I’ll never forget the buzz and whispers, all around my fellow 5^th graders at Spoede School in Creve Couer, when we learned that “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” was going to be available for purchase, via the annual Scholastic Book Fair.

The year was 1979, and we had all been reading Judy Bloom books, starting with “Fudge,” but “Margaret” was about growing up, and we all knew it included pages detailing the “stuff” about growing up that we knew was coming but, just hadn’t been really told about yet. That would come in 6^th grade.

Almost like forbidden fruit, the girls would have copies of the book in their desks, while the boys wouldn’t be caught dead owning a copy, but could not wait read it nonetheless. It was such an impression in our collective psyche’s, that I’m certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that the same thing happened at elementary schools in Parkway, Pattonville, and all over St. Louis.

And although I had not thought of Margaret in quite some time, she continued to pop-up now and then.

Back in 2018, the Jewish author tweeted that the film rights to the book had been sold and a movie based on the story would be forthcoming. Now, 3-years later, Entertainment Weekly is reporting the film is moving forward and shooting will begin this year.

“Abby Ryder Fortson will take on the eponymous role of Margaret Simon,” reports EW. “She will be joined on screen by Rachel McAdams as Margaret’s mother, Barbara, who is tasked with guiding her precocious daughter through her many (many) quandaries.”

“Margaret and I are really similar,” Fortson, 12, told the publication. “I love her. She’s so goofy and awesome. She’s all heart and love and just wants to have friends and figure out who she is.”

As for Blume, she has given the cast her blessing: “My readers are always fantasy-casting my books, but I’ve never done that. But you know it when you see it, and Abby is a natural. And I’m so excited that Margaret got a funny, sexy, sassy mom in Rachel,” she said.

Kveller also reports, the movie is set to start filming in April, and Blume is planning to be fairly involved in the filming and is even planning to come to visit the set. What’s more, she has already confirmed that the unforgettable scene between Margaret and Laura Danker about being an early bloomer will be a part of the movie.