

28, to “Superfudge” and “Forever,” marked the first time they were able to read about often-censored topics like sexuality and puberty. For many of those who grew up throughout the ’70s and ’80s, books like “Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret,” whose film adaptation hits theaters Apr. Judy Blume Forever is available to stream now on Prime Video.If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.Ī new documentary about Judy Blume sheds light on the profound impact that the beloved children’s book writer had on a whole generation of young girls.

This film also serves as a fitting primer to the next generation as her work continues to resonate and capture young hearts forever. Any older fans will look back on this with many a smile, as they see themselves in the fans who are also depicted here. Judy Blume Forever is a delightful film that is all wrapped up in a warm nostalgia. These qualities are ones that are still apparent in her personality and her sparkling zest for life. She wrote books for young people and did so with utmost honesty and candor. She sought a career at a time when women were expected to play compliant mother and housewife. The fact is Blume never really lived by the rule books. The fact that Blume was so likeably irrelevant and tackles taboo subjects meant that she is both loved and someone who has attracted the ire of America’s more conservative factions. Perhaps the most telling ones are with some of the celebrities interviewed here: including Lena Dunham, Molly Ringwald and Samantha Bee who recount Blume’s influence with reverence. Blume is interviewed extensively and reads some excerpts from her novels, which are accompanied by animations.Īlso among the interviewees are fellow writers and members of Blume’s family. It traces Blume’s anxious childhood and her first marriage, including those fledgling years where she started out as a writer. The story is quite straightforward in its approach. This documentary plays out like a love letter to Blume by directors, Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok. And let’s not forget all those frank lessons about masturbation and menstruation!

When her first book was published in 1969 it was unheard of to have a novel narrated by a young protagonist. Her writing was quite a revelation at the time. She wrote books that captured the hearts and minds of young adult readers the world over. This includes the famous, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which has recently been adapted for the big screen and winning fans some fifty-plus years since its release.īlume is like a fairy godmother of adolescence. The Jewish-American writer has published 29 books and sold over 82 million copies. Teenage girls the world over would be familiar with author, Judy Blume.
