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A review by chronicallybookish
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 9+ ish
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
A childhood classic. The book everyone reads in 5-6th grade. I did not read it. In fact, I’d never read a Judy Blume book before today. I’m not sure how that happened, since the last book my dad ever read was Super Fudge (when he was 10), and it’s a running joke in our family. Somehow, I never picked it up. Nor did I pick up any of her other books.
Until my mom and I were in the car on Friday and started talking about books she read as a child. She was shocked I’d never read it. I said I probably should eventually. And then today, a few days later, I was with my Grandma at the thrift store, and guess what they had for only 25 cents? You guessed it! This book. So obviously I bought it and started reading it immediately.
Okay, okay, the actual review starts here!
I loved Margaret. She was an earnest and realistic character. I personally couldnt relate to her at ton. I never wanted my period. It sounded kind of awful to me. I was like, I’ll wait as long as I can… and yet I was one of the first people I know to get it. But I’ve known enough preteen girls to know she is a great representation of how most girls feel as they start puberty, and characters like her—books like this one—are so important to this day. And I know they were especially so then. Both my mom and grandma were telling me how controversial the book was when it came out/when my mom was in middle school for talking about periods at that time. (My grandma was an elementary/middle school teacher when it released in 1970, and my mom was in late elementary/early middle school in the mid 80s).
I did not like Nancy. She was bossy and kind of a brat and reminded me way too much of some of the girls who made my life hell when I was that age. I wished we could have seen more of Gretchen and Janie, and especially of Laura.
There wasn’t much of a plot outside of trying to figure yourself out, and that made the book feel a bit slow and like it dragged on at times, despite being only 150 pages, but I felt so strongly for Margaret in her struggles with her body and religion, that I didn’t mind too much.
I think 11 year old Kaley would have been bored to tears, if I’m being honest. Not enough animals or swords or dragons and way too much talk about boring old boys. But 19 year old Kaley really appreciates the book, and I think that it’s a great book for girls of that age to read.
Age Rating: 9+ ish
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
A childhood classic. The book everyone reads in 5-6th grade. I did not read it. In fact, I’d never read a Judy Blume book before today. I’m not sure how that happened, since the last book my dad ever read was Super Fudge (when he was 10), and it’s a running joke in our family. Somehow, I never picked it up. Nor did I pick up any of her other books.
Until my mom and I were in the car on Friday and started talking about books she read as a child. She was shocked I’d never read it. I said I probably should eventually. And then today, a few days later, I was with my Grandma at the thrift store, and guess what they had for only 25 cents? You guessed it! This book. So obviously I bought it and started reading it immediately.
Okay, okay, the actual review starts here!
I loved Margaret. She was an earnest and realistic character. I personally couldnt relate to her at ton. I never wanted my period. It sounded kind of awful to me. I was like, I’ll wait as long as I can… and yet I was one of the first people I know to get it. But I’ve known enough preteen girls to know she is a great representation of how most girls feel as they start puberty, and characters like her—books like this one—are so important to this day. And I know they were especially so then. Both my mom and grandma were telling me how controversial the book was when it came out/when my mom was in middle school for talking about periods at that time. (My grandma was an elementary/middle school teacher when it released in 1970, and my mom was in late elementary/early middle school in the mid 80s).
I did not like Nancy. She was bossy and kind of a brat and reminded me way too much of some of the girls who made my life hell when I was that age. I wished we could have seen more of Gretchen and Janie, and especially of Laura.
There wasn’t much of a plot outside of trying to figure yourself out, and that made the book feel a bit slow and like it dragged on at times, despite being only 150 pages, but I felt so strongly for Margaret in her struggles with her body and religion, that I didn’t mind too much.
I think 11 year old Kaley would have been bored to tears, if I’m being honest. Not enough animals or swords or dragons and way too much talk about boring old boys. But 19 year old Kaley really appreciates the book, and I think that it’s a great book for girls of that age to read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Fatphobia, and Antisemitism