"It's not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.” -- Judy Blume
For Banned Books Week, we're celebrating an author who has stood up for the freedom to read for over fifty years -- Judy Blume! The beloved author of many Mighty Girl favorites such as "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret", "Deenie", and "Tiger Eyes," Blume has been writing children's and young adult fiction for decades. But what her many young fans rarely realize is that her frank discussion of topics like religion, puberty, and sexuality in these books -- the same honesty that makes them so appealing to young readers -- has made her one of the most frequently challenged children's authors.
Even as a relatively new author, though, instead of bowing to the criticisms, Blume persisted in writing openly and honestly about issues affecting young people -- and speaking up for authors, teachers, librarians, and others who face disapproval, insults, and even the loss of jobs and careers because they refuse to remove books from the hands of young readers. As such, she has become a champion for children's freedom to read -- and authors' freedom to write -- about topics that some find controversial.
Banned Book Week is an annual event which celebrates the freedom to read and the highlights the value of free and open access to information. In honor of Banned Books Week 2021, we are proud to present our tribute to Judy Blume's career, both as an author of many beloved Mighty Girl books and as a determined and forceful voice against censorship and book banning. In a time when Blume's books still face challenges, her experiences combating censorship -- and her powerful words about the value of making complex and daring books accessible to kids -- are more important than ever.
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