Cover Before YA publishing became an industry of its own, Judy Blume was writing candidly about puberty, grief, sex, bullying and the awkward realities of growing up. Revisit the novels that made her one of the most widely read and frequently challenged authors of her generation (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Before YA publishing became an industry of its own, Judy Blume was writing candidly about puberty, grief, sex, bullying and the awkward realities of growing up. Revisit the novels that made her one of the most widely read and frequently challenged authors of her generation (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
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From ‘Forever’ to ‘Margaret’, Judy Blume’s most influential books still resonate with readers today
Long before young adult fiction became a publishing category with its own bestseller lists, adaptations and online fandoms, Judy Blume was writing directly about adolescence in a way that felt unusually plainspoken. Her novels dealt with puberty, religion, sex, bullying, grief and family tension without turning those subjects into lessons. That directness made her one of the most discussed and challenged authors in American schools and libraries throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It also made generations of readers feel seen.
With the release of Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer—a book Blume chose not to promote after a falling out with the author—attention has returned to the books that shaped her reputation. Some were controversial on publication. Others became classroom staples. Several were adapted for screen decades later. Together, they map a particular vision of growing up that still feels recognisable, even as the culture around teenagers has shifted dramatically.
Why Judy Blume still matters
Judy Blume has influenced multiple generations of readers and writers. Her books sold in huge numbers partly because they approached subjects often ignored in children’s and teen publishing at the time. Menstruation, masturbation, divorce, body image and social exclusion appeared in her fiction without euphemism or moral panic.
That approach repeatedly placed Judy Blume at the centre of debates around banned books in the United States. Several of her novels were removed from school libraries or challenged by parents’ groups over the years, particularly Forever and Blubber. At the same time, educators and readers argued that the honesty of her work was precisely what made it useful.
The books below remain among her most widely read and culturally significant titles.
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‘Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
‘Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
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Often treated as Judy Blume’s defining novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret follows an eleven-year-old girl navigating puberty, friendships and questions around religion after moving from New York City to the suburbs.
The book became notable for how openly it discussed menstruation and adolescent anxiety. Margaret’s internal monologues are specific, awkward and often funny without trying to flatten the realities of early adolescence into a neat coming-of-age arc.
The novel remained in development limbo for decades before finally receiving a film adaptation in 2023 starring Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson.
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‘Deenie’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Deenie’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
‘Deenie’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
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Deenie centres on a teenager whose mother is fixated on the idea that her daughter should become a model. After Deenie is diagnosed with scoliosis and fitted with a back brace, the novel shifts into a story about bodily autonomy, self-image and parental pressure.
The book also drew attention for its frank references to sexuality and masturbation, topics that were still unusual in mainstream teen fiction at the time. Judy Blume treats those moments matter-of-factly, which became a defining feature of her writing.
‘Tiger Eyes’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Tiger Eyes’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
‘Tiger Eyes’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
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Written for an older teen audience, Tiger Eyes follows fifteen-year-old Davey Wexler after her father is killed in a robbery. She relocates with her family to New Mexico, where the novel explores grief, fear and emotional dislocation.
Unlike many young adult novels of the period, the story avoids tidy emotional resolutions. Davey’s reactions remain inconsistent and sometimes withdrawn, which gives the book a quieter tone than some of Judy Blume’s more widely discussed work.
The novel was adapted into a film in 2012 directed by Judy Blume’s son, Lawrence Blume.
‘Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Puffin Books)
‘Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Puffin Books)
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One of Blume’s best-known middle grade novels, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing introduced readers to Peter Hatcher and his younger brother Fudge. Much of the humour comes from Peter’s frustration with the chaos Fudge creates and the adults who excuse it.
The book launched the long-running Fudge series and showed a different side of Blume’s writing. While many readers associate her with controversial teen fiction, these novels focused more on family comedy and sibling tension.
Fudge became one of her most recognisable characters and helped expand her audience beyond teenagers.
‘Forever’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Forever’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
‘Forever’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
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Forever remains one of the most debated books in Judy Blume’s catalogue. The novel follows two teenagers entering a consensual sexual relationship and discussing contraception, emotional expectations and intimacy in direct terms.
What made the book unusual was not simply that teenagers had sex, but that the relationship was neither punished nor framed as tragedy. Blume wrote the characters with a level of emotional realism that felt contemporary compared with many young adult novels of the era.
The book has frequently appeared on lists of challenged and banned titles in schools and libraries.
‘Blubber’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Blubber’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
‘Blubber’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
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Blubber examines bullying through the perspective of Jill Brenner, a student who participates in the targeting of a classmate nicknamed Blubber. Rather than separating children into obvious heroes and villains, the novel focuses on how social cruelty develops within group dynamics.
The book drew criticism for its language and behaviour, but supporters argued that its depiction of bullying felt credible precisely because it avoided sanitising childhood behaviour.
‘Summer Sisters’ by Judy Blume
Above ‘Summer Sisters’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Delta)
‘Summer Sisters’ by Judy Blume (Photo: Delta)
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Published decades after her early success, Summer Sisters followed the complicated friendship between Victoria Leonard and Caitlin Somers across several years and social environments. The novel deals with class, desire, resentment and shifting power within long-term friendships.
Unlike the adolescent focus of many earlier books, Summer Sisters moves into adulthood while maintaining the emotional directness associated with Blume’s fiction. It also introduced her work to readers who had grown up with her earlier novels and were now older themselves.
The lasting reach of Judy Blume
The legacy of Judy Blume extends beyond nostalgia. Contemporary young adult fiction now regularly addresses subjects that once triggered controversy around her books, from sexuality to mental health to family instability. Many writers working in the genre cite her influence not because she tried to shock readers, but because she treated young people’s experiences as serious subjects worthy of attention. Her books remain widely read because the concerns at their centre, identity, embarrassment, friendship, desire and growing independence, have not changed as much as the publishing industry around them.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
