Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
By Katherine Olney,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Classic coming-of-age story rings true decades later.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
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Community Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
piece of trash
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Why would you want a 10 year old to know about dating & Playboy ???
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What's the Story?
In ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET., Margaret Simon moves from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs, where she's swept up into a group of girls in her sixth grade class who are abuzz about all the stuff that fills most teen and tween minds: romance, bras, bodies, friendship, and more. In addition, born to a Christian mom and a Jewish dad, Margaret is trying to figure out which religion she should practice (if any). She has frank one-sided conversations with God in which she discusses not only the changes she's going through, but her search for a religion that feels right.
Is It Any Good?
Although this was first published in 1970, tweens will find that it still pretty much rings true today. (It helps that this updated version of Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. has the girls using pads instead of sanitary belts to deal with their first periods.) Margaret is such a relatable character: She worries about being "normal," sometimes says the wrong thing, and even hides her true feelings to be accepted by her friends. Readers will appreciate her honest narration -- which will make them feel a whole lot better about their own anxieties about growing up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why people think a sixth grader questioning their relationship with God makes Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. appear so often on the American Library Association's Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books. Are you surprised that this book would be on the list? What do you think makes it controversial?
Margaret worries a lot about being normal, and she wants to grow up -- but she still gets embarrassed by things like bra shopping. Do you understand where her feelings are coming from? How has or hasn't this changed since the book came out in 1970?
Do you find any of Margaret's concerns or conversations with God relatable?
Margaret's friend Nancy spreads gossip about Laura, saying that Laura lets boys feel her up and that even their teacher can't keep his eyes off her figure. What do you think it's like to be Laura?
Book Details
- Author: Judy Blume
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Middle School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Yearling Books
- Publication date: January 1, 1970
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 149
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated: February 4, 2022
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Where to Read
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