florencia_agra

I read this as part of my Judy Blume phase back in fifth or sixth grade, but then decided to reread it today. (Seeing it on Judy Blume's blog and then on a top children's novel count down I'm following inspired this reread). I remembered very little of this book. I know when I originally read it, I was interested in the friendship and puberty aspects of the story, but man, I sure missed the big picture. I find this both surprising and not surprising. I also didn't have a religion growing up, but it was because my parents were two conflicting branches of Christianity. In some ways, that should have made the main plot more interesting to me, but at the same time, the lack of religion in my life wasn't creating a conflict. I must be a free thinker because even rereading this book now looking for controversy, I kept thinking, so where are the parts that make this book one of the most banned children's books? I get it though. Conservative religious people find Margaret's relationship with God sacrilegious. Other people find her discussion of puberty inappropriate, but to me that was just honest. This book isn't a magical favorite for me though. It wasn't my favorite Blume book as a tween (that was Just as Long as We're Together because it mirrored the conflict I had with friends), and rereading it now didn't enlighten me to something I missed then. However, I can completely see how read at the right time and the right person this could be an extremely important book. Two other points I must mention: 1) The belts for the pads were outdated by the time I read about them as a tween and the edition the library had still had this section. I learned from another reviewer that the new editions have edited this to be more modern. Yea! I was just thinking that someone should do that. 2) I can't think of this book without thinking of Sawyer from Lost reading it. Haha. Second reading March 2010

2022-10-21 05:30