Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

I finally read my very first Judy Blume novel ever!! I can hardly believe it myself quite frankly. I remember way back in the late 1970s/early 1980s, when I was still in elementary school, Judy Blume novels were hugely popular with kids my age. But I never read any Judy Blume novels back then and I'm not really sure why as I've loved reading for as long as I can remember.

So, after seeing Judy Blume speak live at a special engagement at the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, California last month, I decided to finally read one of her young adult novels. 

I chose to read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume this past weekend. I loved this novel!! It's a fabulous read as it captures the angst of being a young girl going through puberty and also trying to find her own religious identity. 

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret was written in 1970 and I am impressed with how well it has stood up to the test of time. It's still very relevant today. I loved Margaret's character and also the character of Margaret's grandmother, Sylvia.

I also learned that Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume has frequently been a banned/challenged book! Apparently, this novel has been deemed “sexually offensive and amoral.” as well as containing "anti-Christian behavior”. See Banned Books Awareness: “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” article on the World.edu website. 

I personally didn't find Are You There God? It's me, Margaret sexually offensive, amoral or containing anti-Christian behavior. 

Here's a summary for Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume from Amazon's website:

Margaret shares her secrets and her spirituality in this iconic Judy Blume novel, beloved by millions, that now has a fresh new look.

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

But none of them can believe Margaret doesn’t have religion, and that she isn’t going to the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don’t know is Margaret has her own very special relationship with God. She can talk to God about everything—family, friends, even Moose Freed, her secret crush.

Margaret is funny and real, and her thoughts and feelings are oh-so-relatable—you’ll feel like she’s talking right to you, sharing her secrets with a friend.

As I already mentioned earlier in my post, I enjoyed reading Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume and am giving it a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!