Confession: I just started the book last night. I made it to chapter 8. I plan to finish today. I want to keep today's discussion somewhat broad, just in case this post spurs some others to start reading. Hint, hint. My initial thought about Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is that it could easily be a prequel to Mean Girls. Nancy Wheeler terrifies me. Is she a young Regina George? (cue quote: "Raise your hand if you have been personally victimized by Regina George.") I keep cringing and waiting for a bad trick to be played on Margaret, for her to get hurt.
The second thought that has been bouncing around in my heard while I am reading is, "Is this a good book for young girls?" The inspiration for reading this book came from Jackie, who wondered if this book was too mature for one of her young elementary students. I have been debating if Judy Blume focuses too much on the obsession with breast size, boys, looking like a Playboy model... Is Judy Blume over-emphasizing topics that are not very healthy for young girls, or is what she writes about exactly what 12-year-old girls are consumed with anyway? It's a debate to me. Are most tween and teen novels consumed with these topics?
Weigh in on the discussion. Run wild!
i got the book and finished it! i checked it out from the library so i didn't have any trouble finding it.
ReplyDeletei was wondering about this book's appropriateness, too. at 12 i had no idea what Playboy was and if someone had said that a girl went behind the building with a boy i would not have had any idea what was insinuated by that.
i was worried about my period, shaving my legs and breast size, though probably not to the extent these girls were.
as i read the reason i wished i had read this in middle school is that the emotions margaret feels resonated with the emotions i felt at that age. wanting to be accepted, getting ridiculously upset over small things and feeling like your mom doesn't really get it, etc. i think this book might have made me feel more normal.
so i'm not sure, i think kids now are exposed to things earlier than they were even when i was in middle school, so imagine none of this would rock their worlds, but i would be hesitant to let meredith read it too young. though maybe it would allow for a more open dialogue?
I feel so awkward and bad for Laura. Uhg, puberty is so awkward. The book does capture that well.
ReplyDeleteP.S. How awkward was it when Margaret's dad congratulated her on wearing a bra?
I only got to read the first two chapters. I stole it from my student while she was at recess. Then had to slip it back before they got back.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't Margaret's parents tell her about the move? And it must have been heartbreaking to move out of the city. Or not? Seems like New Yorkers have such an affinity to it. The parents sure didn't seem to mind though.
And the grandma! What a pistol. It seems to me that Margaret should have been more grown up than her suburban friends. Especially with a pistol grandma. Oh well.
I also wonder about the appropriateness. I read it in middle school- I remember feeling a little shocked about the playboy stuff. I was scandalized! It definitely makes me nervous for my 3rd grader to read it. But she is also a little precocious, so I bet she's eating it up. Kids do get exposed to things earlier these days. It's crazy!
Judy Blume definitely has her finger on the pulse of girl world. There were definitely some mean girls when I was younger, and girl world is really hard to navigate since you don't trust adults at that age. . .
I unfortunately did not get the book... I really did have every intention of doing so, but I just didn't make it happen. But from reading the comments, I am totally intrigued! I honestly didn't know what the book was really about except that it was teen lit so it has already surpassed my expectations. I want to read about pistol grandma. Seems to be a quick read though so hopefully I will be able to weigh in soon...
ReplyDeletePS - You should do a blog post on the random words you have to type to get your comment posted. My last post was fauggher and now it is oucksm. They always give me a good giggle.
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