FICTION

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

by Judy Blume
S. & S. Apr. 2014. 192p. pap. $9.99. ISBN 9781481409933.
COPY ISBN
Gr 5-8–Margaret and her family just moved to the New Jersey suburbs from New York City. She’s finally adjusting with the help of her new friend group who talk about boys, bras, and fitting in. But they also question her family’s lack of religious practice, since she and her parents don’t attend church or go to temple. Instead, Margaret communicates with God in her own way. With well-crafted characters, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a nuanced exploration of growing up, this depiction of adolescent girlhood is unmatched in middle grade fiction more than 50 years later for its frankness and sensitivity in addressing personal experiences of not only religion, but of menstruation and other pubescent body changes.
VERDICT Tender and beautifully told. Highly recommended for elementary and middle school collections.
Reviewed by Bob Hassett , Mar 29, 2024

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