Thought on Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
cover of the paperback book I read 30+ years ago
Back-of-the-book blurb: Margaret Simon, almost twelve, has just moved from New York City to Farbrook, 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 a religion, and that she isn’t joining the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don’t know is that Margaret has her own special relationship with God. She can talk to God about everything — family, friends, even Philip Leroy, the best-looking boy in sixth grade.
A few months ago I joined Julie at BookingMama in her Shelf Discovery Challenge, based on the book of the same name by Lizzie Sturnick. Shelf Discovery revisits those books we loved as girls … come with me down memory lane as I share my experience re-reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret for the Judy Blume mini-challenge hosted by Kathy at BermudaOnion.
Judy Blume’s novels addressed issues that I was curious about, issues that I wasn’t necessarily comfortable approaching my mother with. Before I began my re-read of Are You There God?, I could have told you that it was about an 11- or 12-year-old girl who wondered about getting her period, worried that her flat chest would never grow, and who talked (not prayed) to God about her concerns.
I also remembered a scene early in the book, where Margaret’s mother sniffed under her arm before getting out of bed; this was her litmus test for whether or not it was going to be a hot/sticky day. I recall thinking this was very odd, and knowing that the underarm sniff was one step of maturity I wasn’t looking forward to. I’m here to tell you that I now understand it was just one of Mrs. Simon’s character traits, and not a typical rite of passage to adulthood – phew!
I believe this is the most recent paperback cover.
So, I picked up Are You There God? more than 30 years after I first read it; within the first few chapters, so many memories came flooding back – the “I must, I must, I must increase my bust” chant (no, I didn’t do that!), practice kissing a pillow (I’m pleading the Fifth), and the games of “spin the bottle” and “two minutes in the closet (guilty as charged, along with “postman” and “seven in heaven”).
Most of all, the obsession with menstruation hit me head on. Who had her period? When would I get my period? Curiosity about all the “feminine hygiene products” was something Margaret and I had in common. She and her friend were brave enough to purchase products at the local drugstore. My friend Susan had a cool kit that her mother had ordered from one of the vendors; it had a booklet with a cloying title like “You’re a woman now,” samples of various products, and a discreet pouch for carrying them. How I coveted my own little kit; I was too embarrassed to ask my mother to order one, so I simply studied Susan’s.
Hardcover from late 70s; Margaret looks sad and lonely.
Perhaps the major theme of the book was one that didn’t come immediately to my mind. Ironically, it would have probably been the most life-changing for Margaret. Her parents were of mixed religious background – her father was Jewish, her mother was Christian. When Margaret’s parents married, her maternal grandparents disapproved of the union, and cut off communication. Margaret’s parents decided to raise her without religion, letting her choose her own path as an adult. Her “Are you there God” conversations led her on a year-long path of religious exploration. It wasn’t an overpowering theme (didn’t dwarf her other growing pains), but was definitely central to the character’s growth.
Is this book relevant today? Girls still are curious (and sometimes embarrassed!) about changes during puberty. Girls still are embarrassed (yet curious!) about boys and their changing bodies. Check. Check. I don’t think the religious differences are such an issue these days, but I do know that prejudice and intolerance do still exist. Check again.
I was actually irritated with Margaret’s parents and the whole “no religion” thing. It was clear she was curious – at age 12 she wanted to visit churches and synagogues to see where she might fit it, yet her parents neither encouraged nor guided her; to their credit they didn’t discourage her or belittle her curiosity. However, for seemingly enlightened people (Mr. Simon knew that his “little girl was growing up” the day Mrs. Simon bought Margaret her first bra), they did a good job dancing around a difficult issue.
One thing that struck me was that some of the vocabulary and characterizations do date the novel. Margaret lived in New Jersey, having moved from New York City to a suburb where she attended public school. On her first day of sixth grade she wore a dress (?) with loafers (?), and had her hair in curlers (?) after her mother put a cream rinse (?) in it. The protection of choice were ”sanitary napkins and belts” (?). (I couldn’t resist, check out this wikipedia article for a discussion of sanitary napkins!). This was a time when albums were spun on record players, and a suburban lawn could be cut for $5 a week. My young teen read this book a few years ago; she wasn’t as enamored of it as I was … could it use an update to make it significant for today’s pre-teens?
I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and am looking forward to diving again into my adolescence with other books from the Shelf Discovery Challenge.
FTC disclosure: sadly, I don’t have the well-worn copy I read so many times; I do have a kicking local library from which I borrowed this for my book report.
Fantastic (and honest) review. What’s Seven in Heaven??? LOL! Thanks for sharing. I absolutely loved this book as a kid and an adult!
I didn’t read this book until I was an adult and I thought it was fantastic, but of course, I lived through that era. When I was in junior high, my PE teacher would chant, “We must, we must, we must increase our bust” and “I want a figure like Bridget Bardo, so grow little boobies, grow,” but at the time I never realized that the former came from a book. Don’t forget to link to my mini-challenge!
I remember reading this as a kid and thinking: Why does this girl want her period? I was hoping my period would never, never, never arrive.
This was the book that defined my youth. When I re-read it after all those years (after my mom unearthed my original copy at home and gave it to me), I felt that the words were almost my own. I loved it as much as I did way back then, and so did my daughter. It is funny that you bring up your irritation with Margaret’s parents. I never had that emotion as a kid, but as an adult, it does seem pretty small-minded. Great flashback!
I loved the wikipedia article – great find! Julie has gotten me interested in a bunch of Judy Blume books. Even though they can seem dated to young girls today, they’re not so much to me, so they’re great fun! (off now to research “seven in heaven”….)
I can’t believe I have never read this book! This is going on my ‘read immediately’ list! I lived the sanitary belt & napkins–that’s one area I’m glad we’ve progressed from–LOL. Thanks for such a good review.
I was obsessed with this book in middle school. I must have checked it out of the school library at least a dozen times. Thanks for the memories!
Fun to see your perspective now that you are an adult and a mother.
It’s too fad it didn’t hold up the test of time. An updated version would be great!
I remember reading this when I was younger. There was a copy on my dad’s bookshelf. To this day I still don’t know why he had the book.
I just loved “I must, I must, I must increase my bust.”
This one is already on my shelves waiting to be re-read. I sure wish I had my original paperback version of this book but I will settle for the one I ordered online instead. It is amazing how these books from our childhood can still speak to us in some odd sort of way, isn’t it?
I read this book when I was about 11, and I remember a friend of my Mom’s telling her not to let me get a hold of it, because it was too provocative. Naturally, I had to get a copy immediately, after hearing that! I thought the book was really very interesting, though I don’t know what I would make of it all these years later. I am glad you enjoyed it, but it does sound like it’s a bit dated in some instances.
A friend of mine who works as a YA librarian told me that in current editions, the sanitary napkins-with-belts are changed to modern tampons and pads. Just, you know, FYI.
Gosh, this was such a formative book for me, for many of the issues you mentioned but also because I remember I had to get a note from my mother to buy it at the school book fair! My mom would let me read anything I wanted and knew about the book and WANTED me to read it, but can you imagine? Of course the fact that it was “restricted” and that my mom let me have it made it more special. Wow, huh?
My cover was the purple one! Good to see it there!
And I so remember many of these details .. including the belt thing, which really threw me off at the time as they were outmoded when my “time” came. I do think it is a good idea for an update … it wouldn’t really hurt the basic idea of the book!
I don’t remember the religion aspect, either. I still want to reread – I think I’ll look for the updated version. Is there no new modern book that is so informative like this one was for our generation? or do kids these days ‘know more now but understand less’ which is what my parents complain of… Interesting.
Julie – ‘seven in heaven’ is the extended version of ‘two minutes in the closet’ !!
Kathy – that’s so funny, that your PE teacher changed those rhymes with the girls
Jenny – A few of my friends felt the same way; I was envious of those who had already developed.
Sandy – and I was so disappointed that my daughter didn’t love it as much as I did. Maybe she should have read it earlier …
rhapsody – another one I have strong memories of is DEENIE
Jeannie – You can read it in an afternoon; I’d love to hear your thoughts, reading for the first time as an adult.
Jennifer – Yes, a very popular book! I wonder how many copies our library had …
Beth – isn’t it interesting that I had almost no recollection of her religious struggle, when that was the major conflict for the character?!?
Julie – others have since told me that there is an updated version. I may pick it up, for comparison sake. Then I’ll try to convince our library to get the latest version and discard the out-dated one!
Bluestocking – maybe he knew you’d find it, and thought you should read it.
Kathleen – revisiting comfort reads is a great way to spend a weekend afternoon!
Zibilee – oh, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you re-read it; apparently there is an updated version (I read a 1970 edition, not realizing it has been brought up to date)
Marie – yay for moms who let their kids access ‘restricted’ materials! I don’t remember seeing this at book fairs when I was a kid (we actually had the Bookmobile for our fundraiser … there’s a memory!)
Jenners – belts weren’t in for me, either. BUT! The first time I got my period I was at my (six years older) sister’s apartment; she had only tampons, no pads, so asked a neighbor if she had any pads. She did … but they were the belted type. Yikes! One time, one time only!
Care – I think there’s truth in that “know more, understand less” statement
Or at least, understand differently …
I loved all Judy Blume. As a librarian I love her more than ever for her strong stand against censorship. I will definitely be getting my niece Are You There God for her 12th birthday coming up.
I LOVED this book! And it was such a great gift to have that kind of discussion of “girl things” in book form. I’m so torn on the update idea – I feel like every girl should have that kind of resource, but love the idea of it staying the way it is, too.
I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough to read this book. The book was somewhat dated when I was a kid. I had no idea what they were talking about with the napkins and belts. LOL
Erin – yes, Judy Blume is a huge proponent of NOT censoring; she’s active and outspoken about it! and, yay for librarians!
Allie – get an older/classic copy for yourself. I read this as a library copy, but now that I know the current version is updated, I want to find one of those purple paperbacks at a used bookstore.
Anna – The novel was a fun ‘blast from the past’ to re-read at my age!
I loved this book and still have my well-worn copy. You’ve made me want to dig it out of its box in the basement!
[...] and interesting takes on this book, check out these from around the blogosphere RHAPSODY in BOOKS, she is too fond of books, The Zen Leaf, or check out Fyrefly’s Search Engine [...]