32 pages • 1 hour read
Judy Moody Was in a Mood. Not a Good Mood. A Bad Mood.
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Authorial Context: Megan McDonald
Megan McDonald is an American author from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. McDonald’s love of writing began when she was a child, as she felt more comfortable writing than speaking due to her stutter. McDonald graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in English and then completed a master’s degree in library science at the University of Pittsburgh. While working as a librarian, McDonald published several children’s books before writing the first of her Judy Moody series in 2000.
Young readers instantly connected with Judy and her little brother, Stink, and the series soon became a great success, selling over seven million copies in 18 different languages. McDonald has won numerous awards for her work, including Publisher Weekly’s Best Book of the Year award and the International Reading Association Children’s Choice award for her Judy Moody series. McDonald has revealed that her childhood experiences growing up as the youngest of five girls inspired some of Judy’s adventures in the stories (“Megan McDonald.” Pennsylvania Center for the Book).
In Judy Was in a Mood., McDonald drew many specific plot points from her childhood, including the fake hand prank—which she played on her sisters—and her siblings going to the White House when she stayed home. She also draws inspiration from her eight-year-old self, but her writing is not strictly autobiographical. McDonald explains, “I love the Mark Twain quote where he says, ‘I remember everything whether it happened or not.’ That’s kind of how I feel. I remember certain things and feelings from childhood, but whether it happened or not, I can easily add imagination and embellish and make it into a funny story” (Mandel, Ronna. “An Interview with Megan McDonald, author of Judy Moody & Stink Books for Kids.” Good Reads With Ronna, 21 May 2015).
McDonald has since added to the Judy Moody series with books focused on Judy’s little brother, Stink, such as Stink and the Big Bad Badgers (2025) and Stink: Twice as Incredible (2016). She is also the author of many other books for young readers, including the Sisters Club series and the American Girl: Julie series. McDonald remains an active author and currently lives in California.
Series Context: The Judy Moody Series
The Judy Moody series is set in Virginia in the United States and follows third grader Judy Moody as she navigates school, friendships, family life, and her passions. The author focuses on Judy’s everyday adventures and dilemmas including The Ups and Downs of Siblinghood with her brother, Stink, meeting her teacher’s expectations, and making friends in her new class.
By celebrating everyday life and the triumphs and pitfalls of childhood, the Judy Moody series is similar to other American children’s classics such as the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary, which includes Beezus and Ramona (1955), Ramona and the Pest (1968), Ramona the Brave (1975), Ramona and Her Father (1977), Ramona and Her Mother (1979), Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (1981), Ramona Forever (1984), and Ramona’s World (1999). Judy’s relationship with her brother, Stink, echoes Beezus’s relationship with her little sister Ramona in Cleary’s work, as both include conflicts between siblings as well as their secrets and fun. Judy Moody’s changing moods and opinions and her growing ability to manage her feelings also make her similar to Ramona Quimby, who is passionate and sensitive.
The Judy Moody series also has much in common with American author Judy Blume’s work. Like Blume’s protagonists Sheila Tubman in Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (1972) and Peter Hatcher in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), young Judy navigates her ever-changing feelings and family relationships. As in Blume’s work, McDonald creates real problems for her protagonist but lightens the novel’s tone with humor and silliness. By focusing on Judy’s personal development while maintaining a playful tone, McDonald follows in Cleary’s and Blume’s literary footsteps.
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