Narrated by Margaret Simon, an almost twelve-year-old who moves from New York City to the Jersey suburbs, Blume’s novel for young readers engages, with directness and a strong dose of appropriate preteen bewilderment, themes seldom treated so familiarly at the time. Top of the list is the perplexity Margaret feels—abetted by her grandparents’ unhelpful meddling—over her lack of religious affiliation due to her parents’ interfaith marriage; following close behind are the mysteries of menstruation, the awkwardness of buying her first bra, fear of not fitting in with her new classmates, and envy of more popular and more well-developed friends. Teaching kids to recognize the value of their inner voice when all the outer ones are shouting more loudly is no small gift, which explains in part why Blume’s book is so beloved. Its influence on the minds of readers may be as deep as that of any book published in its era, and the many shelves of diary fiction that are produced each year are a tribute to its lasting influence on our collective imagination.
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