Margaret Hits the Big Screen

A Celebration of Our Favorite Judy Blume Books

With the much-touted release of the film adaptation of Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, you could say that Judy Blume is having a moment. But then again, the beloved author has had many lightning-rod moments in her career. In fact, it would be hard to overstate the impact the beloved author has had on generations of young readers. Her stories are humorous, relatable, and groundbreaking. One word used to describe her books, again and again, is honest.

Blume's prolific bibliography runs the gamut. She writes for children, preteens, teens, and adults. She takes on meaty themes like envy, bullying, family dynamics, puberty, masturbation, teen sex, and more. Here are our picks for the essential Judy Blume reading list.

Freckle Juice

'It’ll cost you fifty cents. I have a secret recipe for freckle juice,' Sharon whispered.

This picture book, aimed at kids six to ten years old, is about a second grader who covets his classmate's freckles and he'll do anything to get them. Who hasn't had the experience of wanting to look like someone else? 

Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing

I thought how great it would be if we could trade in Fudge for a nice cocker spaniel.

This middle-grade novel introduces serious nine-year-old Peter Hatcher and his rambunctious two-and-a-half-year-old brother, Fudge. The book delves into the complexities of familial love—even for children—and spawned a popular series.

Are You There God, It's Me Margaret

We must, we must, we must increase our bust!

First published in 1970, this middle-grade novel broke new ground in children's literature with its frank discussion around topics such as menstruation, bras, and burgeoning sexuality. For tween girls, it was seismic.

Blubber

It's very foolish to laugh if you don't know what's funny in the first place.

The fifth-grade girl at the center of this novel may not be the worst of the bullies, but she participates in tormenting her chubby classmate. It takes a drastic turn of events for Jill to understand the consequences of her actions. 

Tiger Eyes

Some changes happen deep down inside of you. And the truth is, only you know about them. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be.

After her father is shot and killed in a hold-up, Davey Wexler has never felt so alone. Aimed at tweens and young teens, this novel offers an exploration of loss, grief, and learning how to move forward.

Forever

Like my mother said, you can't go back to holding hands

Blume has said she wrote this novel for her daughter as an antidote to the books of the time that suggested teenage sex would lead to ruin, or even death. It was a revolutionary read because of its acknowledgement that teens are sexual beings.

Summer Sisters

Not everything has to have a point. Some things just are.

Once they were best friends—"summer sisters." In this coming-of-age novel, when Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, Vix knows that she will go—if only to try and understand what happened during that last shattering summer.

In the new Prime Video documentary, Judy Blume Forever, a number of authors like Jason Reynolds, Lena Dunham, Alex Gino, and Jacqueline Woodson pay tribute to the impact Blume's work had on them. The documentary also delves into Blume's extraordinary collection of correspondence with thousands of children and teens who have written to her over the years sharing how much her books have meant to them. Her acknowledgment of the real fears, desires, and struggles kids and teens face, has helped so many young readers feel less alone. And isn't that what it's all about? Judy Blume, we salute you! 

As always, we love hearing from you. Let us know about your favorite Judy Blume books and the way in which they affected your life.

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon