Bibliographic Information
Blume, J. (1970). Are you there God? It’s me Margaret. New York: Bradbury Press.
Summary
This book was about a young girl coming of age. She shares her fears and experiences with other girls and boys growing up together. The book begins with Margaret talking to God about moving to a new place and being afraid.
She came home from summer camp and found that their family’s New York apartment had been rented to another family, and they were moving to a house in New Jersey. Margaret is very close to her grandmother, who lives in New York, and she believes her family has made the decision to move so they have some space from grandmother, who happens to be Jewish. Margaret’s father was raised Jewish, and her mother was raised Christian. Margaret’s maternal grandparents basically disowned their daughter when she married Margaret’s father. The whole situation is complicated, and now their family doesn’t practice any sort of religion, which the grandmother resents as well.
Margaret is going into the sixth grade. They have moved the day after Labor Day, the start of a new school year. Her neighbor shows up at her door and asks if she wants to run in the water sprinklers with her. Her name is Nancy Wheeler and is going into the sixth grade too. Her mother agrees, and the two become friends. The first incident that continues in the whole story line is that Margaret’s swimsuit is packed away, so she doesn’t have one handy. Nancy lets her borrow one of hers, but insists that she change right in front of her and ends up making comments about her still developing. She also asked if she has ever “really” kissed a boy.
Nancy introduces Margaret to her circle of friends, with Nancy being the “ring leader”. The story continues with Margaret’s experiences during sixth grade, along with the fears and changes of a growing girl, what boys they like, buying their first bras, etc. The other girls seem to have the same fears, but sometimes don’t share with one another for fear of being made fun of by Nancy. She also misses her grandmother very much, but her grandmother finds ways for them to get together. Margaret sometimes feels that the only ones she can truly talk to about life are God and her grandmother, even though her family does not go to church. Margaret is tries to figure out if she wants to be a certain religion, especially with her family not agreeing. She attends a Presbyterian church with her friend, Janie. She also attends a Christmas Eve service with Nancy at the Methodist Church.
Margaret continues to talk to God, and wonders if she will ever go through the change of life. She doesn’t want to be the last one in “her group” to start her period. Nancy lies and says that she has already started. Margaret goes to a dinner party with Nancy’s family, and Margaret learns this when Nancy starts for the very first time at the party. From then on, she knows she is still Nancy’s friend, but she cannot completely trust her.
The story ends with Margaret starting her period, and thanking God for not letting her down during this time in her life.
Impressions
This book brought back memories of fears I experienced at the same age, as well as familiar characters that always asked inappropriate questions or made inappropriate comments. These characters, in my opinion, lack self confidence and feel that they need to compare themselves to others, but to a young girl can seem overpowering, like someone you are supposed to be like or look up to. The story line was realistic, especially with disagreements about religion in families. This could be a good read for young girls going through similar experiences. It would definitely let them see that they are not the only ones who have experienced such things.
Reviews
The comical longings of little girls who want to be big girls -- exercising to the chant of ""We must -- we must -- increase our bust!"" -- and the wistful longing of Margaret, who talks comfortably to God, for a religion, come together as her anxiety to be normal, which is natural enough in sixth grade. And if that's what we want to tell kids, this is a fresh, unclinical case in point: Mrs. Blume (Iggie's House, 1969) has an easy way with words and some choice ones when the occasion arises. But there's danger in the preoccupation with the physical signs of puberty -- with growing into a Playboy centerfold, the goal here, though the one girl in the class who's on her way rues it; and with menstruating sooner rather than later -- calming Margaret, her mother says she was a late one, but the happy ending is the first drop of blood: the effect is to confirm common anxieties instead of allaying them. (And countertrends notwithstanding, much is made of that first bra, that first dab of lipstick.) More promising is Margaret's pursuit of religion: to decide for herself (earlier than her 'liberal' parents intended), she goes to temple with a grandmother, to church with a friend; but neither makes any sense to her -- ""Twelve is very late to learn."" Fortunately, after a disillusioning sectarian dispute, she resumes talking to God. . . to thank him for that telltale sign of womanhood. Which raises the last question: of a satirical stance in lieu of a perspective.
(n.d.). Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/fiction/judy-blume-10/are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret/
But Book Window didn’t like it one bit, saying that the descriptions of Margaret’s period were "excessive, almost obsessive … when the author rhapsodizes about the wearing of a sanitary napkin, the effect is banal in the extreme … Suddenly a sensitive, amusing novel has been reduced to the level of some of advertising blurb in the ‘confidential’ section of a teenage magazine."
Education Digest loved its "exploration of previously untouched aspects of childhood and adolescent experience."
Whereas The Times Literary Supplement said that, "Margaret’s private talks with God are insufferably self-conscious and arch."
The New Statesman finally conceded that it was, "admittedly gripping stuff no doubt for those wrestling with–or curious about future–bodily changes…."
(2010, March 5). Top 100 Children’s Novels (#40-36). [Reviews of the book Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/2010/03/05/top-100-childrens-novels-40-36/
Library Use
This book was banned, and could be put on a banned book display. It could also be used in a book talk/discussion group about what constitutes a banned book, and why students think this particular book was banned. Due to the controversial subjects, I would definitely recommend it for upper middle school students and older, possibly even just a girls’ book talk group.
