In Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, our main girl may not have a big family, but that doesn't mean that they're not super important to who she is. She adores her Grandma Sylvia and loathes her Grandma and Grandpa Hutchins, and while there's plenty she shares with her parents, there's also plenty she keeps from them. Like her entire relationship with God.
Margaret's family sets the stage for her religious journey, which is arguably the biggest part of her story, and so though they're few in number, they pack a wallop in this book.
Questions About Family
- How would Margaret's experience of moving to Farbrook and exploring religions have been different if she weren't an only child?
- Why is the relationship between Margaret and Grandma Sylvia so different from the relationship between Grandma and Grandpa Hutchins? What are the major factors that cause the different grandparents to react differently to the same situation?
- How does Margaret's mom make being an almost teenager easier? How does she make it harder?
- How do you think Margaret's dad handles the visit by Margaret's grandparents? What could he have done differently or better?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
If Margaret weren't an only child, she wouldn't be having private convos with God.
The difference between Grandma Sylvia and the Hutchinses is not strength of belief, but how much religion is prioritized.