Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret Book vs Movie

This beloved coming of age book and movie tells the story of a young girl who is navigating life in a new school, getting her period, and trying to figure out what religion she wants to be. Hear how the book and movie differ, and which I like best!

00:00 book review
01:07 movie review
1:59 Margret’s religion
04:07 the grandparents’ visit
07:16 Sylvia
08:25 school and Laura
10:57 the friend group
13:04 Margret and her mom
15:26 coming of age stories

[jessicaran]

I love how the movie really focuses on women in all stages, first bra and period, marriage, divorced / widow, working woman turned stay at home mom. It really was about connecting with people, womanhood and lived experience. It was a very good and relatable film with great acting.

[huntercoleman]

I know Judy Blume for Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Stuff like a girl getting her first period and talking about religion is something you don’t usually see in a children’s book. I’ve never read this book for obvious reasons but even though it’s a book I can’t really relate to, I’m going to take your word it’s a good book. 70s were a time where womens’ rights were starting to get stronger. The book is clearly a product of it’s time. Good video Laura.

[dimplesd]

“We must! We must! We must increase our busts!” My friends and I actually did these ‘exercises’ after reading the book. I was lucky enough to have Judy Blume in my middle school library. JB is a national treasure and the book banning that’s happening now is a shame because there are so few books that talk about the female experience of a preteen girl with empathy and candor.

[kristopherwilhite]

You had never read a Judy Blume book? Were you never curious about her books growing up? She is my all time favorite author...I love ALL of her books!! You should read them all!! TIGER EYES about a girl whose father is killed was made into a movie as well as FOREVER which was a made for TV movie in the 70's FUDGE was a TV series based on that Judy Blume series of five books. I met Judy Blume at a book signing in Alameda, CA! Also Judy Blume wrote a book similar to "MARGARET'" but for boys called "THEN AGAIN MAYBE I WON'T" about wet dreams and shoplifting. She wrote several adult novels as well such as "WIFEY" and her most recent book "IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT" published in 2014. I have read and cherished them all!

[mindfulness]

I agree about the movie being better than the book. Even Judy Blume said the film was better. I read the book when I was in elementary school in the 1970s and I was so pleasantly surprised by how well done the movie was.

[newcreatureinchrist]

As a GenXer, I remember reading all the Judy Blume books! I didn’t know they made Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret… into a movie! I’ll have to check it out!

[amberjulia]

Loved the book as a kid and I absolutely adored the movie. I watched it with my 11 year old daughter and we laughed a LOT. The movie the is so relatable in many different ways.

[derwood]

Really enjoy your channel and podcasts! Book vs movie suggestion: The Talented Mr. Ripley

[amandabun]

Still have my Judy Blume collection. Deenie and Forever are particular favourites

[remotelyvirtual]

I read this book in 1980. I was 10 years old and in 5th grade. I attended Catholic school and I never knew that other people did not believe in god or even questioned god's existence. Reading this book made me realize that I was not as weird as I thought. I never told anyone that I questioned god because I didn't want to feel like a complete outcast, but the book was enough to make me feel better. I am a 53 year old atheist who highly recommends this movie. It was perfectly done.

[Deninoiforu]

This book always reminded of my mom bc she was girl in the 60s/70s in a heavy religious family. She was the youngest sibling and I feel like she was Margaret in so many ways, despite her name actually being Nancy 😅

[rockfan]

The thing that I love about this movie adaptation is that there aren’t any actors that seem out of place. I was happy that they didn’t cast famous actors for Barbara’s parents. It would’ve felt really gimmicky and ruined that climactic scene

[liallialcroc]

i havent read AYTGIMM yet but i have read Forever by Judy Blume and that is getting a netflix show soon i hear, theres also a 1978 made for tv movie on it but I haven't seen it cause i cant find it anywhere

[davidfitzpatrick]

6:30 Yeah something that my friends who have one atheist/agnostic parent and one Christian parent did was they didn't bring up religion/faith at dinner unless the Atheistic one was the one to bring it up. Besides grace that is because the atheist parent did admit that the food seemed to taste better when blessed.

[OliviaPrincezza]

I was wondering since you covered Are you there God? Will you cover Ramona and Beezus?

[ravenpoe]

I read several Judy Blume books growing up but for some reason skipped the one. I think i may have thought it was sacreligous or something. I wish i read it tho i would have related with the girls on the period stuff cause I didn’t get mine till i was 14 and it was hard and embarrassing hearing all my friends talk about it and here i was. I did act like i got it sometimes tho to fit in I ended up getting it at school too and was so excited to tell my mom but she had something to do that day and her friend picked me up from school. I read the book when i was watching the movie. I started book and watched movie midway thru book. I liked both but maybe movie a bit more cause i love Kathy Bates

[darkrandom]

I wasn't really interested in the movie at t now i think I'll watch it. I read the book years ago when i was 10 or 11, i remember a little about it. My mothe loved Judy Bloom.as a child so.she bought my sister and i a few her books when we were young. This is the only one i rememberreading. As usual, watching this channel is making me want to revisit it.

[theflaggedyoutuberii]

Wow, Margaret was originally a blonde. I always thought or at least pictured her as a brunette.

[astrinymris]

As an older Gen Xer growing up in the rural southern U. S., 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." was in some ways the best Sex Ed we had. We had one gender-segregated assembly in junior high which focused on periods for us girls. The boys' talk seemed to have been more interesting; afterwards they shared the scintillating information that the popular sportswear brand Adidas stood for All Day I Dream About Sex. 🤣🤣🤣

Mind you, even though I read 'Margaret' avidly like all the other girls in my class, I was definitely NOT looking forward to getting my period. I wasn't trans, but if I'd known about puberty-blocking drugs I would have wanted them, just because I just didn't feel ready for all the changes of puberty, and would have loved to put them off for a few years.