Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Characters

The novel’s protagonist, Margaret, is an 11-year-old girl whose parents move their family to Farbrook, New Jersey from New York City. Margaret has good relationships with her parents, and she’s very close with her paternal… read analysis of Margaret Simon

Grandma is Margaret’s paternal grandmother. She’s Jewish, 60 years old, and lives in New York City. A fashionable woman, Grandma always wears nice clothes and dyes her hair different fashionable colors. She and Margaret… read analysis of Grandma

Margaret’s mom is a stay-at-home parent who paints still life paintings as a hobby. She’s a practical, no-nonsense woman who enjoys gardening and has trouble making choices about her new house in the suburbs—she… read analysis of Mom

Margaret’s dad works in insurance in New York City. He was raised Jewish by his mom, Margaret’s Grandma, but when he and Mom got married, they decided to not identify as any one… read analysis of Dad

Grandfather is Margaret’s maternal grandfather and Mom’s father, whom Margaret has never met before he visits at the end of the novel. Before Margaret was born, when Mom told her parents that she… read analysis of Paul Hutchins/Grandfather

Nancy is Margaret’s first friend in Farbrook. She’s 11 going on 12, just like Margaret, and is still in the early stages of puberty—though Nancy would like Margaret (and everyone else) to think she’s… read analysis of Nancy Wheeler

Gretchen is one of Margaret’s new friends in Farbrook and one of the PTS’s. It’s implied that Gretchen, like Nancy, is already wearing a bra by the time of the first club meeting… read analysis of Gretchen Potter

Janie is one of the Four PTS’s and she eventually becomes one of Margaret’s closest friends. Like Margaret, Janie has to ask her mother to buy her a bra so she can attend the… read analysis of Janie Loomis

Laura Danker is a girl in Margaret’s class. Though Laura is in sixth grade, like Margaret, she looks much older—Margaret mistakes her for the teacher at first. Laura already wears a bra, looks like… read analysis of Laura Danker

Norman is a boy in Margaret’s class. She refers to him as a “drip” throughout the novel, which means that she sees him as uncool and unintelligent. However, she never really explains why she… read analysis of Norman Fishbein

Philip is the cutest boy in Margaret’s sixth grade class. All four of the PTS’s say they have a crush on him (but Margaret only says she has a crush on him to please… read analysis of Philip Leroy

Moose is a 14-year-old boy who lives in Margaret’s neighborhood in Farbrook. He’s Evan’s best friend, which is how Margaret meets him. Margaret develops a crush on Moose instantly, so it’s convenient when… read analysis of Moose Freed

Mr. Benedict is Margaret’s sixth grade teacher. He’s a young, first-year teacher, and Margaret quickly realizes that Mr. Benedict is somewhat afraid of his students. However, when the students work together to pick on… read analysis of Mr. Benedict

Freddy is a troublemaker in Margaret’s class. Kids refer to him as a “lobster” because he comes to school on the first day sunburned. Freddy plays mean tricks on kids, like pulling their chairs… read analysis of Freddy Barnett