Are You There, Buddha?

You might have read “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret” when you were a tween. This one is modelled after (and references) that, except it’s modern and the narrator is talking to Buddha, and it’s far more relatable.

Bee is a twelve year old going through puberty, with a stepmother she resents, a kid brother she adores, a father who doesn’t always know what to say, and an absent mother who decided to live in an Indian ashram rather than with her daughter. She’s starting high school, she’s a skater and a swimmer and she hasn’t found her tribe, but she has a (male) best friend who’s there for her. This book is for the girls who AREN’T part of the cool crowd, who don’t want to grow up fast, and who want to be accepted for who they are. Bee isn’t desperate for a boyfriend. It’s a nice change from some the many books about girls mooning over boys.

At first glance this looks like it’s a poetry book, but it’s just the way the prose is set out. (See photos for the first two pages.) Highly recommended!