Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Blume, J. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2010, c1970. Paperback $8.99 ISBN 978-0-3857-3986-3

What’s it about? Eleven year old Margaret has lots of worries about growing up, boys, and faith--even though her parents aren’t religious. She has always talked to God, but now she wants to find out where she hears him best--in a synagogue, a Protestant church or a Catholic parish.

Find out more:

Eleven year old Margaret Simon’s family has just moved to a New Jersey suburb, where everything is new—her friends, her school, the neighborhood boys, and the distance from her beloved grandmother, Sylvia Simon. She feels out of the loop about a lot of things, including kissing experience, puberty, and religion. Margaret shares her worries with God, including concerns about her crush, Philip Leroy.  She begins to resent the fact that her parents don’t practice religion, because other kids don’t have to choose—they are born into their faith.  Religion has driven a wedge between her maternal grandparents and the rest of her family, and when her trip to visit Grandma Sylvie is cancelled because her mother’s parents--who have never even met Margaret-- are visiting, Margaret’s faith is tested.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is one of the prolific Judy Blume’s best known novels. Blume has an uncanny knack for giving her young characters authentic voices, and Margaret is no exception.  She is an observant narrator, with refreshing and humorous candor. Margaret’s dilemma is frankly discussed; she is afraid of being the last girl in her class to develop and get her first period. She is eager for this to happen, and this is the topic of many of her prayers. It is touching that her relationship with God is so authentic, and sad that she doesn’t feel that she belongs in any particular faith. She concludes that she won’t make up her mind one way or another for a long while. Her conversations with God don’t end, though, as the book closes with Margaret relaying some exciting news to him. This is a book primarily for girls entering or about to enter puberty. This is not an easy topic for some girls to address, and it is refreshing to see a sympathetic portrayal of physical maturity that is neither crude nor saccharine sweet. 

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Friendship fiction, Humor

Reading level: 4^th grade

Interest level: Grades 4-8

Subjects: Family Relationships, Puberty, Friendship, Religion

Read-alikes:

Naylor’s Alice series

Naylor’s Faith, Hope and Ivy June

Goldschmidt’s The Secret Blog of Raisin Rodriguez

Awards/Recognition:

Time Magazine named Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret as one of the

top 100 books written in English since 1923 

Characters:

Philip Leroy—the best looking boy in the class, but not the boy with the best character

Laura Danker—the tallest and most developed girl in the 6^th grade, victim of baseless rumors

Margaret—the protagonist, a frank girl with an interest in finding God—and puberty

Nancy—the leader of Margaret’s clique

Gretchen—another clique member

Janie—Margaret’s closest friend, also a late bloomer