Judy Blume Bibliography: Judy Blume’s 28 Books

Judy Blume is a beloved author whose best-selling books for younger readers have maintained relevance and impact for generations. Her best-known works include Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Deenie, and Blubber. The New Yorker has called her books “talismans that, for a significant segment of the American female population, marked the passage from childhood to adolescence.” Judy has also written four novels for adult readers, each one a New York Times bestseller. Judy Blume has won more than 90 literary awards, including the Library of Congress Living Legends Award, the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ E.B. White Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Judy’s writing career began in children's books, and she has written acclaimed work for children throughout her career. Here are Judy’s 12 children’s books.

1. 1. The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo (1969): Judy’s first book tells the story of second-grader Freddie Dissel and his troubles being a middle child.
2. 2. Freckle Juice (1971): This short “chapbook” is about a boy named Andrew Marcus who is tricked into drinking "Freckle juice," a cocktail of grape juice and condiments, in order to get the freckles that he desperately wants.
3. 3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972): This is the first book in what would become Judy’s popular Fudge Series. This story follows two brothers Peter and Farley "Fudge" Hatcher as Peter—the older brother—becomes increasingly frustrated that Fudge gets away with anything.
4. 4. Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great (1972): This book is the second in the Fudge Series, focusing on 10-year-old Sheila Tubman who masks her insecurities by performing in-your-face confidence.
5. 5. The Pain and the Great One (1974): This picture book tells the story of the rivalry between an older sister and younger brother as they argue about which of them their parents love best.
6. 6. Superfudge (1980): The third book in the Fudge Series joins the Hatcher family as they move from New York City to New Jersey, and younger brother "Fudge" becomes jealous of his new baby sister.
7. 7. Fudge-a-Mania (1990): The fourth book in the Fudge Series follows the continued adventures of Fudge Hatcher.
8. 8. Double Fudge (2002): Double Fudge is the fifth and final book in the Fudge Series which follows the Hatcher family on a trip to Washington DC where Fudge becomes fascinated with money.
9. 9. Soupy Saturdays With the Pain and the Great One (2007): This was the first novel in a series based on Blume’s earlier picture book The Pain and the Great One. The book is a collection of short adventures that brother and sister Abigail and Jake encounter, including suffering through haircuts and dog-sitting.
10. 10. Cool Zone With the Pain and the Great One (2008): In the second novel in The Pain and the Great One series, Jake and Abigail navigate school troubles including losing a tooth fall on the school bus or facing the school bully.
11. 11. Going, Going Gone! With the Pain and the Great One (2008): The third novel in The Pain and the Great One series follows Jake and Abigail to the beach, the county fair, Grandpa’s house, and the emergency room.
12. 12. Friend of Fiend? With the Pain and the Great One (2008): In the fourth and final novel in The Pain and the Great One series, Jake and Abigail discover that some friends and relatives can turn to enemies.

Blume's work in young adult fiction is notable for her frank and honest depictions of adolescence. Here are her 12 young adult books.

1. 1. Iggie's House (1970): Iggie's House tells the story of teen Winnie who becomes friendly with the first black family to move into her neighborhood, though others on her street are not so welcoming.
2. 2. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970): Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret tells the story of adolescent Margaret who is battling puberty and reckoning with her dual religious affiliations with Christianity and Judaism. The book has been a bestseller for decades. In 2012, TIME magazine listed Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret as one of the top 100 books published since 1923.
3. 3. Then Again, Maybe I Won't (1971): Following the success of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy wrote this young adult novel about puberty and adolescence from a boy's perspective.
4. 4. It’s Not the End of The World (1972): This young adult novel centers on sixth-grader Karen Newman. When Karen returns from summer break to find that her teacher Miss Pace has gotten married, she ruminates about her skepticism surrounding the institution of marriage.
5. 5. Deenie (1973): This young adult novel follows 13-year-old Deenie who must put her dreams of being a model on hold when she's diagnosed with scoliosis and forced to wear a back brace.
6. 6. Blubber (1974): This novel about school bullying follows Jill Brenner, the novel’s protagonist, who joins in with her friends to make fun of Linda, who then turns the tables on Jill to get revenge.
   
7. 7. Forever... (1975): Forever... tells the story of two teenagers in their final year of high school who begin to date and fall in love. The book was a runner-up for The English Journal's Best YA Book of the Year in 1975.
8. 8. Starring Sally J Freedman as Herself (1977): This novel is about an imaginative 10-year-old girl named Sally who travels with her family to Miami in the aftermath of World War II.
9. 9. Tiger Eyes (1981): This book is about a 15-year-old girl battling grief and depression after the sudden loss of her father. The film was adapted into a film in 2012 by Blume's son Lawrence Blume.
10. 10. Just As Long As We’re Together (1986): In this coming-of-age novel, thirteen-year-old Stephanie Hirsch navigates moving home, her parents separating, getting her first period, liking boys, and juggling friendships.
11. 11. Here’s To You Rachel Robinson (1993): This novel is a follow-up to Just As Long As We’re Together told from the perspective of Rachel, one of Stephanie Hirsch’s friends, as she deals with her own 13-year-old troubles.
12. 12. Places I Never Meant to Be (1999): Judy edited this collection of short stories by writers who have experienced some form of censorship in their careers. Proceeds from the sale of the book went to the National Coalition Against Censorship.

While Judy is best known for her books for young readers, she has also published four novels for adults, all of which appeared on the New York Times bestseller lists:

1. 1. Wifey (1978): Wifey is Judy’s first novel for adult readers. It tells the story of a disenchanted New Jersey housewife who decides to have an affair with an old high school boyfriend only to discover that her husband might be doing the same.
2. 2. Smart Woman (1983): This novel follows two recently divorced women, one of whom falls in love with the other's ex-husband.
3. 3. Summer Sisters (1998): Blume's third adult novel tells the story of two childhood friends who reconnect as adults when one is preparing to marry and invites the other to be her maid of honor.
4. 4. In the Unlikely Event (2015): This novel is set in New Jersey in the 1950s, during the events of the Korean War, and focuses on three unlikely plane crashes.

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