“Do junior high school girls still read this book, or did the producers just try to dig up something that was popular 40 years ago?”
As you say, Judy Blume was all the rage among the 10-13 year-old girl-crowd when I was in school 40+ years ago. Aside from the “Fudge” books which were harmless, she was this “edgy” hippy author tantalizing the ‘tweens with more risque content than what they were getting from other authors.
I don’t think she’s popular now. I’ve never heard young family members in that age range talking about her or reading her books. She’s passe at this point.
All the leftist child and adolescent therapists and counselors with scarves loved Blume books. Same sort of people who are dying to add a couple of trans to their resumes today.