Biography

Specializes in stories for preteens dealing with the trials and tribulations of everday life from sibling rivalry to young love to learning how to be yourself.

More than 85 million copies of her books have been sold (through March 1, 2013), and her work has been translated into more than thirty languages.

Recovering after undergoing a mastectomy for breast cancer [September 5, 2012].

The first feature film version of any of her books, Tiger Eyes (1981), was directed and co-written by her son, Lawrence Blume, with Judy acting as producer and co-writer. Tiger Eyes (2012) is scheduled to be released in May 2013. Judy's husband George Cooper served as executive producer.

She was inducted into the 2010 New Jersey Hall of Fame for her services and contributions to literature.

When I was growing up, I dreamed about becoming a cowgirl, a detective, a spy, a great actress, or a ballerina. Not a dentist, like my father, or a homemaker, like my mother -- and certainly not a writer, although I always loved to read. I didn't know anything about writers. It never occurred to me they were regular people and that I could grow up to become one, even though I loved to make up stories inside my head.

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

[re working on location] I loved it, I just loved it! I loved the crafty [craft services] guy who made me little grilled cheese sandwiches, and who turned out to be one of the best dancers I've ever seen or danced with, at our little wrap party. I loved the production designer and going into her office - she had a ratty sofa, and she would let me lay down there, and I would look up at the walls and see all the sketches. I wanted to move in.

[re-collaborating with her son, director Lawrence Blume, on the set of Tiger Eyes (2012)] We were very nice to each other on the set. We're old enough to decide, 'We're going to make this work,' and we did. And we like each other, anyway.

[on the trend to alert students about textual material that might offend them] Why are we treating students like babies? You're supposed to be challenged in college. We can have our beliefs and still read things and discuss things. We don't have to become zealots and say, "This has to be removed, and this has to be removed" and "You have to be warned here because oh my goodness! Oh, my goodness!"