Judy Blume is an American author renowned for her novels for children and young adults. Her works have exceeded sales of 80 million copies and have been translated into 31 languages. Blume's literature was among the first to tackle controversial topics such as racism in Iggie's House, menstruation in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., divorce in It's Not the End of the World, Just As Long As We're Together, bullying in Blubber, masturbation in Deenie; Then Again, Maybe I Won't, and teen sex in Forever. These themes have stirred controversy regarding their appropriateness for a middle school audience.

Born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Blume graduated from New York University in 1961. She began her writing career in 1959 and has published over 26 novels. Among her best-known works are Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (1970), Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), Deenie (1973), and Blubber (1974). Her novels have significantly contributed to children's and young adult literature.

Blume has received numerous awards, including the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1996, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the 2004 National Book Foundation medal for distinguished contribution to American letters. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.

Blume's novels have been adapted into films, including Tiger Eyes and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Her achievements and lifelong work are chronicled in the Peabody Award-winning documentary, Judy Blume Forever.