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A review by mariahistryingtoread
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
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.