's middle grade and young adult novels have helped raise generations of kids, reshaping the literary landscape for young listeners. Since the 1970s, Blume's writing has contributed to destigmatizing taboo topics like puberty, teen sexuality, masturbation, menstruation, bullying, disability, and more. And now, rather than her books being deemed outdated or no longer relevant to today's kids, we're experiencing what has dubbed the "Blume-aissance." In addition to an upcoming documentary about Blume, more of her books are being adapted for television and film than ever before.
At 85 years old, Blume stars in the new Amazon Prime Video documentary and discusses her path to writing and her lasting legacy. In the documentary's official trailer, the author is shown discussing the inspirations for her most popular titles and looking through fan letters.
"I grew up as a good girl with a bad girl lurking inside, so by the time I started to write, I really had a lot to get out," says Blume in the documentary. "I could be fearless in my writing in a way that maybe I wasn’t always in my life." And she's not the only one celebrating—other writers and celebrities including , , , , and joined the documentary to share their experiences with Blume’s work and its lasting impact.
It seems some other powerful folks in Hollywood agree with the timeless quality of Blume's work too. After all these years, several of Blume's books are finally in production for big and small screen adaptations. Perhaps most notably, , arguably Blume's most iconic work, will arrive in theaters on April 28, 2023, with stars Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates playing Margaret's mother and grandmother, respectively.
And several other platforms have big Judy Blume projects in the works. Disney+ is an animated film based on the book; Netflix has announced the production of a new show by in production; and according to the New York Times, a series based on has moved from Hulu to Peacock and is now being produced by book lover Jenna Bush Hager.
Nostalgia is certainly a driver for some of these projects. The Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret film leans into a 1970s aesthetic and plays with some of the more antiquated components of 1970s girlhood. Not all of the adaptations are sticking to the original eras in which Blume's books are set, however; some are taking a more 21st-century approach.
There’s something else that just may be drawing listeners to Blume’s work anew—censorship, a far more troubling trend in the world of kids' book. According to , 2022 saw more books banned in US schools and public libraries than in any year since they started tracking the issue. There's an organized movement across the country to limit youngsters’ access to stories some deem "inappropriate." Censorship is an issue Judy Blume has faced and fought against since she first started writing. Throughout decades of relentless efforts to ban her books for their honest depictions of menstruation, masturbation, birth control, and bras, Blume has been a trailblazer for free speech. In fact, she’s organized other authors and has served as a longtime board member for the .
