“My characters live inside my head for a long time before I actually start a book about them. Then, they become so real to me I talk about them at the dinner table as if they are real. Some people consider this weird. But my family understands.”

American author and children’s writer, Judy Blume is best known for her candid, relatable novels that tackle adolescence with humor and honesty. Her books, including *Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret*, explore universal teenage experiences with warmth and wit.