Customer Reviews

Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret

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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume may just be one of my all-time favorite novels. It's a hilarious story about Margaret Simon, a twelve-year-old girl, growing up in the New York area. She has to move to a new town in Farbrook, New Jersey with her parents, away from her grandmother and is trying very hard to adjust with the problems of becoming a teenager. She is faced with many typical pre-teen issues such as school, cute boys, religion, puberty and other growing up factors. She learns how to deal with boys and other "girl" problems through the process of experiment from the help of her mother, grandmother and friends. Most writers would not dare talk about puberty or issues relating to a girl's physical growth, but Judy Blume talks about these issues with a little humorous spice to it. Even though I'm not a girl and can not relate to Margaret's life, I enjoy reading this book because it talks about realistic issues and problems that made me laugh out loud. Moments like setting up a girl group to talk about cute boys, measuring their breast size, talking about their bra size and if they had their periods yet were just several mirthful moments in the book that made me laughing with tears. Not to reveal too much of the book's detail, but her mother choosing a bra for her at a nearby department store shows an aspect of her growing up, but is also comical to even read about it. This is a great book that talks about learning lessons in life and teaches anyone, especially young teens in how to handle hard choices with a funny style to it. I definitely recommend this book, especially for those young teens out there seeking a companion to relate to.

Judy Blume's writings were often deemed controversial. Oddly enough, Margaret's concerns placed this book, in the year 1970, under that label. Whether it be because of sex talk, periods, or Playboy references, this is a book that all preteens ought to read. Why? Margaret is a regular girl dealing with normal adolescent troubles. She's moved to New Jersey, she suspects, because her parents wanted to distance herself from her grandmother, who paid for Margaret's private school tuition, knit her cute little sweaters, and doted on her in a big way. Now, Maragret will go to public school. You can already see the transition to a new neighborhood won't be all too rough - she and Nancy Wheeler become fast friends and find they will be in the same sixth grade class. She, along with Nancy, Gretchen Potter and Janie Loomis, start the Four Preteen Sensations.

Blume frankly addresses puberty, as well as religion. I like the fact that Margaret feels she can talk to God without actually belonging to any particular organized religion. She is technically half Catholic and half Jewish and a pivotal part of the book is her search to find which religion is right for her. She visits a synogague and a church, yet does not feel God in either place. This exploration of faith is actually something I have seen quite a few younger kids go through today in society - it really is no different from 1970!

Margaret constantly wants her period. Why? I don't know. It will make her feel more grown-up, more womanly, I guess. Yes, I know, I know, I just answered my own question! :) Margaret also wants the body of a woman. She and her friends gossip about Laura Danker, a buxom sixth grader with a bad reputation, seemingly only because of her figure. Margaret wants breasts and goes bra shopping, only because the Four PTS girls are required to wear one as club rules - she doesn't even fill a double A. As some of the girls begin getting their periods, Margaret wonders when her time will come and we wonder if it will come during the 149 pages of the book.

Blume captures the essence of the preteen age in this long acclaimed novel. Believable characters and a believable plot, as with other books of hers, will make this one enjoyable. Margaret asks herself questions that we ask ourselves everyday. She worries about the same things we worried about at her age - maybe even now. She has similar thoughts, concerns, and feelings and does not seem at all contrived or mechanical. This way, many will be able to relate with Margaret and her story.

I was reading back in one of my old diaries today--and i came across a sentence that read: you are most like the character--and there was a blank. I had written Margaret. I knew exactly where it came from. I think I read it in 4th or 5th grade and I just remember it made me feel like the author understood what we were going through--and how could she have remembered all that? i swallowed up the details and I laughed and felt bad for the character. I thought it was funny about what a big deal the periods for the girls were---and how she was struggling with religion and what she should believe. I have recommended this to some parents for their daughters but I worry that the "religion choosing" thing might bother them. I loved this book and i think every young girl should read this book. It was written 20 or 30 years ago and she still understood what i was going through!!

The Book I just read tittled Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, is an excellent choice for pre-teens to read. I definately recommend this novel to young audiences. I found this novel whose author is Judy Blume to have very simple vocabulary which makes it easy for young readers to understand. Since this novel deals with pre adolesence and the questions about menstruation, one is able to identify with Margaret, the protagonist of this novel. Judy uses questions and answers which are right to the point that she wants to get accross the reader. Although there might be a certain controversial about this novel which deals about menstruating, some parents might not agree with me. I have found adolesence to be a human concern in this novel, and I will quote a part to show an example of it. "Are you there God? It's me,Margaret. I just told my mother I wanted a bra. Please help me grow God. You know where. I want to be like everyone else." Another controversy might be because of religion purposes that will conflict with some audiences reading about it, but I truly believe Judie's work is an excellent source to search a lot of unanswered questions which pre-teens are unable to find at home or are afraid to ask. Judy answers all these questions. I, myself identify with the protagonist, and I wish I would have come accross or had the knowledge about Ms. Blume's novels when I had questions about menstruataion during my pre-teens. Once again I definately recommend Judy Blume's novels to any pre-teen.

I had to read this book for a college summer class I am taking. We are looking into young adult literature and this was the fist book we read. As an older male, I found this book to be very humurous. There are many things that happen to Margaret that remind me of my past and the awkward situations that are presented to a young adult. Some of the things that happen to Margaret and her friends are something that I never would have considered when I was a little boy their age. I would suggest that this book is read by kids ages 10-18. For people this age, it can be very imformative. It can be useful to remind kids that everyone is going through changes and that you are not alone. Younger boys should read this book to get an idea for what young girls go through. If this book is presented in the right way, it can be used as a great learning tool. Judy Blume did a great job hitting on the many problems facing young girls. Due to the situations she was put in, I empathized with Margaret and her friends.

I read one review from a lady that hated this book so much because she simply hated the plot and the character's feelings. This acctually upset me, personally, because Margeret(the girl she hated) is a self-concious 11-year-old girl going through puberty and just trying to live until 7th grade. I understand and felt the same things Margeret felt because I am 12 years old and I have the same feelings about life as she does. I loved this book and most of all, Margeret for being the helpless, self-concious girl she was because unlike me, she took the living-nightmare that adults call, "puberty" and made it into something positive to not wish for- but to look forward to. If that lady really hated the book and main character, than she must not know what it means to be a normal teenager or else she wouldn't have been so judge-mental towards young girls today. I can relate to margeret in meaning beyond belief and anyone who has a problem with the character needs to simply, "get with it" because this book is about real stuff that girls go through with everyday and it is not something funny or crazy, it's real and so are my feelings towards the world- and growing up.

"Ar You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" was a great novel on a girl growing up.

11 year old Margaret Simon has just moved to a new town and a school, where she starts 6th grade. She's happy to belong to a club called the "Pre Teen Sensations" where she and her friends worry about bras, boys, and bodies. Margaret also struggles with her grandparent's beliefs that she should have a religion, choosing between Christian and Jewish, and she decides to do her year long school report on it.

This was a great, realistic novel that was often very funny, and I'd recommend it for ages 11 and up! I'd also recommend "Deenie", by Judy Blume, and especially the "Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor ("The Agony of Alice", "Alice in Between", etc.)

I read this book in the fifth grade. That was 17 years ago. However, it made such an impression on me then that it is one of the few books I remember reading in my childhood. Judy Bloom did a wonderful job relating with young girls as she has done in all of her books. Margaret goes through what many girls then and now are going through: puberty. Not only is she dealing with growing up, but she also is trying to fit in with a group of girls at a new school in a new city. Not to mention the fact that she has a Grandmother who is not too happy about Margaret's combined Christian and Jewish upbringing. I am sure many girls can relate to either or all issues that Margaret is facing.

As I said before, this book has made a profound impression on me. So much so that I am considering purchasing it for my 12 year old neice as well as my own two daughters (even though they are still babies). True this book may frighten some readers, but then again, what girl isn't afraid of growing up already? It lets girls know that they are not alone in this world and that somebody other than mom shares their fears and concerns.

This is an awesome book... I read this when I was in 6th grade and that was 17 years ago. Not only did it help make sense of what was happening to me and my friends, but coming from a religious family, it helped me ask questions and got answers. I would recommend this to any pre-teen, as a matter of fact, I already have one for my niece... Just waiting for her to be at the "right" time in her life. I have given this book to others, my sister, cousins etc. and we have all enjoyed the story very much. Judy Blume was my favorite author when I was in Elementary School. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT to all PRE-TEENS!

There are a lot of things people don't tell you, and for the other stuff, they might be lying.

An only child, Margaret Simon is about to turn twelve years old, and no one has told her how stressful the next year of her life is going to be. It might not have started off so badly if her parents hadn't up and moved to New Jersey, away from her friends, school, and grandmother. Luckily, she meets Nancy Wheeler and two other girls, and they quickly form the PTS's --- Pre-Teen Sensations. Together, they talk about all things female, including boys, bras, periods, pimples, and boobs. In their Boy Books they keep track of which boy they most want to date. Their hilarious chant of "We must, we must increase our bust" is just one of the ways Margaret and friends deal with the pressure of growing up.

Through all the tough times, Margaret keeps up her conversations with God. She gets confused at times because she's able to feel God when she's alone but not when she's with other people. It doesn't matter what church she goes into --- Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian --- she can't feel him in that building. And it bothers her. The reason she's visiting so many different churches is that she feels the pressure to find God in religion and is trying to figure out what religion she's going to be.

Her honest conversations with God, combined with her various fears of growing up and not being normal, her close relationship with her grandmother, and the unique project their new teacher Miles J. Benedict assigns, make this a memorable read. For as often as people have tried to ban this book and others by this author, Judy Blume's ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. feels as timely today as it was when it was written in 1970.

Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens