Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

In the popular imagination, the book is mostly concerned with the changing body and the rites of puberty, and that’s what made it controversial. But Margaret’s exploration of religion — her Jewish father and Christian mother encourage her to decide for herself — also drew the ire of the religious right. The God Margaret confides in is non-denominational; as a preteen, she has agency and choice.

Margaret is funny and real, and her thoughts and feelings are oh-so-relatable—you’ll feel like she’s talking right to you, sharing her secrets with a friend.