 Michigan Young Reader's Award, Michigan Council of Teachers
Friend or Fiend? with the Pain and the Great One
2009 A Junior Library Guild Selection for Spring 2009
Fudge-a-mania
1983 California Young Reader Medal
Iowa Children's Choice Award
Nene Award from the Children of Hawaii
Nevada Young Reader's Award, Nevada Library Association
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award, Florida Association for Media Education
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award, Pennsylvania School
Librarians Association
Librarians Association
Michigan Readers' Choice Award, Michigan Reading Association
Here's To You, Rachel Robinson
1993 Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation
Just As Long As We're Together
1989 Young Reader's List, Virginia State Reading Association
Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great
1982 South Carolina Children's Book Award
1984 Book of the Month Award, German Academy for Children's and
Young People's Literature
Young People's Literature
The Pain And The Great One
1985 Children's Choices, International Reading Association and Children's Book
Council Committee
Council Committee
1989 Young Readers' Choice Award, Alabama Library Association
Superfudge
1980 Texas Bluebonnet Award
1981 Great Stone Face Award, New Hampshire Library Council
Children' Choice Award, International Reading Association
and Children' Book Council
and Children' Book Council
Michigan Young Reader' Award, Michigan Council of Teachers
1983 Northern Territory Young Readers' Book Award, Darwin, Australia
Garden State Children's Book Award, New Jersey Library Association
Golden Sower Award, Nebraska Library Association
Iowa Children's Choice Award
Arizona Young Readers' Award
Georgia Children's Book Award
California Young Reader Medal
Young Reader's Choice Award, Pacific Northwest Library Association,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Young Hoosier Book Award, Indiana Media Educators
Great Stone Face Book Award, New Hampshire Library Association
Young Reader Medal, California Reading Association
1982 Utah Children's Book Award
U.S. Army in Europe Kinderbuch Award
Texas Bluebonnet Award
Sue Hefley Book Award, Louisiana Association of School Libraries
Tennessee Children' Choice Book Award
Colorado Children' Book Award
North Dakota Children's Choice Book Award
Nene Award from the Children of Hawaii
West Australian Young Reader' Award
Georgia Children' Book Award
First Buckeye Children' Book Award, Columbus, Ohio
1984 Reader's Choice Award, Washington County, Minnesota
New Mexico Land of Enchantment Children's Book Award, New Mexico
International Reading and Library Association
International Reading and Library Association
1985 Great Stone Face Book Award, New Hampshire Library Association
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award, Florida Association for Media Education
1986 Great Stone Face Award, New Hampshire Library Association
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award, Florida Association for Media Education
1988 Favorite Book of the Children of Missouri Award, Missouri State Library
The Soaring Eagle Award, Wyoming Education Media Association
1989 Favorite Book of the Children of Michigan, Michigan Reading Association
Tales Of a Fourth Grade Nothing
1972 Charlie May Swann Children' Book Award, Arkansas Elementary School Council
1975 Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader' Choice
1978 Arizona Young Reader' Award, Arizona State University
1978 Rhode Island Library Association Award
Georgia Children' Book Award
Massachusetts Children' Book Award
1980 West Australian Young Reader' Book Award
North Dakota Children' Choice Award
1981 Great Stone Face Award, New Hampshire Library Council
USAREUR Kinderbuch Award, U.S. Army & 7th Army, Heidelberg, Germany
1983 Massachusetts Children' Book Award
Tiger Eyes
1981 A Best Book for Young Adults, School Library Journal
1982 Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library
1983 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, Vermont Department
of Libraries
of Libraries
Buckeye Children's Book Award, Columbus, Ohio
California Young Reader Medal
1985 Iowa Teen Award, Iowa Education Media Association
Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award
Other Awards
1986 Civil Liberties Award, American Civil Liberties Union of Atlanta, Georgia
John Rock Award, Center for Population Options, Los Angeles
1987 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Kean College, Union, New Jersey
Children's Choice Award, Harris County, Texas
Excellence in the Field of Literature Award, New Jersey Education Association
1989 "Most Admired Author", Heroes of Young America Poll, World Almanac
Children's Choice Award, New Jersey Region III
Favorite Author, Children's Choice Award, Harris County, Texas
1990 Favorite Author, Children's Choice Award, Harris County, Texas
1991 Favorite Author, Children's Choice Award, Harris County, Texas
1992 National Hero Award, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
1993 Columbian University College of Physicans and Surgeons Dean's Award
1998 South Australian Youth (S.A.Y.) Media Award for Best Author,
South Australian Association for Media Education
South Australian Association for Media Education
Children's Choice Award, Harris County, Texas
Are you there God? It’s me Margaret
Are you there God? It’s me Margaret is about a girl who is 12 years old going through adolescences. She just moved from New York City to Farbrooks, New Jersey. This book is about Margaret making new friends at her new school and trying to grow up into a pre teen. She is worried that she is not developing as fast as some of her new friends. Her group of friends go through things from stuffing their bra’s to what project they had to conclude by the end of the year and everything in between.
Her family is not religious anymore. Her mother was a Protestant and her father was of the Jewish faith but when they got married they were going to let their children decide of what religion they wanted to be. Margaret decides to do her project about religion. Throughout the year she visits different church services to decide what religion she wants to join. By the end of the semester she cannot decide what religion she wants to be, but at least she tried. But through the whole book she talks to God about things she cannot talk to anyone else about.
Evaluation
I believe that every young girl or boy can relate to this realistic fiction book. Each young girl goes through becoming a woman therefor prorating the realities of life for today's children. Not every child has a certain faith but most kids do question their faith. If they are not a faith, some children ask their parents why they are not. As for the children that are of a certain faith, they question if their faith is the "right" one.
Theme
Theme
The theme of the book is about growing up into a teenager.
Use in a classroom
Read the book in class and you put students in a club like Margaret had and that would be your cooperative learning groups for the time of the lesson. Make the boys feel included since this based around a girl. You can also have them write in a journal and give the journal a name so the kids can have someone to confide in. Margaret talked to God when she felt like there was no one else to talk to.
Then Again, Maybe I Won’t
This book is about a boy, Tony, who is in the 8th grade and his family moves from New Jersey to Rosemont, New York because his father invented electrical cartridges and a company bought his ideas. His father started to work for the company and needed to be closer to work so they moved. Since Tony’s family now has more money, his mother falls into appearances and what their neighborhood thinks about their family. Tony does not like the changes his family is going through and keeps it all bottled up inside, which makes him have great pains inside his stomach. It doesn’t help that his only friend likes to shoplift, which he knows is wrong. He doesn’t know whether to turn him in or leave it alone. His friend ends up getting caught but blames Tony! He is just a boy who is interested in girls and wants to live a normal childhood.
Evaluation
I thought this book is a good realistic fiction book for boys to read while they are growing up. Every young man thinks about sex and wonders when they are going to grow into a man. This book has a contemporary setting and the characters are believable because they all go through situations that young adults might go through. Some students have had to go through the process of moving to a new town and making new friends.
Theme
Theme
The theme of this book is growing into a young man while trying to settle into a new town.
Use in the classroom
I would have the children write a letter to Tony to tell him how they would stand up to his friend. They can also give suggestions on how to handle his situations he is facing. This can also teach the students how to conduct a letter and the proper way to address it.
Tiger Eyes
This book is about a girl whose father passed away. Fifteen-year-old Davey was the first person on the scene of her father’s murder. She has vivid memories of the night but has no one to talk to about it. Davey's mother withdraws into herself, to the extent that she accepts the offer of her in-laws to stay with them in a different state. They move from Atlantic City to New Mexico, and Davey finds herself with new rules and a new environment. Davey has to learn how to deal with her father’s death alone because her mother is trying to deal with it in her own way. She comes to love rock climbing and being out alone until she meets Wolf who helps her heal because his grandfather is dying. Davey realizes that she needs to hold on to the memory of her father’s love for her rather than dwell on his death. Towards the end of the book Davey, her brother, and mother all find a way to communicate and get through their father’s death together.
Evaluation
I thought this book was a pretty good book. Death is an issue that eventually everyone has to deal with. Not every student at the time will have had a death of a close one, so not every student will be able to relate to this book. This book will be able to help students who have gone through the pain of someone passing away. As students are growing up they like to be alone, and do things by themselves. Most students will be able to relate to Davey when she goes off to rock climb alone.
Theme
Theme
The theme of this book deals with death and grieving.
Use in Classroom
This book would be read to an older class. One way you can use this book is if someone in your school has passed away. It can help many children if someone close has passed away. As we were reading the class could discuss the conflicts Davey is facing. They can make predictions on what is going to happen next in the book and see if her family would ever move back home.
Blubber
Jill is a fifth grade student who is put in some tough situations. Her best friend Tracy is not in her class this year so she becomes friends with the “mean” group of girls. In this group Wendy is the ring leader and everyone has to do what she says. When Linda, another student in class reads a book report on Whales, Wendy decides to start calling her “Blubber.” Jill and most of the class tease Linda, which gets crueler as the weeks go on. The teasing is not only is verbal but it is physical too. Jill who is a part of the teasing starts to get tired of everyone picking on Linda. Towards the end of the year she sticks up for Linda but then the class starts bullying on Jill. Jill ask her mother what she needs to do to have the bulling stop and her mother gives her the advise to just laugh it off and eventually the teasing will stop. But Jill turned the girls in the class against each other so they forget about teasing her. She befriends a girl in her class who has tried to stay out of the situation and she makes it through till the end of the year.
Evaluation
This realistic fiction book made me a little upset. From a teachers point of view the class got left alone more than they should have been. I believe that the teasing and bulling could have been prevented if the class was being supervised. Linda did go see the nurse and counselor but they just dismissed her and told her that it is just what happens in the fifth grade. It does bring up bullying which I think should be a concern in all school. She does provide motivation for Jill when she does realize what they are doing to Linda is wrong. The aftereffect of Jill helping Linda is putting Jill in Linda's situation. It helps to realize what someone is going through after you have been in their shoes.
Theme
The theme of this book is bullying.
Use in Classroom
If your classroom or school is having a hard time with bullying, this gives the reader a perspective on how it feels to be bullied. In their journals they can write about how they will deal with a bully.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Peter is a 9 year old boy and Fudge is his 2 year old little brother. Fudge is a pain and is always causing trouble because he wants to act like Peter. It starts off when Peter wins a turtle at a friend’s birthday party and Fudge wants to hold and play with the turtle thought the book. Fudge is always finding trouble, like refusing to eat and the only way he will eat is by pretending to be a dog at the dinner table. Peter finally has had enough when Fudge swallows Peter's turtle and has to go to the hospital. This leaves Peter to feel as though no one cares about the loss of his turtle and everyone is always worried about Fudge. To make Peter feel better about losing his turtle, his parents buy him a dog that is only his, and Fudge cannot swallow it.
Evaluation
This book is easy to read and has realistic characters. For every student who has a younger sibling or relative they can relate to Peter. Every little kid gets into everything and likes to make messes. They look up to someone older and want mimic everything that older person does, like Peter and Fudge.
Theme
Theme
The theme of this book is how to deal with family.
Use in Classroom
This is a very good book to read for AR. It is on the student’s level and is very simple to understand. It is also a book that the teacher can read aloud to her class. I loved when my teacher read a chapter a day in a book. It was just a time that we didn’t have to do any work and just listen. At the end of each chapter you can have the students write about how they would deal with each situation.
Author's Books
Blume, J. (1970). Are you there God? It’s me Margaret. New York, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1970). Iggie’s house. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Blume, J. (1971). Freckle Juice. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.
Blume, J. (1971). Then again, maybe I won’t. Scarsdale, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1972). It’s not the end of the world. Scarsdale, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1972). Otherwise known as Sheila the great. New York, NY: Dutton.
Blume, J. (1972). Tales of a fourth grade nothing. Dutton.
Blume, J. (1973). Deenie. Scarsdale, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1974). Blubber. New York, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1975). Forever…Scarsdale, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1977). Staring Sally J. Freedman as herself. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Blume, J. (1978). Wifey. New York, NY: Pocket Book.
Blume, J. (1980). Superfudge. New York, NY: Dutton.
Blume, J. (1981). The one in the middle is the green kangaroo. New York, NY: Random House.
Blume, J. (1981). Tiger eyes. Scarsdale, NY: Bradbury Press.
Blume, J. (1983). Smart woman. New York, NY: Pocket Book.
Blume, J. (1987). Just as long as we’re together. New York, NY: Orchard Books.
Blume, J. (1990). Fudge-a-mania. New York, NY: Dutton.
Blume, J. (1990). Places I never meant to be. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Blume, J. (1993). Here’s to you, Rachel Robinson. New York, NY: Orchard Books.
Blume, J. (1996). Letters to Judy: what kids wish they could tell you.
Blume, J. (1998). Summer sisters. New York, NY: Bantam Dell.
Blume, J. (2002). Double Fudge. New York, NY: Berkley Publishing Group.
Blume, J. (2007). Soupy Saturdays with the pain and the great one. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books.
Blume, J. (2008). Cool zone with the pain and the great one. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books.
Blume. J. (2008). Going, going, gone! with the pain and the great one. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books.
Blume, J. (2008). The pain and the great one. New York, NY: Dell Dragonfly Books.
Blume, J. (2009). Friend or fiend? with the pain and the great one. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books.
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