Banned Book Club "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret" by Judy Blume

In this monthly book club dedicated to reading and protecting the most important and threatened books for our generation, July’s pick is the bestselling young adult novel Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume. In this iconic novel, Margaret shares her secrets and her spirituality. A Time Magazine Best YA Book of All Times, it has frequently been challenged for its portrayal of religion and its frank discussions of puberty and sexuality. Read more on why this book has been challenged at the Banned Books Project here: https://bannedbooks.library.cmu.edu/are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret-judy-blume/

We will meet in person at our store location at The Mark, 117 S. Pineapple Ave. The book club is $12, which includes a copy of Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret to be picked up at Bookstore1 any time before our meeting.

About Are You There God, It's Me Margaret:

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

But none of them can believe Margaret doesn’t have religion, and that she isn’t going to the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don’t know is Margaret has her own very special relationship with God. She can talk to God about everything—family, friends, even Moose Freed, her secret crush.

Margaret is funny and real, and her thoughts and feelings are oh-so-relatable—you’ll feel like she’s talking right to you, sharing her secrets with a friend.

Judy Blume, one of America’s most popular authors, is the recipient of the 2004 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of beloved books for young people, including Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (which celebrated fifty years in 2020), and novels for adult readers, including Wifey, Summer Sisters, and In the Unlikely Event. Her work has been translated into thirty-two languages.

About Book Bans:

Book bans in public schools have recurred throughout American history, and remain an issue of concern to us at Bookstore1Sarasota. Over the past years, the scope of such censorship has expanded rapidly. In response, PEN America has collated an Index of School Book Bans, offering a snapshot of the trend. The index provides a comprehensive list of books banned in the first half of the 2022-2023 school year. Check it out and join us in our efforts to protect free expression and students' first amendment rights. You can view the index here: https://pen.org/2023-banned-book-list/.

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All signed up and unable to go? Please let us know! Seating is limited and there may be people on our waitlist who would like to to take your place. Please send an email to bryn@sarasotabooks.com ASAP and hopefully we'll see you next time.

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