Original post at One More Page

I think my mom bought this book because God is in the title. If I were only getting this now, I'd buy it for the same reasons, which goes to show how I am such my mother's daughter. :)

I read this just as I was about to turn thirteen, I think. From the very start of the book, I liked Margaret. It's so easy to relate to her. She's a very normal kid with a normal family who has typical questions about growing up. She's feeling changes in her body, and she's learning about these changes from her new friends in school, and she finds that its awkward to talk to her parents about it. She starts liking guys and she wonders if the guys somehow likes her back, too. I see a lot of my teenage self in her, but the only thing that Margaret and I don't have in common is the religion aspect. While I grew up in a devout Catholic, Margaret grew up without knowing any religion because of her parents' different beliefs (her mom being Christian and her dad Jewish).

It's been a while since I last read this book, so I can't remember all the parts of it. However, I know I have fond memories of this book, so much that I re-read this books a couple of times. She's one of those characters whose normalcy makes her charming, and it's not often we find someone like that in YA books nowadays -- at least not one who is not involved in a paranormal love triangle of some sort. Her voice was real and funny, and she wasn't especially mean or beautiful or popular, and that makes it easier to relate to her.

I liked how Judy Blume was very brave to address these questions that every pre-teen girl has and answer it in a realistic manner. She didn't sugarcoat anything, no matter how embarrassing other things are because they really happen -- like stuffing cotton in training bras, or pretending to have a period already just so they're ahead of their peers. Thankfully, I didn't have the same kinds of pressure when I was Margaret's age. It wasn't such a big deal for my friends and I on who gets their period first or what. I think the only "competition" that was somewhat evident back then was who gets a boyfriend first (which I have obviously lost until now :P).

I also liked how Judy Blume made Margaret's faith a huge part of the story. I liked that the way Margaret talked to God here was like a friend, like she could talk to Him anytime, and yet still respects Him for being, well, God. Margaret's confusion over her religion felt real, and it was nice to read about someone who was actively searching for her faith and something to believe in. I think people often forget the most important thing that religion helps us build: a personal relationship with God. I liked how Margaret had the chance to see and experience the different traditions of different religions, how Judy Blume led her character through all those experiences yet still not give us a final decision. Instead, she gives Margaret a reason to believe and continue to talk to God in the way she knows how. Which I think God appreciates since it comes from the heart. :)

I'm not sure if this book is recommendable to boys (but Judy Blume has a boy version of this book entitled Then Again, Maybe I Won't ), but I absolutely recommend this to girls and parents of pre-teen girls -- it's one of those books that a girl must read at least once in their lives.