ann roth

It’s difficult to reinvigorate excellence, but this cast and crew has. Sometimes
you want your favorites to be so good, you become too critical, but this feature version manages
to keep our memories intact of reading the book under the covers with a flashlight and taking
some of the pain out of puberty.

If you know a tween girl—or you remember being one—go see Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. Judy Blume’s beloved book about an eleven-year-old girl’s budding puberty comes to rich, layered life in this charming adaptation that’s funny, empathetic, and affecting. Abby Ryder Fortson takes the lead as Margaret, an easygoing, wide-eyed girl who returns home from summer camp to find her world upended. Her mom and dad have bought a home in New Jersey, leaving the bustle and clutter of a New York City apartment behind. For Margaret and her paternal grandma, moving across the Hudson might as well be across the country.