Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume is told from the perspective of Margaret, a young girl who has recently moved to New Jersey and is navigating many of the challenges typical of this stage of life. Margaret is trying to make new friends while also questioning religion, something that feels especially significant as she and her peers prepare to enter sixth grade. Alongside these bigger questions, Margaret and her friends are juggling the everyday trials and tribulations of being a tween and going through puberty, including school dances, boy-girl parties, getting their first bras, and all the awkward moments that come with growing up.
Judy Blume does an excellent job capturing what a child might realistically experience during this time of life. She portrays these situations in a way that feels honest and relatable, and she also handles the topic of questioning religion with care and sensitivity. I thought the story was well written and thoughtfully approached. I would recommend that parents have a conversation with their child after they read the book, as it may raise questions about puberty, faith, and growing up that are worth discussing together.
There were several situations in the book that I could relate to, but there were others that didn’t quite match my own experiences. I remember bras and similar topics being discussed in the girls’ locker room, but my friends and I certainly didn’t have competitions about getting our periods. I was also a little dumbfounded that the boys in the story didn’t have a sex education class like the girls did. At my school, students were separated, with boys in one or two classes and girls in separate classes, so each group could discuss the sensitive issues surrounding puberty. Parents, of course, had the option to opt their child out of those lessons.
As a kid, I never really questioned different religions the way Margaret does. I think that was largely because my dad would ask me what I learned at church, and my parents and I would talk about it together as a family. I also learned about different religions in school, which gave me some basic understanding. Between those experiences, I never really felt the need to question religion in the same way.
This was my first time reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and it’s my understanding that parts of the book have been updated to better align with modern times. I do wish I had access to the original version so I could compare the two and see what changes were made.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. It’s a thoughtful and honest coming-of-age story that still feels relevant. I gave it four out of five stars.
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