“I like long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. I hate pimples, baked potatoes, when my mother's mad, and religious holidays.” 

Are you there God? It’s me Margaret. Margaret is a 12 year old girl who's just moved from New York City to Farbrook, New Jersey. When she was in New York, no one cared if she was Jewish or Chirstian, but in the small town of Farbrook, no one can believe she's not religious, that she won't go to the Y or the jewish community centre, Sunday school, or Hebrew school. They don’t understand she has her one relationship to god, and she can talk to him about whatever she wants - periods, her family, and even Moose Freed, who she’ll never admit she has a crush on. She's desperate to fit in with her new friends, Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. They form a secret club where they give each other code names, talk about boys, their period, and bras. She's happy to fit in. She has a year long project to do and decides that by the end of the year she will choose what religion she wants. As the year progresses she’ll learn about religion, friendship, and growing up.

Are you there God? It’s me Margaret is the perfect coming of age novel. It’s real and funny and perfect for every girl whether 10 or 18. Not only does it show the realities of troubles within friendships and making up in a real way, it has deeper meanings about what it means to be religious and fit in. It talks about boys and puberty in a way that is so real for most young girls. This is a book I believe every girl needs to read by the time they’re a teen.