even though this is obviously subject matter for older kids, I first read this book when I was about 10 or 11 and it was extremely applicable to my life at that time. In reading it again I was taken back to that time in my life and how absolutely IMPORTANT and DEVASTATING everything feels to a kid that age. This book is a must read for every young girl. ( )

This is a wonderful book for a young girl who is coming into her own body and learning about life's difficulties and struggles of grwoing up. Margaret fights to have a preivate relationship with God as she meets 3 new friends whose main concerns are boy, bras, and their periods. This is a good read for young girls heading into junior high and about to face many new challenges and decisions.

 Margaret’s self-reflections with God teach the reader that one can be able to carry on a private relationship in an on-going monologue and keep several well-developed storylines going where that protagonist is central to the plot at the same time. From the monologue, the reader will be able to see Margaret’s moral growth. The simultaneous storylines that serve in teaching us about a pre-pubescent girl’s development, her beginning the sixth grade, forming friendships with three other girls, meeting boys, keeping in touch with her grandmother, and fighting to discover her religious background and beliefs all coincide nicely. Not only does Blume manage an array of telling different topics, all with Margaret pivotal to the plot, but each of these storylines account for Margaret’s overall achievable identity. Margaret’s confusion existing in these plots is in step with her age.
Margaret Simon’s confidential monologue with God motivated me to keep reading. That secretive aspect of the text as Margaret’s verbal diary really appealed to me. It showed a depth within her as a character that transcended her age. Some people may believe that adolescents of twelve and thirteen years old don’t think this deeply about life, but Judy Blume shows us that not only are they capable of thinking beyond what they are given credit for, but society is overlooking adolescents potential ( )

Enjoyed this book as a young girl and still like it even now as a grown woman! I love Judy Blume's books. This book is so real and I like how her character Margaret is relatable. Girls all over can relate to the typical come of age occurences. ( )

A great coming of age book for young girls trying to work things out. Margaret is very real and genuine. She struggles with finding her place from making new friends at a new school, worrying about developing into a woman, boys, and also what religion she should be. She shares her personal secrets with God, whom she talks to everyday. It is a book that all young girls can definately relate to. ( )