'The books we should cherish'

 

“The best books come from someplace inside. You don't write because you want to, but because you have to.” – Judy Blume

 

Born in Elizabeth, NJ on this date in 1938, Blume has authored dozens of novels that have tackled sensitive topics and sometimes been a source of controversy.  But there’s little doubt that they resonate with young people.  To date her 30 books - mostly written for teens -  have had sales approaching 100 million, translated into 32 languages.

 

Blume said she hopes her stories have opened the doors to teens to gain a better understanding of themselves and issues that surround them.    Racism, divorce, bullying, sexuality, all have all been “on the table” for Blume’s characters. “Generating discussion,” she said, is her primary goal.  She has been recognized as one of the world’s great “storytellers” who bring kids into the reading world, winning more than 90 literary awards, including three lifetime achievement awards and the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Award for "significant and lasting contribution to Young Adult literature.”

 

“Any book that gets kids to read are books that we should cherish,” she noted.  “We should be thankful for them”