Judy Blume Forever

As someone who grew up with Judy Blume books, this documentary was very important and very powerful. To hear Judy Blume speak so poignantly about her own life in terms of the messages she wanted to share was amazing.

Granted, as a former avid reader of her books, this documentary was very moving. To the uninitiated, it might come off as abrasive. She is honest and upfront with the challenges her life and family held for her.

At one point she discusses the value of the word fuck. Most parents would argue the word doesn't belong in a book meant for children. She provides not only explanation but honest justification for using the word.

Judy Blume changed the world for many young people when books were all we had.

As a teen, I read books like "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" and "Then Again, Maybe I Won't" and marveled at how matter-of-fact certain subjects not previously discussed in other fictional books I read were explored. I later read the more mature book "Forever..." and thought how author Judy Blume had grown as a writer. I also read another book about her that told how many of those of her novels were banned because of those certain subjects. So I was very interested in this documentary when I discovered it on a recent flight. As her fame grew, Ms. Blume gets interviewed by many of the famous talk show hosts of the time and also appeared in "Crossfire" where she debated with conservative figure Pat Buchanan who she didn't even know about previously. But the most touching parts is when she reads letters from many teen girls including a couple of those young women who wrote to her for years to the point that they both agreed to appear in this film talking of how much of an influence she had on them. Had she not decided to write for a living, Ms. Blume would be just another of those housewives just raising her kids and tending to her hubby when he gets home from work but that wasn't what she was comfortable with, that's for sure! She'd eventually leave her first spouse and after failing with her second, she'd eventually find true happiness with a third one who had a daughter who knew of his new wife's work. Ms. Blume herself had two offspring who eventually grew proud of her work. At 83, she seems happy now living in Key West, FL, running a book store where she proudly has on display inside the sign "We sell banned books" which I'm guessing includes her own! As a astute observer of adolescent life, Judy Blume Forever is aptly named.

"I sell banned books" is the sign in her Florida bookstore today.

This story of the arc of the life of a woman who broke the barriers to the topics in children's literature couldn't be more relevant today. Her trajectory from suburban mom, through her success in connecting with kids around the world, is a lovely and genuine story of a butterfly emerging from her cocoon.

Her run-ins with book banning moral panic in the 1980s has crucial parallels with today's same exact drama. And we can learn a lot from her response--nevertheless, she persisted.

Besides her life story, we get to see the impact she had on her readers and her touching responses to them.

Blume is a gem, and has been a quiet force for good for decades. Her timeless books will also be relevant for decades to come.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's not unusual for readers to feel a connection to their favorite author, but very few can match the bond shared by writer Judy Blume and her followers. Co-directors Davino Pardo and Leah Wolchok set out to profile the writer whose staggering sales figures (more than 80 million books sold) pale in comparison to the impact she had on so many young girls.

A film adaption (directed by Kelly Fremon Craig) of Ms. Blume's most well-known book, "Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret", is set for a release that corresponds to this documentary, so it's likely her work is about to experience a revival of sorts. You might wonder how a 1970 book for adolescent girls could still have relevance today, and the answer is that the author is one of the few who addressed what mattered (and matters) to this group: masturbation, menstruation, relationships, body development. Blume's work addressed these topics in such a way that girls could not only easily relate, but they felt comfort in knowing that they weren't facing these changes alone. Blume became a best-selling author and a trusted advisor.

The filmmakers opt to include interviews with celebrities such as Molly Ringwald, Lena Dunham, and Samantha Bee, yet it's the words from "normal" girls and women who recount the impact of the books that strikes an emotional chord. Watching Judy go through the mounds of letters she received from readers brings emphasis to what matters here. Yale University houses Blume's archies, letters, and papers, and we sense the sentimentality as she re-reads some of these. Regular correspondence with writers Mary H. K. Choi and Lorrie Kim is remarkable, but it's the consistent letters back and forth with Karen Chilstrom over so many years that pack an emotional wallop. Segments with Judy's own children, daughter Randy and son Larry, are also included.

We learn Judy was a traditional 1950's housewife who pursued a career of her own, a not-so-traditional move of the times. She persevered despite many closed doors, and went on to have incredible success doing exactly what she wanted in a style that bucked the trends. That she sold so many books is remarkable when you consider that the target audience for many of her books were too young to even buy books. We see numerous clips of Blume on TV Talk Shows telling her story ... her confrontation with ultra-conservative James Buchannan is particularly entertaining. Although the film goes mostly in chronological order, only the most ardent fans will know what year a book being discussed was released. Now in her 80's, Blume and her husband run a bookstore in Key West with a posted sign that reads ... "We sell banned books." What a fitting exclamation point to a remarkable woman and her career.

Streaming on Prime Video beginning April 21, 2023.

I came upon this documentary purely by accident, and I'm so glad I did. Judy Blume and her books are inextricably linked to my childhood and for that I'm so grateful. The first book I read on my own, for pleasure, was Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, in 1978 at 7 years old. For the next couple years I discovered and devoured the rest of her catalog at that time. It didn't matter to me that most of her books centered on girls. I also became a voracious reader because of Judy, and sought out similar books only a few authors were writing, like Norma Klein and Paula Danziger.

Apart from the documentary's particular meaning to me, it's really well done and incredibly informative and entertaining. Judy is so humble, sweet, open, and thoughtful. A genuinely caring soul. There's a treasure trove of photos and clips from past interviews, and commentary from some well-known Judy Blume fans. I got choked up numerous times learning about all the letters she's received over the last 5 decades and the special correspondence she has with some of her (very lucky) fans.

The ridiculous controversy about some of her books (which caused libraries and bookstores to "ban" anything she wrote) that's waxed and waned over the years is also explored, and it's inspiring to learn how Judy has dealt with that blowback and still manages to stay true to herself.

Watching this wonderful doc also sparked some great memories, and I learned so much about the genesis of many of her works. An absolute must for any Judy Blume fan and really for anyone who grew up appreciating young adult books that spoke to them about certain things we all do but receive mixed messages about. Highest recommendation!