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mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
5.0
I read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret when I was personally too young for its themes. Ironically, it instilled in me a few insecurities it was seeking to ameliorate for other young girls. I never considered my bust before reading this book and was hyper aware about it afterwards. On a lighter note, it's the reason I started counting hats in kingdom hall to pass the time.
I’m surprised by how much I remembered. I naturally assumed that there was much I didn’t because I didn’t have many memories, but in actuality the book is just short. It’s a year in the life of Margaret - a girl trying to make her way the best she can. Not a lot happens because barring extreme circumstances (of which there are a plenty nowadays in contemporary middle grade) most of your life will be long stretches of technically ‘nothing’.
It also served to highlight how inconsequential so many of the things you think are so important are in the grand scheme of your life. Margaret made a big deal out of things because they really are a big deal at that age. This is her first time being almost 12. She has no life experience or frame of reference to draw from to keep perspective. That comes with time. As an adult it was a funny feeling to read about incidents she deemed the end all be all of her life, when I know for a fact she’ll be lucky to recall a quarter of what she felt 10 years on from that point. I’ve got the broad strokes down of myself at 12, but the majority of memories are mostly lost to time and the key ones get dredged up only if something else happens to spark it.
The household she grew up in was enviable; warm and kind yet pragmatic and honest. Her parents seemed well aware that they were not raising a child any more, but a burgeoning little human being who would someday go on to be a member of society. I loved how they actively celebrated her growing up because in the end that should be the goal of parenting: to create a well rounded, competent, considerate person who is secure in their own skin. Margaret made her mistakes, sure. At the end of the day, however, they were largely achieving that goal.
The religious conflict of Judaism vs Christianity as Margaret’s one true religion was an interesting addition to her upheaval. It was something more specific to her and was a nice, unique inclusion to her character. While many of her growing pains were common, this was one that cemented the book as a cohesive narrative rather than a bunch of everyday occurrences strung together.
All of the girl talk did not apply to me as I’m sure it did not apply to many others. Yet, the underlying theme of figuring ‘things’ out is universal. I had questions. Friends had answers. Friends had questions. I had answers. We muddied on as best as we could. I was quite nostalgic thinking of all the rampant misinformation that ran wild when I was her age. At the very least, Margaret and her friends were better informed than my friend groups were. I don’t think I discussed periods publicly with another girl until I was midway through high school.
All in all, a book that is a great starting point for a great many discussions. A book that gives you a peek into the dizzy, mixed up world of being a tween girl. A book that I absolutely can see why people challenge: it gives young women much too much agency over their understanding of a trying time in their life and the language necessary to combat ignorant propaganda. A book that I loved as a kid, and respect all the more at 26. I highly recommend it: it’s a classic for a reason.
I’m surprised by how much I remembered. I naturally assumed that there was much I didn’t because I didn’t have many memories, but in actuality the book is just short. It’s a year in the life of Margaret - a girl trying to make her way the best she can. Not a lot happens because barring extreme circumstances (of which there are a plenty nowadays in contemporary middle grade) most of your life will be long stretches of technically ‘nothing’.
It also served to highlight how inconsequential so many of the things you think are so important are in the grand scheme of your life. Margaret made a big deal out of things because they really are a big deal at that age. This is her first time being almost 12. She has no life experience or frame of reference to draw from to keep perspective. That comes with time. As an adult it was a funny feeling to read about incidents she deemed the end all be all of her life, when I know for a fact she’ll be lucky to recall a quarter of what she felt 10 years on from that point. I’ve got the broad strokes down of myself at 12, but the majority of memories are mostly lost to time and the key ones get dredged up only if something else happens to spark it.
The household she grew up in was enviable; warm and kind yet pragmatic and honest. Her parents seemed well aware that they were not raising a child any more, but a burgeoning little human being who would someday go on to be a member of society. I loved how they actively celebrated her growing up because in the end that should be the goal of parenting: to create a well rounded, competent, considerate person who is secure in their own skin. Margaret made her mistakes, sure. At the end of the day, however, they were largely achieving that goal.
The religious conflict of Judaism vs Christianity as Margaret’s one true religion was an interesting addition to her upheaval. It was something more specific to her and was a nice, unique inclusion to her character. While many of her growing pains were common, this was one that cemented the book as a cohesive narrative rather than a bunch of everyday occurrences strung together.
All of the girl talk did not apply to me as I’m sure it did not apply to many others. Yet, the underlying theme of figuring ‘things’ out is universal. I had questions. Friends had answers. Friends had questions. I had answers. We muddied on as best as we could. I was quite nostalgic thinking of all the rampant misinformation that ran wild when I was her age. At the very least, Margaret and her friends were better informed than my friend groups were. I don’t think I discussed periods publicly with another girl until I was midway through high school.
All in all, a book that is a great starting point for a great many discussions. A book that gives you a peek into the dizzy, mixed up world of being a tween girl. A book that I absolutely can see why people challenge: it gives young women much too much agency over their understanding of a trying time in their life and the language necessary to combat ignorant propaganda. A book that I loved as a kid, and respect all the more at 26. I highly recommend it: it’s a classic for a reason.
gailmckelvie's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
alexseekingspecfic's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kamharellano's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I first read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret when I was 9 years old. Back then, the societal aspect of this book didn't really strike a chord with me. I absolutely did not care about finding out what religion Margaret ends up picking in the end, and other than rolling my eyes at the bigotry and disrespect of both maternal and paternal grandparents for both Margaret's feelings and her parents' feelings and decisions (although at the time I was unable to articulate what I was feeling as such, merely telling the school librarian, who'd suggested that I read this instead after finding me reading Stephen King novels, that all the adults in it sucked), I had no reaction to or investment in any of the relationships Judy Blume portrays in here.
What makes this book such a classic is how much Blume treats the concept of growing up with care and sincerity. This book came out in the 70s, and I was a pre-teen in the late 90s and early 00s, and still my girlfriends and I were chanting, "I must - I must - I must increase my bust!" like it was a prayer. Things that are Big Deals to kids at that age - getting periods, growing boobs, experiencing attraction for the first time, realizing the similarities and differences between you and others, making friends, ending friendships, handling mean girls and bullies and trying to recognize if you're a mean girl or bully - are treated with the appropriate level of gravity. There's no condescension, no portrayal of adults as all-seeing and all-knowing paragons of virtue. Instead, there's just a girl, and her thoughts, hopes, dreams, fears, and all her unanswered questions.
And that's the beauty of this book, really. There's no neatly tied up ending. There's no answers to any of the questions. We never find out if Margaret chooses to be Jewish or Catholic or Christian, or any other religion or no religion at all. We never finds out if she makes up with Laura Danker, or if Nancy Wheeler ever outgrows her lying mean girl tendencies. That's what growing up is, at the end of the day. A whole lot of unresolved questions and open endings.
As an additional note, this is the first time I'm rereading this as an adult. Despite the fact that she's the main character, I find myself no longer really being too interested in Margaret. Instead, I ended up deeply resonating with Laura Danker. Of course, I didn't realize this when I was 9, or even when I was 10 or 11 or 12. But at that age, I was her. Got tall early, grew boobs early, and was whispered about for it. I hope all the Laura Dankers out there know that you're fine, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you, and when the going gets tough, it's perfectly okay to punch the Nancy Wheelers of the world in the face.
What makes this book such a classic is how much Blume treats the concept of growing up with care and sincerity. This book came out in the 70s, and I was a pre-teen in the late 90s and early 00s, and still my girlfriends and I were chanting, "I must - I must - I must increase my bust!" like it was a prayer. Things that are Big Deals to kids at that age - getting periods, growing boobs, experiencing attraction for the first time, realizing the similarities and differences between you and others, making friends, ending friendships, handling mean girls and bullies and trying to recognize if you're a mean girl or bully - are treated with the appropriate level of gravity. There's no condescension, no portrayal of adults as all-seeing and all-knowing paragons of virtue. Instead, there's just a girl, and her thoughts, hopes, dreams, fears, and all her unanswered questions.
And that's the beauty of this book, really. There's no neatly tied up ending. There's no answers to any of the questions. We never find out if Margaret chooses to be Jewish or Catholic or Christian, or any other religion or no religion at all. We never finds out if she makes up with Laura Danker, or if Nancy Wheeler ever outgrows her lying mean girl tendencies. That's what growing up is, at the end of the day. A whole lot of unresolved questions and open endings.
As an additional note, this is the first time I'm rereading this as an adult. Despite the fact that she's the main character, I find myself no longer really being too interested in Margaret. Instead, I ended up deeply resonating with Laura Danker. Of course, I didn't realize this when I was 9, or even when I was 10 or 11 or 12. But at that age, I was her. Got tall early, grew boobs early, and was whispered about for it. I hope all the Laura Dankers out there know that you're fine, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you, and when the going gets tough, it's perfectly okay to punch the Nancy Wheelers of the world in the face.
lindapatin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
shelbell10's review against another edition
4.0
Just little classic I never read as a kid. I’m glad I didn’t read it in middle school, I’m not sure I would’ve enjoyed the banter as much as I did now
lindsaymay92's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5