The Women's National Book Association presented the 2025 WNBA Award to Judy Blume, "beloved author of books, renowned bookseller and champion of the spoken word."
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| Judy Blume | |
The association gives the award every other year to "a living American woman who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties and responsibilities of her profession or occupation.... Nominees must derive part or all of their income from books or the allied arts."
WNBA said that "Blume's works have had deep impact upon the consciousness of our nation. She discusses puberty, religion and mortality with integrity. Generations of women have found themselves reflected within her words to find comfort in difficult times. Today, mothers share her books with their daughters, as they once shared them with their classmates as young girls long ago."
"What distinguishes Blume is her meritorious work in speaking out against book banning and censorship in schools and libraries," said NC Weil, WNBA Award co-chair. "At an age when she could deservedly rest on her accomplishments, she chose instead to open a bookstore in Key West with her husband, and to speak out nationally about threats to books."
Ellen McBarnette, WNBA Award co-chair, added, "Honoring Ms. Blume is in line with our organization's more than 100 years of commitment to supporting access to the published for all who seek it. And how timely, that would accept this award while book bans have reached our nation's public libraries, private institutions and, even, the highest levels of academia."
Called one of the most banned authors of the 20th century, Blume is the author of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Forever…, Deenie, Blubber, and more. Her bookstore is Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West, which she opened with her husband, George Cooper, in 2016, in affiliation with Books & Books.