Contact Judy
Judy says: Thank you, thank you for all your wonderful notes. I only wish I could write back to each of you personally. But in order to start a new book I need serious thinking time, which means less time for e-mail. Hope you understand.
Just want you to know that my assistant and I read this guestbook every day, and try to respond when appropriate. Your continued love and support are a constant inspiration.
875 entries.
Dear Judy,
I just want to take a moment to thank you for being so very incredible. As a child, I read many of your books, though that was decades ago. Now, as an adult, I work with children, in healthcare. It is my sincere hope that your brilliant, creative, and honest spirit reaches them, through me, as I answer many uncomfortable questions, without any fear, or so as much of a hint of shame. You’ve really given me, and all of us, so very much. Thank you, Judy.
— Stephanie
I just want to take a moment to thank you for being so very incredible. As a child, I read many of your books, though that was decades ago. Now, as an adult, I work with children, in healthcare. It is my sincere hope that your brilliant, creative, and honest spirit reaches them, through me, as I answer many uncomfortable questions, without any fear, or so as much of a hint of shame. You’ve really given me, and all of us, so very much. Thank you, Judy.
— Stephanie
April 23, 2023
Dear Judy Blume,
Without realizing it, I have been waiting 42 years to write to you. I just finished watching the documentary about you and can’t believe it never occurred to me to write to you before now.
As a young child, I knew that going to church was very important to my parents, but didn’t know why. My sister and I weren’t allowed to talk in church, but the adults would recite words and prayers. How did they know all the words? It was all very confusing. In Grade 1, Mrs. Zerter, my religion teacher, told us that by dying on the cross, Jesus opened the gates of heaven for us. I asked what happened to all of the people who died before Jesus opened the gates of heaven? I only remember asking the question, not the answer. I was just going through the motions, trying to copy my parents regarding religion, church and God.
One day though, when I was in Grade 3, my sister and I were not really that sick, but insisted we were and our mother reluctantly let us stay home from school. I think my mother didn’t allow us to watch tv that day knowing or deeply suspecting we were getting away with something. So we spent the day in our parents’ bed, under their satin comforter, pink on one side, blue on the other. And my sister, who was in Grade 5, recounted for me from memory Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? in vivid detail. It was the first I had ever heard the word menstruation, though I think I knew what a period was. More or less.
After that, I was confident that I would enjoy the book if I were to read it by myself. I reread it again in Grade 5 and many more times since. Knowing how important church and religion were to my parents, but not knowing where to start, I started talking to God at night, just like Margaret did in the book. I remember feeling so upset when Margaret feels betrayed and gets angry at God, and then being furious at God myself when I didn’t get the role I wanted in The Wizard of Oz at school. For many years, I was anxious that my father could die suddenly at any moment. The thought of it kept me awake many a night. Today, listening to you in the documentary describe how you bargained with God in the hopes of sparing your father a premature death, I burst into tears.
In my twenties I started to question what place if any religion had in my life – I had stopped going to church weekly and talking to God. I went to teach English in Japan for a year and travelled a bit and visited shrines and temples and was curious about different cultures. When I was 25 I reread Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? And it struck me that Margaret, when talking to God, was really having a conversation with herself, and that doing so helped her make sense of her life. It reminded me of the line in The Wizard of Oz when Glinda tells Dorothy that she had the power all along to get back to Kansas once she was ready. It was a really illuminating experience for me. When my daughter was about 9, I saw it in the bookstore and bought a copy for us to read together (the white cover with text on it – not the beautiful purple cover with the girl with swirling yellow hair that I borrowed from the school library in 1981). My daughter was VERY uncomfortable listening to me read it aloud, so after a chapter or two, we abandoned it to the bedside table. Maybe a year later, I noticed it had gone missing and my daughter admitted she had stolen the book and read it on her own in secret.
Anyway, I was moved to write to you today, inspired by your decades of correspondence with mostly young fans and a sincere desire to thank you for all of your stories, your dedication to readers and just to let you know how much I loved and still love your books. Like you, I feel a strong connection to my childhood, in which you played a significant role. After teaching Kindergarten for many years I will be moving up to Grade 3/4 next year and hope to squeeze in a Judy Blume read aloud… I’m not sure which one yet.
My now 16 year old daughter and I have a date to go see Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret?, the movie as soon as it comes out, and I can’t wait.
Love,
Cathy C
Sutton, Quebec
Canada
Dear Judy Blume,
Without realizing it, I have been waiting 42 years to write to you. I just finished watching the documentary about you and can’t believe it never occurred to me to write to you before now.
As a young child, I knew that going to church was very important to my parents, but didn’t know why. My sister and I weren’t allowed to talk in church, but the adults would recite words and prayers. How did they know all the words? It was all very confusing. In Grade 1, Mrs. Zerter, my religion teacher, told us that by dying on the cross, Jesus opened the gates of heaven for us. I asked what happened to all of the people who died before Jesus opened the gates of heaven? I only remember asking the question, not the answer. I was just going through the motions, trying to copy my parents regarding religion, church and God.
One day though, when I was in Grade 3, my sister and I were not really that sick, but insisted we were and our mother reluctantly let us stay home from school. I think my mother didn’t allow us to watch tv that day knowing or deeply suspecting we were getting away with something. So we spent the day in our parents’ bed, under their satin comforter, pink on one side, blue on the other. And my sister, who was in Grade 5, recounted for me from memory Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? in vivid detail. It was the first I had ever heard the word menstruation, though I think I knew what a period was. More or less.
After that, I was confident that I would enjoy the book if I were to read it by myself. I reread it again in Grade 5 and many more times since. Knowing how important church and religion were to my parents, but not knowing where to start, I started talking to God at night, just like Margaret did in the book. I remember feeling so upset when Margaret feels betrayed and gets angry at God, and then being furious at God myself when I didn’t get the role I wanted in The Wizard of Oz at school. For many years, I was anxious that my father could die suddenly at any moment. The thought of it kept me awake many a night. Today, listening to you in the documentary describe how you bargained with God in the hopes of sparing your father a premature death, I burst into tears.
In my twenties I started to question what place if any religion had in my life – I had stopped going to church weekly and talking to God. I went to teach English in Japan for a year and travelled a bit and visited shrines and temples and was curious about different cultures. When I was 25 I reread Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? And it struck me that Margaret, when talking to God, was really having a conversation with herself, and that doing so helped her make sense of her life. It reminded me of the line in The Wizard of Oz when Glinda tells Dorothy that she had the power all along to get back to Kansas once she was ready. It was a really illuminating experience for me. When my daughter was about 9, I saw it in the bookstore and bought a copy for us to read together (the white cover with text on it – not the beautiful purple cover with the girl with swirling yellow hair that I borrowed from the school library in 1981). My daughter was VERY uncomfortable listening to me read it aloud, so after a chapter or two, we abandoned it to the bedside table. Maybe a year later, I noticed it had gone missing and my daughter admitted she had stolen the book and read it on her own in secret.
Anyway, I was moved to write to you today, inspired by your decades of correspondence with mostly young fans and a sincere desire to thank you for all of your stories, your dedication to readers and just to let you know how much I loved and still love your books. Like you, I feel a strong connection to my childhood, in which you played a significant role. After teaching Kindergarten for many years I will be moving up to Grade 3/4 next year and hope to squeeze in a Judy Blume read aloud… I’m not sure which one yet.
My now 16 year old daughter and I have a date to go see Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret?, the movie as soon as it comes out, and I can’t wait.
Love,
Cathy C
Sutton, Quebec
Canada
Hi Judy, I’ m not looking to get published on your website or anyplace else. I only wanted to touch base after over 60 years. You may remember that I dated Mary Sullivan in Elizabeth NJ before I was appointed to USNA in Annapolis. When we had a spring break in NYC Mary fixed you up with my classmate Dave Norwood when we went to the Copacabana for a group date. I invited Mary to June Week at Annapolis in 1956.. Unfortunately it was an unrequited relationship and I soon found a better match in my first wife who I met in my second year at Annapolis. We were married for 20 years and had 4 children. I retired from the Navy and spent 20 years in IT management and consulting. In 1984 I married my second wife, so we are looking forward to celebrating our 40th anniversary next year. From your essay I learned that Mary has married and has a family. I’d appreciate it if you would extend my thanks to her for helping me better relate to the women I later met and loved. And BTW I enjoyed reading “In the Unfortunate Event” as it recalled many of the sad events we experienced in 1951.
My dear late Mother Sylvia saw fit not to explain anything about maturation to my 2 younger sisters. Judy Blume's book saved the lot of us. We used birth control to put careers first, took forever to find the right men, then made time for children. Your book aided our maturation and indirectly, our destinies. Happy Birthday Judy! You Rock. From Rabbit Lake, Saskatchewan- Canada.
Dear Ms Blume:
When you were growing up the Berensons, my Uncle Jack and Aunt ida, were your next door neighbors. Janie Berenson and Bobby were my first cousins. Aunt Ida was my father Saul Coplin’s sister all from Elizabeth. My mother is 106 years old as of April 6th and she has mentioned your writing as one of the great sons and daughters of Elizabeth. I just got through watching the documentary about you and wanted to say hello from us. Sincerely,
Peter Coplin, MD.. Princeton, NJ.
When you were growing up the Berensons, my Uncle Jack and Aunt ida, were your next door neighbors. Janie Berenson and Bobby were my first cousins. Aunt Ida was my father Saul Coplin’s sister all from Elizabeth. My mother is 106 years old as of April 6th and she has mentioned your writing as one of the great sons and daughters of Elizabeth. I just got through watching the documentary about you and wanted to say hello from us. Sincerely,
Peter Coplin, MD.. Princeton, NJ.
Dear Judy,
I just watched your documentary- Judy Blume Forever and as a 61 year old, it brought me back to when I was a 12 year old reading your books. For me, Deenie really hit home. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at 11, and it was devastating. At that age you embrace fitting in, not being different. There was so little discussion about it, certainly nothing in litterature, so this book truly helped me feel not so alone. Your books are as relevant today as they were 50 years ago, my daughter has read them and one day my granddaughter will too! It's beautiful that you found your forever love with George. Wishing you many more years of health and happiness.
I just watched your documentary- Judy Blume Forever and as a 61 year old, it brought me back to when I was a 12 year old reading your books. For me, Deenie really hit home. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at 11, and it was devastating. At that age you embrace fitting in, not being different. There was so little discussion about it, certainly nothing in litterature, so this book truly helped me feel not so alone. Your books are as relevant today as they were 50 years ago, my daughter has read them and one day my granddaughter will too! It's beautiful that you found your forever love with George. Wishing you many more years of health and happiness.
Dear Judy,
I just finished watching your documentary on Amazon. While watching it, it never occurred to me when I was young, that I could write to you.
I just wanted to let you know that you were very much a part of my life growing up. Because of your books, which I have read every single one, I developed a love for reading that is still strong today. Books were my best friends when I was young. Your books helped me cope with alot of awkward feelings growing up. Thank you so much for developing my love for reading, and thank you for having the courage to write so truthfully!
Christine
I just finished watching your documentary on Amazon. While watching it, it never occurred to me when I was young, that I could write to you.
I just wanted to let you know that you were very much a part of my life growing up. Because of your books, which I have read every single one, I developed a love for reading that is still strong today. Books were my best friends when I was young. Your books helped me cope with alot of awkward feelings growing up. Thank you so much for developing my love for reading, and thank you for having the courage to write so truthfully!
Christine
Hello Judy Blue,
First of all, I've read a few of your books as a child. I have always been a fan.
I have a podcast called "Conversations About..." and I would love to interview you for 30 minutes to an hour if you are free.
I thank you for your consideration and your time.
A fan since I could read,
Will Holland
First of all, I've read a few of your books as a child. I have always been a fan.
I have a podcast called "Conversations About..." and I would love to interview you for 30 minutes to an hour if you are free.
I thank you for your consideration and your time.
A fan since I could read,
Will Holland
I have so much love,gratitude & admiration for Judy Blume and her books that helped me growing up in the 70's.
I'd love to say hello in person and
wonder if there's a visit to Canada in the future? I mean, we love her here too! xo
I'd love to say hello in person and
wonder if there's a visit to Canada in the future? I mean, we love her here too! xo
I just watched the show on Netflix. I am now 51, but as a young girl and then woman, your books meant so much to me. I was a lonely child without much supervision and books were my thing. I learned so much from your stories. I get crap from my friends because I still talk to God, publicly.. it’s always “come on Margret, we are in public” we laugh about it all the time 😊. Thank you so much for your bravery, I honestly am so grateful.
Dear Judy,
I just had the very great pleasure of watching your special on TV. I was crying in about 10 minutes as you took me from 56 years old right to 10 when my uncle gave me a collection of your books for Christmas one year.
I must pause a moment to remember my Uncle Bruce. He was a middle school teacher and later became the principal of a middle school. He encouraged my love of books with some collection of them each Christmas. He was such a fun man with a terrific sense of humor! He was so loved that when he passed, the middle school where he had been principal closed for a half day so the students and staff could attend his funeral.
At the time Uncle Bruce gave me your collection, I had just begun to menstruate. At 10! I had so many feelings that I just didn't understand and you helped me to realize that I was not alone. That every adolescent went through a similar thing and that my feelings were maybe not so weird after all.
I was also being terribly abused by a neighbor and reading was how I escaped everything bad in the world. I finally found the strength to stop his actions when I was 11. I will not go into any details, but it was a hard thing to go through and your books helped me escape all of that. I am so grateful for the characters you created! They are like old friends who helped me through hard times and I think of them fondly. Poor Peter who felt rather outshined by little brother Fudge. Sheila, who suffered such bad self-esteem that she felt she had to lie about herself to make friends. Tony and Margaret going through puberty and expressing those thoughts and feelings that were so embarrassing, but so normal! They are such wonderful parts of my childhood!!
I want to end on a funny note. I recall finally getting to Then Again, Maybe I Won't and I think I was 11 by that time. I was reading in the living room while my Dad watched TV and Mom was doing a crossword puzzle. Suddenly, I asked my mother "Mom, what's a wet dream?" She freaked out a little at first, then she asked why I wanted to know. I told her it was in this book I was reading, so she demanded to see what the title was. As she perused the book to gain context, she relaxed and smiled and then told me what it meant. I will NEVER forget that moment!! It was one of the most cool things to have my Mom understand why I was asking and it was one of the most normal conversations we ever had.
Thank you, Judy, for all you have done for the kids who grew up in a time before the internet when we didn't have access to such information! We didn't have many grown-ups who would talk to us the way you did through your books.
By the way, you looked WONDERFUL in the TV special!!
I just had the very great pleasure of watching your special on TV. I was crying in about 10 minutes as you took me from 56 years old right to 10 when my uncle gave me a collection of your books for Christmas one year.
I must pause a moment to remember my Uncle Bruce. He was a middle school teacher and later became the principal of a middle school. He encouraged my love of books with some collection of them each Christmas. He was such a fun man with a terrific sense of humor! He was so loved that when he passed, the middle school where he had been principal closed for a half day so the students and staff could attend his funeral.
At the time Uncle Bruce gave me your collection, I had just begun to menstruate. At 10! I had so many feelings that I just didn't understand and you helped me to realize that I was not alone. That every adolescent went through a similar thing and that my feelings were maybe not so weird after all.
I was also being terribly abused by a neighbor and reading was how I escaped everything bad in the world. I finally found the strength to stop his actions when I was 11. I will not go into any details, but it was a hard thing to go through and your books helped me escape all of that. I am so grateful for the characters you created! They are like old friends who helped me through hard times and I think of them fondly. Poor Peter who felt rather outshined by little brother Fudge. Sheila, who suffered such bad self-esteem that she felt she had to lie about herself to make friends. Tony and Margaret going through puberty and expressing those thoughts and feelings that were so embarrassing, but so normal! They are such wonderful parts of my childhood!!
I want to end on a funny note. I recall finally getting to Then Again, Maybe I Won't and I think I was 11 by that time. I was reading in the living room while my Dad watched TV and Mom was doing a crossword puzzle. Suddenly, I asked my mother "Mom, what's a wet dream?" She freaked out a little at first, then she asked why I wanted to know. I told her it was in this book I was reading, so she demanded to see what the title was. As she perused the book to gain context, she relaxed and smiled and then told me what it meant. I will NEVER forget that moment!! It was one of the most cool things to have my Mom understand why I was asking and it was one of the most normal conversations we ever had.
Thank you, Judy, for all you have done for the kids who grew up in a time before the internet when we didn't have access to such information! We didn't have many grown-ups who would talk to us the way you did through your books.
By the way, you looked WONDERFUL in the TV special!!
Hi Judy,
I adored Judy Blume Forever. Your spirit is so generous and you are a beautiful combination of nurturer and warrior! (Also, my mom got married in NJ - maybe at that same brick church)
I’ve made a career making kids music (I started when my girls were 2 and 4 - I wanted to be with them and have something of my own).
I’ve been writing and journaling my whole life. recently, my marriage began deteriorating. To cope, I wrote an adventure novel containing 10 erotic stories (fun, consensual). I’m ready to self-publish but I’m so nervous to use my real name. I’m 59 and want to own the work, but I’m scared- tho I don’t what I’m scared of! Any words of advice for me?
Thanks for listening. I’m so filled with hope and pure energy after watching the brilliant doc!
Deborah
I adored Judy Blume Forever. Your spirit is so generous and you are a beautiful combination of nurturer and warrior! (Also, my mom got married in NJ - maybe at that same brick church)
I’ve made a career making kids music (I started when my girls were 2 and 4 - I wanted to be with them and have something of my own).
I’ve been writing and journaling my whole life. recently, my marriage began deteriorating. To cope, I wrote an adventure novel containing 10 erotic stories (fun, consensual). I’m ready to self-publish but I’m so nervous to use my real name. I’m 59 and want to own the work, but I’m scared- tho I don’t what I’m scared of! Any words of advice for me?
Thanks for listening. I’m so filled with hope and pure energy after watching the brilliant doc!
Deborah
While going through the process at Duke to get a lung transplant I decided to watch Judy Blume Forever and one of my best memories surfaced up. It was 1985, I was 12 years old, my father was military and we had been stationed in Germany. We were flying back to the US and I had picked a book to read for the long 12 hour ride. Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing. I had fallen asleep before reading the last couple of chapters. The plane was landing for a lay over and the front tire blew. So we had to exit the plane right on the tarmac and walk to a closed area of the airport. As we were looking around I heard my mom make a very weird noise. Dragging me by the arm as I clutches my book my mom shoved me in front of 2 men. As I looked up it was Conway Twitty and Ronnie McDowell. I instantly recognized them because my mom had all of their records and I grew up listening to them. Conway looked at me and said “Hello Darlin’”. I seriously thought my mom was going to pass out. Instead…. That woman grabbed my book and asked him to sign it. Conway did but Ronnie was a jerk and didn’t even acknowledge me. I never got that book back and still to this day I have never finished it. The only book of yours that I haven’t finished. I think I will have to buy it now and finish it because your documentary has brought up the feelings I had while reading it and I would love to know the ending.
Sincerely,
Kelley K.
Sincerely,
Kelley K.
Hey Judy!
Watching your documentary on Amazon Prime! Going next Saturday to see Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret! I cant wait! I remember us sneaking around Forever in 6th grade..mom never knew! I be grounded for life! Mom let be buy Margaret as it had God in its title, though I never told her its plot! Thank you for being a part of my childhood in the 70s!! I have another book, all i learned about being a girl, I learned from Judy Blume. I wish you could do a book signing here..that would be so great!
Watching your documentary on Amazon Prime! Going next Saturday to see Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret! I cant wait! I remember us sneaking around Forever in 6th grade..mom never knew! I be grounded for life! Mom let be buy Margaret as it had God in its title, though I never told her its plot! Thank you for being a part of my childhood in the 70s!! I have another book, all i learned about being a girl, I learned from Judy Blume. I wish you could do a book signing here..that would be so great!
Dear Ms. Blume,
Last night I watched your marvelous documentary, "Judy Blume Forever" and was absolutely captivated by you; by your warmth and intelligence.
As moved as I was by your telling of your story, I found the most powerful moments were the timed you were sorting through letters from your readers, and your responses to them.
You mentioned that you were finished writing full-length books, but have you given thought to putting together a volume(s) of letters between you and your readers?
These exchanges were so moving in the documentary, I would love to read more (with your correspondents' participation, of course).
Thank you for all you have done, and continue to do.
Last night I watched your marvelous documentary, "Judy Blume Forever" and was absolutely captivated by you; by your warmth and intelligence.
As moved as I was by your telling of your story, I found the most powerful moments were the timed you were sorting through letters from your readers, and your responses to them.
You mentioned that you were finished writing full-length books, but have you given thought to putting together a volume(s) of letters between you and your readers?
These exchanges were so moving in the documentary, I would love to read more (with your correspondents' participation, of course).
Thank you for all you have done, and continue to do.
Dear Mrs. Blume, would you consider helping me find a reliable, equitable person to assist me with proofreading my work, type it up, and submit for publication? Thank you fir your time, and expertise. Blessings, Sincerely, Will
saw the documentary, interesting. i am from cranford, used to go shopping in elizabeth. no one else to ask this question to (all my friends from those days are gone now [i am almost 74]). do you remember goertzs and levys and recco, department stores and kids clothing store? (spelling) loved goertz or maybe levys .. they had a mezzanine between floor one and two, totally decorated during the holidays. just had to write, good memories of elizabeth. plus a small cafe across the main road that my friend and i always ate in. thanks
ciel
hand
ciel
hand
Hi Judy,
My best friend, Robin babysat Larry and Randy back in 1964 or so on Windying Brook Way. She’s turning 70 next year and I was wondering if I could get a little message or something from you as part of as “This Is You Life” tribute to her. I’m not sure if you’d ever even remember her, but she’s always contributed to my love and respect for you for hearing that you truly are the person I admire.
Thank you,
June M
My best friend, Robin babysat Larry and Randy back in 1964 or so on Windying Brook Way. She’s turning 70 next year and I was wondering if I could get a little message or something from you as part of as “This Is You Life” tribute to her. I’m not sure if you’d ever even remember her, but she’s always contributed to my love and respect for you for hearing that you truly are the person I admire.
Thank you,
June M
Good morning 2 u,
I am a big fan of yours ever since I picked up Are u there God, it’s me Margret ? I was about maybe 11 yrs old and I was being raised by my grandparents and I love them and they were good people but I think they forgot what it was like to be young and they raised and dressed me like an old woman. I felt awkward and misunderstood and I was at the library and I picked up this book and I was reading and I finally felt understood and I was also that fat kid in Blubber and I have been meaning to write you for a very long time and I wanted to say thank you for helping me to get thru the Golden door of womanhood!
I am a big fan of yours ever since I picked up Are u there God, it’s me Margret ? I was about maybe 11 yrs old and I was being raised by my grandparents and I love them and they were good people but I think they forgot what it was like to be young and they raised and dressed me like an old woman. I felt awkward and misunderstood and I was at the library and I picked up this book and I was reading and I finally felt understood and I was also that fat kid in Blubber and I have been meaning to write you for a very long time and I wanted to say thank you for helping me to get thru the Golden door of womanhood!
I am currently listening to an Australia radio station discussing your children 's books. It made me have to write you because, tho I'm 66 now, I remember a frustrating childhood in a strict/sheltered Catholic home, with questions about boys, body changes, etc that NOBODY would discuss and instead I was shamed often because of the shock responses I received making me feel bad and sinful. I wish I'd known your books existed so SOMEONE was willing to pose answers without judgement. It would have saved me many years of counselling in adulthood. I now have 3 granddaughters and I will be exposing them to your books so they never go through the confusion and shame I did for years. Thank you!!
In this Section
- Judy’s Official Bio
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- How I Became an Author
- Questions for Judy
- What’s Up With Judy
- Contact Judy
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Judy Blume
c/o Tashmoo Productions
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William Morris Entertainment
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New York, NY 10010
Email:
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